Kingdom Hearts Has Moved

I transferred my domain over to http://theobloggers.com/ and have a whole new look.

You can still find me at http://jasonbrowning.net but wanted to let some of you who were getting to me through Blogger know.

thanks,
Jason

A Preacher's Life

A happy Monday morning to all! I hope everyone had a good weekend. These were sent to me over the weekend by a member in the congregation here in La Grange. I thought these were pretty funny and wanted to share. Enjoy!

Jason

PREACHER'S LIFE

A preacher said to a farmer, "Do you belong to the Christian family?"

"No," he said, "they live two farms down."

"No, I mean are you lost?"

"No, I've been here thirty years."

"I mean, are you ready for Judgment Day?"

"When is it?"

"Could be today or tomorrow."

"Well, when you find out for sure when it is, you let me know. My wife will probably want to go both days!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Call to Another Church

A preacher places his order at the pet store. "I need at least 50 mice, 2,000 ants and as many of those little silverfish you can get."

The clerk replies, "We can probably do that, but it might take some time. Mind if I ask why you are placing such an unusual order?"

The preacher replies, "I've accepted an offer to another church and the men told me to leave the parsonage the way I found it."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Farewell Offering

During the last Sunday service that the preacher was to spend at the church he served for some years, his hat was passed around for a goodwill offering.

When it returned to the preacher, it was empty.

The preacher didn't flinch.

He simply raised the hat to Heaven and said, "I thank You, Lord, that I got my hat back from this congregation."


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hot-Air Hand Dryers

My preacher friend put sanitary hot air hand dryers in the rest rooms at the church where he preaches and after two weeks, took them out.

I asked him why and he confessed that they worked fine, but when he went in there he saw a sign that read, "For a sample of this week's sermon, push the button.

Ancient Words

Holy words long preserved for our walk in this world;
They resound with God's own heart, O, let the ancient words impart.
Words of life, words of hope, give us strength, help us cope;
In this world where-'er we roam, Ancient words will guide us home.

Ancient words ever true, changing me, and changing you;
We have come with open hearts, O let the ancient words impart.

Holy words of our faith, handed down to this age,
came to us through sacrifice, O, heed the faithful words of Christ.
Holy words, long preserved for our walk in this world,
They resound with God's own heart, O, let the ancient words impart.

Ancient words ever true, changing me, and changing you;
We have come with open hearts, O let the ancient words impart.

Ancient words ever true, changing me, and changing you;
We have come with open hearts, O let the ancient words impart.

We have come with open hearts, O let the ancient words impart.
O let the ancient words impart.

--Writer Unknown

Heart Flaws: Pessimism and Worry

I have been unable to blog on a consistent basis here of late but hopefully things will slow down for me in just a little over a month from now. Summer time is always the busiest time of the year for me. Maybe some time soon I will be able to share some of what else is making life so hectic for me right now.

Things are going okay here. Cody and the boys left yesterday for their annual trip to Wisconsin. They should be be back around the middle part of next week. It is always nice up there this time of year and I would love to have gone but there is just too much going on here that will not allow me to get away.

This past Sunday, I began a series of lessons on heart flaws; ones that are especially difficult for us as Christians. And Sunday's lesson was specifically on worrying too much and negativity/pessismism. The funny thing is of the 150 or so in our assembly Sunday morning, it was probably me that needed to hear the lesson more than anyone. I hope I was listening.

Of course, not all worrying is bad. I think it is commonly agreed that a little stress keeps us going and can be a good thing, so long as we don't allow our worrying and anxiety to deprive us of the joy that we should have as Christians. But think about some of the things we worry about. We worry about things that have already happened. We can't live in the past though (Luke 9:62). Or we tend to worry about things that will inevitablly happen. Or worry about something that will never happen. Again, yes, some of these are examples of our natural human reaction to life, and to a degree that is just the way we are, but the point is that God does not want us to allow these things to rob us of the overall happiness we should have as kingdom citizens.

Jesus' words in Matthew 6:19-34 provide a great text about this very subject. Notice what we can learn about being overly anxious from this text:

• It is unneccesary (v.32)
• It is a lack of trust (v.26, 31)
• It is prohibited (vv.25, 31, 34)
• It is pointless (v.27)
• It is what those that do not belong to God do (v.32)

So what can we do to overcome this tendency among us?

• Follow Joshua's lead in Joshua 24:15. Determine in our minds that we are going to conquer our penchants for being negative and pessimistic. Make the commitment that we are going to follow God regardless so there is little room for overly worrying about things. Afterall, God is in control.
• Follow David's example, and when we fall, get back up. Paul charges us to be steadfast in our labors, knowing they are not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58).
• Accentuate the positive (Philippians 4:8).
• Trust in God and stop trying to rely on ourselves (Isaiah 26:3-4; Philippians 4:13; Romans 8:28-31).
• Get busy for the kingdom and do something good for someone else (Matthew 6:33).
• Pray (1 Thessalonians 5:17; 1 Peter 5:7; James 5:16).

I hope to write more soon. Peace!

We Shall Assemble

We shall assemble on the mountain,

we shall assemble at the throne.

With humble hearts into His presence,

we bring an offering of song.

Glory and honor and dominion,

unto the Lamb, unto the King.

Oh hallelujah, hallelujah!

We sing the song of the redeemed.

We shall assemble on the mountain,
we shall assemble at the throne.
With humble hearts into His presence,
we bring an offering of song.
Glory and honor and dominion,
unto the Lamb, unto the King.
Oh hallelujah, hallelujah!
We sing the song of the redeemed.

--Twila Paris

Getting People's Attention

In Acts 2 we read about the Holy Spirit's descent upon the apostles. This was a special Jewish feast day called Pentecost, which means "50." This celebration occured 50 days after the Passover, which consequently always fell on "the first day of the week," if I understand correctly. In any event, this great feast was a commemoration. And multitudes of Jews and proselytes from all over the world would make the long journey to Jerusalem in order to participate in these festivities. Literally thousands of people would convene at this time of the year. And there were many different languages represented.

Think about it! With so many locations and languages being represented here, what a perfect opportunity for the Holy Spirit to come on this occasion and get the attention of the whole world. What we see transpiring in the first four verses of Acts 2 let all of Jerusalem and the different locations being represented that God was present and actively involved in His kingdom. The apostles, most of which were not highly educated, were now all of a sudden able to speak in other languages (tongues). The Holy Spirit had this impact on them directly so that they would be able to teach the gospel.

Imagine the curiosity this event must have sparked. Concerning the people's reaction to all of this, the text tells us:

"And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, 'Are not all these who are speaking Galileans?'" (Acts 2:6-7)

"And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, 'What does this mean?'" (Acts 2:12)

God, through the Holy Spirit, got these people's attention. Because of these people's curiosity, they were ready to learn. People are no different today. And this is precisely why it seems to me that there is really a tremendous lesson for us in all of this. The Spirit does not miraculously work in us in the way He does in the apostles in this text. But this does not change the fact that we are who is responsible for seeking to accomplish what the Holy Spirit accomplished here. We are now the arms, legs, hands, and feet of Christ. We are now His ambassadors, seeking to deliver God's saving message to people. And so how can we be successful?

I think it has to start with us understanding that we too, must get the attention of people. Like it or not, we are not in a society that flocks to us begging us to teach them about Jesus and the gospel. We might find this on occasion, but generally speaking and for the most part, it is we who are responsible for seeking out the lost. So how do we get enough of their attention so we can get the gospel in their hands? I'm certainly no expert, and undoubtedly welcome your ideas. But here are a few that come to my mind:

• Our examples need to get people's attention (Matthew 5:13-16). Our influence and demeanor as Christians should spark people's curiosity and make them want what we have. There is something about a joyful, peaceful, and secure person that draws others to them. This is how opportunities arise.
• Our teaching needs to get people's attention. We need to support the strong preaching of Christ's gospel. We need to realize the urgency of teaching it (2 Timothy 4:2). But we have to find balance. One one hand, we cannot afford to be arrogant and pompous in our presentation of it. We must remember to always do so in love (Ephesians 4:15). On the other hand, neither can we afford to allow our fears of running people away to cause us to minimize the importance of teaching. That is just as lethal. And so the responsibility lies on us to learn how to discern when, when not, where, and how to speak up.
• Our involvement in the community--individually and congregationally--should get people's attention. We need to be thinking about effective ways to get out and let people in our communities know that we are an active family of God concerned for the souls and well-being of people. We need to demonstrate through our involvement in the community that we are interested in more than merely being right in arguments. I don't know about anyone else, as I can only speak for myself here, but I don't want to primarily be perceived as being content with sitting in our own circles talking about how we are the ones who have it all figured out.
• We need to befriend people in order to get their attention. I remember when I decided that I was going to preach full-time, a friend of mine who was a preacher reminded me that if I was lucky, 1% of my conversions would come from behind the pulpit. He wanted me to understand that I was going to have to get out and meet people and become friends with them. Folks, our conversions, for the most part are going to come in the deer blinds, on the golf courses, on fishing and hunting trips, on shopping trips, over lunch or dinner, in our homes where we are inviting people, etc. We need to be visiting those who are vulnerable, in hospitals, in nursing homes, those who have recently lost loved ones. We must allow ourselves to get involved in the lives of others. And this means that sometimes we might even need to step outside of our comfort zones. I do not think it is a mere coincidence that Jesus spent the majority of His time with those that most in His culture were uncomfortable with--tax collectors, prostitutes, adulteresses, lepers, disease-laden, the poor, the grieved and mournful, etc. Jesus knew that those who were most vulnerable were the ones most likely to respond to His willingness and desire to forgive sins.

Have a great day. Peace!

Every Time

(1) Every time I kneel to pray, I open up my heart to my Lord.
Every time I close my eyes, I feel the sweet embrace of my Lord.

(Chorus):
I don't know why so many things seem to get in the way of seeing my God's glory.
But I try every day to see Him and to thank Him for all the things He's given me.

(2) Every time I see a child, I see the gentleness of my Lord.
Every time I watch a storm, I know the awesome pow'r of my Lord.

(Chorus):
I don't know why so many things seem to get in the way of seeing my God's glory.
But I try every day to see Him and to thank Him for all the things He's given me.

(3) Every time I see the cross.

--Philip Organ

The Unknown Is Scary

Trust can be a very difficult thing. Even when we know someone well and can rationally understand that we can trust them, sometimes it is still challenging. For example, at camp last week, to demonstrate this I asked a 7th grade boy to stand with his back facing me and fall back and allow me to catch him. It took him about 4 tries, but he finally did it completely without any hesitation. He admitted that he rationally understood he had no reason to not trust that I would catch him. He was confident I would. But it was still difficult.

The unknown is scary! Trust is something that forces us to let go--to let go of our own will and submit to the will of another. It is part of our human nature to stuggle with this. And this is why it can be such a challenge for us even as God's people to lean back and allow Him to catch and carry us.

What a great example we see in Daniel 3 in Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Daniel's friends. The setting is the Jews being held captive to the Babylonians, of whom Nebuchadnezzar is serving as king. Beginning in v.8 we see that King Nebuchadnezzar expected all to bow down and worship not only him but the golden image he had set up. The consequence of not doing so, necessitated being thrown into a fiery furnace. One could easily understand the temptation to do what the king expected, even if they did not particularly care to do so. When word got to Nebuchadnezzar that Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego would not do as he commanded, he was furious. In a rage he confronted them about it. As he reminded them of the fiery furnace in which he would cast them if they refused to bow to him, notice the response given by these three faithful servants of God:

"Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, 'Oh Nebuchadnezar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliever us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up'" (Daniel 3:16-18).

These three brave friends knew that God would deliver them in one way or another. They trusted in God's presence in their lives. They trusted that God would not forsake them. And they trusted that God's will (to serve Him only and not bow down to other gods) was better and higher than man's will. This was their faith. Their trust in God was the very reason that they were able to confidently submit to God's will. Even if God didn't deliver them from the furnace and decided to let them burn to death (which He did not-Daniel 3:28), that was still okay with them because they trusted that God would have His reasons. They understood that God has a higher will for us and sometimes although we can't see His reasoning, we still have to trust.

Faith is not deciding what I want God to do and then trusting Him to deliver. It means rather, whether He delivers like I want Him to or not, I am still going to bow down and glorify Him regardless. It means that even when I can't see His ways, I will still submit to His will in obedience to the best of my ability. Because I trust Him and what He says. Not that my obedience saves me or obligates God to include my name in the Book of life. But because my trust and faith in Him is required.

May we all always trust that He is an all-wise, all-knowing, all-powerful ,and all-present God. He is in charge. If I truly believe that and put my faith in Him, then the whole submission thing takes care of itself. Yes, the unknown is scary. And that is why we often prefer our own will. Sometimes it is a natural tendency on our part. And while the Bible doesn't tell us everything we would like to know about Heaven of the afterlife (the unknown), it certainly reveals enough to us so that I can know that I want to be there. Indeed, I do. And may my trust, faith, and reliance be upon God's ability to get me to that Promised Land rather than on my own abilities (Romans 3:23).

Have a great weekend!

Another Great Conversation With Aaron

I hope everyone had a great Father's Day. Because I am a preacher, I don't get to spend Father's Days with my dad. This time he came here though, so it was really good to be with him.

Camp went great. There were no "incidences" and that is always good. Brett Gerhardt and the rest of the staff do a good job running a "tight" camp and making sure everything goes smoothly. The kids learned a lot and they, along with us as the staff had a great time. God is good!

Well, I wanted to share an interesting conversation I had with Aaron Saturday. Really, it was quite one-sided, but he taught me something I did not know. It went something like this as I was sitting at the computer.

Aaron: Hey dad, I want to tell you something and it is about God.

Jason: Certainly, I would love for you to tell me something about God. What is it?

Aaron: Well it is about how God created the world and us as people.

Jason: Oh? Let's hear it buddy.

Aaron: Well God made a man and his name was Adam. And he was the very 1st man ever. And God thought everything was good in the world that He made but Adam was very lonely and needed a wife like you dad. So God needed to make a woman and her name was going to be Eve. I don't know if she looked like mommy but she probably would act like a mommy. So to make the woman, He took some ribbon and created her. And then everything was perfect until she messed up and disobeyed God.


Hmmmm! You learn something new every day I suppose. Have I stated lately that I love having children? Thank you God for Aaron and Chase. This home would not be what it is without them.

We Bow Down

You are Lord of creation and Lord of my life,
Lord of the land and the sea.
You were Lord of the heavens before there was time,
and Lord of all lords You will be!

We bow down and we worship You Lord,
We bow down and we worship You Lord,
We bow down and we worship You Lord.
Lord of all lords You will be!

You are King of creation and King of my life,
King of the land and the sea.
You were King of the heavens before there was time,
and King of all kings You will be!

We bow down and we crown You the King,
We bow down and we crown You the King,
We bow down and we crown You the king.
King of all kings You will be!

--Twila Paris

Off To Camp, We Go.....

This morning after worship, me and 8 kids from La Grange will be heading out for our annual trip to Camp Hensel. It is always a lot of fun, although the older I get, the more difficult it becomes to get motivated in going. I already miss my bed. :-)

Please pray for us--for our safety and most importantly for our spiritual growth. It is always nice to get out there and leave behind the daily challenges of the world and grow closer to God.

I will pick up posting on my blog again after next week! Have a great one.

Peace!

You Are My All In All

(1) You are my strength when I am weak,
You are the treasure that I seek,
You are my all in all.
Seeking You as a precious jewel,
Lord to give up I'd be a fool,
You are my all in all.

(2) Taking my sin, my cross, my shame,
Rising again I bless Your name,
You are my all in all.
When I fall down You pick me up,
When I am dry You fill my cup,
You are my all in all.

(Refrain) Jesus, Lamb of God, Worthy is your name.
Jesus, Lamb of God, Worthy is your name.

--Dennis L. Jernigan

"For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Corinthians 12:10).

Aaron Mutton Bustin'

Here is the video of Aaron riding the sheep. Pretty funny stuff. As you will see, Aaron hung on great but the sheep stopped. This apparently was what kept him out of 1st place. That was a bummer because he held on longer than any of the other 8 kids. Oh well! It was fun...(and funny).

He had really been wanting to do this for a while. I am glad he finally got to do it. Maybe we can put him on the bronco next year, :-) Of course, Chase was mad that he couldn't ride. But he will be old enough by next year.

Law vs. Inward As A Means Of Salvation

In Romans 2:17-29, Paul continues his thoughts on the impartiality of God and how all human beings are in dire need of God’s mercy. In essence, he draws a comparison between resorting to law for salvation (it condemns) and resorting to the inward for salvation (it saves).

Regardless of what one’s relationship to the law of God is, that relationship in and of itself, will not save man. The Gentiles will not be saved by their ignorance of this law and the Jews will not be saved by their possession of this law because the only way to be saved by relationship to law is to keep it perfectly (Galatians 3:10; James 2:10). There are no exceptions. God does not show favoritism. He is impartial.

Essentially, what Paul does in vv.17-24 is spoil the Jews’ hope in the law. I don’t think he is saying it is irrelevant in that they shouldn’t even bother to follow it. Of course God wants His people to follow His commands—always! But Paul is trying to get them to understand that their knowledge and possession of it is not the source of salvation. He forces these Jewish Christians to see the hypocrisy of their ways. He exposes their own sinfulness to point out that they are not perfect themselves. So the logic behind what Paul is writing here, and this has tremendous application for us too, is this: if you claim that the law saves you, and you are not obeying it (and none of us are completely), then where does that leave you? According to v.24, law-breaking dishonors God. Our sin not only is an insult to God, but ultimately causes others to sin as well. The Jews’ sin indeed impacted the Gentiles. When we sin in a community filled with non-believers, we make God’s name look bad. We fail in our efforts to enhance the reputation of Him (and His church).

Thank God we are not saved based on our adherence to His law. May God have mercy on us if we don’t try our best (Romans 6:1ff). However, let us also understand that no matter how close we are to doing so perfectly, we still fall short and therefore cannot be saved by our relationship to God’s law.

In this final section of chapter 2 (vv.25-29), it seems that Paul knew that the final straw the Jews would seek to grasp was circumcision. After all, circumcision is what made the Jews God’s special people, right? This was the sign! The token of covenant between God and His people. See Acts 15 for a lesson on what the Jews thought about circumcision and the high regard they had for it, even after Christianity commenced. They wanted to bind this on the Gentiles after they were added to the church. They looked upon their circumcision as concrete evidence that their relationship with God protected them.

And so Paul is not condemning circumcision, but merely doing with circumcision what he already did with the law—showing that it will serve as no basis for special treatment come Judgment Day. We have to understand the lesson here because it is too important for us to miss. The internal is the measure of salvation, not the external. This is where Paul now begins to hint at the need for grace. If not for grace, we are stuck with law as our system of salvation—a system in which of all us would be doomed.

By the way, “letter” as it is used in v.29 means “written code.” True spiritual circumcision is a matter of the heart being right, not about external law-keeping. The spiritual or inner circumcision, according to Paul, is the Holy Spirit working in the heart of the Christian—that is the strengthening of our hearts (John 3:3, 5; Acts 2:38; Titus 3:5-8; Colossians 2:9-14).

Paul’s final words in chapter 2 are “His praise is not from man but from God.” It should be a great source of comfort that God has the ability to discern hearts. 1 John 3:20 reminds us that God is greater than our hearts. He can discern and we can’t. And its high time we quit thinking we can take on that role. When you keep this entire letter in its context, God through Paul is sending a strong message to these Christians: “You cannot see what is on the inside like I can see. So stop being critical and thinking you are better because I’m telling you, you’re not—you all fall short of law and therefore you’re all going to need something greater than law to save you if you are going to be saved.”

I think the application to us is obvious. We need to let God do the judging and worry about our own efforts to live for Him. This does not mean we can’t help each other out and encourage one another. This doesn’t mean we should not go to one another out of love and concern for each other when the need arises. It simply means that when we do so, it needs to be done with a humble disposition that recognizes that we too fall short. Our job is to lovingly reach out to and help others (and even correct, if necessary). God’s job is to pass judgment. And there is a big, big difference between these two roles!

In the first 20 verses of Romans 3, Paul continues to elaborate on the fact that all are deserving of eternal punishment, which is why we cannot be saved by law (v.20). We will pick up with this portion of this great epistle in a couple of weeks after I return from camp.

Peace!

Attitude Is Everything

There is a story about a young boy who received a chemistry set for his birthday. One morning he was playing with it and decided he was going to mix a smelly chemical with his dad's aftershave lotion. So that morning as the dad got out of the shower and shaved, and then put his aftershave on, he noticed that something stank. He then walked into the bedroom to get dressed and noticed the stinch was there as well. As he went to the kitchen to eat breakfast he asked his wife why the house stank. Then when he left for work, he still smelled the odor when he got outside and frustratingly said, "the whole world stinks."

What this dad didn't realize, was that the "stink" was on him. Attitude is a lot like that, isn't it? Perhaps we have been this way ourselves, or maybe we have known some to be this way. As Christians we are so much happier when we change our outlook on things. If we look for the negative, we will find it. There is little skill in that. And when it comes to sin, attitude is likely the first place we need to look.

Our attitude for the most part will make or break us as Christians. Paul charged Timothy to set an example in attitude (1 Timothy 4:12) and even exhorted the Philippians to think on good things and accentuate the positive (i.e., Philippians 4:8).

Notice what the psalmist has to say to Israel about attitude:

"and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God" (Psalm 78:8).

This generation of Israel's attitude literally cost them their entrance into the Promised Land. In a lot of ways our faithfulness to God hinges on attitude. Our disposition and demeanor, for the most part, will actually dictate whether or not we submit to God in faith.

Perhaps one of the greatest examples of a good attitude in the Bible is Joshua and Caleb. In Numbers 13, Moses sends twelve spies into the land of Canaan, which God had promised Israel. Moses sent them to spy out the land so that they could properly prepare in going in and conquering the land. Ten of the twelve spies came back with a negative report and in essence sent the entire nation into a frenzy. They said there was no way they could take this land because the enemy was too big and too great in number. But Joshua and Caleb knew differently. They had faith in God's presence with them and knew with the Almighty One on their side, they could conquer all things (cf. Philippians 4:13; Romans 8:28, 31). And God commended them for it:

"But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it" (Numbers 14:24).

Take note of the correlation between spirit (attitude) and submission. Caleb's attitude is what was different. That is what allowed him to stand out as unique before God. It is what distinguished him from everyone else. Obedience and keeping God's commands has everything to do with attitude. It comes from a disposition that trusts in God's ways more than our own. It is about a humility that realizes that life is not about us and therefore wants to be pleasing to God. Submission to God is about living and applying the Scriptures from the inside out. This why Jesus taught throughtout His ministry that it is the heart that matters (Matthew 5:20).

Attitude is everything!

In Moments Like These

In moments like these, I sing out a song,
I sing out a love song to Jesus.
In moments like these, I lift up my voice,
I lift up my voice to the Lord.
Singing I love You Lord, singing I love You Lord;
Singing I love You, Lord.
I love You.

In moments like these, I sing out a song,
I sing out a love song to Jesus.
In moments like these, I lift up my hands,
I lift up my hands to the Lord.
Singing I love You Lord, singing I love You Lord;
Singing I love You, Lord.
I love You.

--David Graham

"I love You, Lord, my strength.
The Lord is my rock,
my fortress, and my deliverer,
my God, my mountain where I seek refuge,
my stronghold.
I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
and I was saved from my enemies" (Psalm 18:1-3).

Judgment and Law

Here are Paul’s words in Romans 2:12-16:

“For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. For when Gentitles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.”

C.E.B. Cranfield summarizes these words of Paul well when he says, “knowledge of the law does not in itself constitute any defense against the judgment of God.” Two things are accomplished here: (1) The Jews cannot have a sense of false confidence in thinking they are saved just because they have the Law. And (2) this quells any possible complaints that the Gentiles might have about being at a disadvantage because they didn’t have the Law of Moses. Paul is affirming that everyone is equal and deserving of God’s judgment—all are equal in that they fall short. The idea that the Jews were at a clear or distinct advantage for being given the Law is being rejected in this section.

Remember in v.11, Paul had just stated that God does not show favoritism. He is not partial. There are no “favorites.” So in verse 12, Paul clarifies this by reminding them that each of them is susceptible to the judgment of God. Regardless whether you have been given a formal law or special revelation at all, you will still be judged and fall short. This term “perish” here means the complete process of destruction of a person. It is what we deserve. This is part of Paul’s whole point. There is a message for both groups here: (1) To the Jews, they have the law but they must abide by it. Just “possessing” the Law does not relieve them of judgment. And (2) to the Gentiles who did not receive a special law (i.e., Law of Moses) it is not required in order to be subject to God’s judgment. In other words, neither will not having the Law excuse them from judgment. The point to both Jew and Gentile here is that just hearing God’s law is not what is going to justify them anyway. Doing what God says is what matters to God, not merely hearing it. Hearing it is a waste of time if we don’t do what He actually commands.

The term “law” as Paul is using it here, is a direct reference to the Law of Moses. But because of what he says in v.14 however, is why I don’t think the application here is exclusively the Law of Moses. Paul shows that this idea of law, while directly referring to the Law of Moses, is indicative of any law. It seems that vv.14-15 here should be considered in light of Romans 1:19-20. Remember Paul said that God has still given the Gentiles knowledge of law so that they are without excuse. Now he is affirming that they have God’s law in their hearts (v.15). What they have in their hearts is not the "Law of Moses." But rather there is a certain instinctual knowledge of right and wrong possessed by the Gentiles, although they didn’t possess the Law of Moses. The ability to discern right from wrong is something that is woven into the very core of their hearts—therefore they still are without excuse. And just the like the Law of Moses is not able to save, neither is this law of the Gentiles' hearts. These Gentiles to whom Paul is referring are no more able to keep their law perfectly than the Jews were able to keep theirs.

Thus, don’t forget contextually, Paul’s overall point here is that law in general falls short in its ability to justify us, because of man’s inability to keep it perfectly. The alternative to law-keeping as a means of justification will be offered beginning in the latter part of the next chapter (Romans 3:23-24). Paul ends this section with a simple acknowledgment of the Judgment Day. Basically it is a concluding touch on making his point that all are liable to Judgment according to how we have obeyed God’s law or commands; and consequently, all are deserving of perishing (i.e., eternal destruction). Also, once again…..let us take note in v.16 of WHO does the judging. This certainly also implies who does not do the judging.

Ben Witherington III, in his commentary, has some interesting thoughts concerning this section of Romans. This will conclude our study of this section:

“The message is, then, not only about the impartiality of God, though that is emphasized, but also about the fact that all humans are equally in need of mercy in view of their sin, including particularly those Jews who should have been teachers to the blind but in fact proved to be less than good exemplars of what the Law required. Having the Law is no guarantee of doing the Law, and merely having it is no protection against God’s judgment on disobedience, for all human behavior will be judged by God. Even being a Jewish teacher does not exempt one from God’s righteous judgment on sin nor from the need to hear and heed the gospel proclamation.”

Thanksgiving

In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, the Apostle Paul stated,

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

In a psalm of thanksgiving and praise, David uttered,

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him; bless his name. For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.” (Psalm 100:4-5).

Because we are merely human beings and therefore fallible, it is likely that all of us at some point in our lives have forgotten how blessed we really are. Consider the following:

• If you own just one Bible, you are abundantly blessed. One third of the world does not have access to even one.

• If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.

• If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.

• If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than three billion people in the world.

• If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof on your head, and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world.

• If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy.

• If your parents are still married and alive, you are very rare, even in the United States.

• If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful, you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.

• If you prayed yesterday and today, you are blessed because you believed in God’s willingness to hear and answer prayer.

• If you can read this message, you are more blessed than over two million people in the world who cannot read anything at all.

I do not know where these "statistics" came from. I found them in a "stash" of old articles I have kept over the years. Nevertheless, I thought some of these were interesting as they really put in perspective how even when we are down, we should remember that it can always be worse. I hope that we will take the time each day to count our blessings. God is good to us in more ways than we can imagine. We are certainly blessed beyond what we could ever deserve (Matthew 5:43-48; John 3:16; Romans 5:8-9).

Have a good day!

Heavenly Music

What heavenly music steals over the sea!
Entrancing the senses like sweet melody!
'Tis the voice of the angels born soft on the air
For me they are singing; their welcome I hear

On the banks of old Jordan, here gazing I stand
And earnestly longing, I stretch forth my hand
Send a convoy of angels, dear Jesus I pray!
Let me join that sweet music; come, take me away

Though dark are the waters and rough is the wave
If Jesus permit, the wild surges I'll brave
For the heavenly music hath ravished me so
I must join in that chorus! I'll go! let me go!
I must join in that chorus! I'll go! let me go!

A Tough Week

I am so glad that being a Christian and having confidence in God's presence in my life can make life easier. Especially with a week like this one.

As most of you know at this point, this has been that proverbial "week from hell" for the Brownings. Last week the boys went up to East Texas to stay with Cody's mom for a few days. The plan was for them to come back this past Wednesday. Well, early Monday morning Aaron got sick; throwing up, diarrhea, etc. After this happening most of the day, and it not stopping, Cody's parents finally took him to the emergency room and he had a stomach virus of course. But when they took his blood work they also noticed his blood count was a bit high. So they did some chest x-rays as the doctor suspected pneumonia. And sure enough, Aaron has it....apparently it had been developing for a while. He is doing somewhat better now but is still very weak and the stomach virus now at least seems to be a thing of the past.

Meanwhile, Cody went up there on Monday evening and has been there since. We knew it might be a while as Aaron was unfit to travel home obviously. Well, on Wednesday evening Chase started throwing up and having diarrhea. Sigh! They took him to the doctor yesterday morning and he has the same virus Aaron had but thankfully he doesn't have pneumonia like Aaron does.

I am thankful for in-laws like Cody's parents. Obviously this has been a crazy week for Cody at her parents taking care of two sick boys without me there. But Cody's mother is amazing and I am so glad that the boys were around her, someone they feel very safe with, as they got so sick. We are hoping that Kathy and Cody don't get this mess. From the way this week is going however, we're all planning on that happening. Cody's sister, Brooke has been a big help this week also, going to the house to help Cody and Kathy.

The elders here in La Grange where I preach are so gracious. They offered to let me go up there and be with the family. I would have taken them up on the offer but due to circumstances here on the homefront, I was unable.

This has been an incredibly tough week on a lot of levels. And it is all capped off by what I don't want to do this afternoon....bury Hank. I dread it.

On Tuesday, the day after Cody left for East Texas, when I went outside to feed the dogs before work, I noticed Hank, our rottweiller, did not want to get up for his food. He was just laying there by the fence. I finally called him and he did get up and come, but it was more out of loyalty. He clearly did not want to eat. And I could tell he was hurting. I didn't think too much of it at the time. I was extremely busy and needed to get to work. I checked on him again that afternoon and clearly knew something wasn't right. So Wednesday morning, I got him over to the vet. Ironically he has pneumonia. He also has hip dysplasia. Because his blood count is so high, the doctor thinks he could possibly have cancer. There is no hope for him at this point, so we are going to put him to sleep this afternoon after lunch.

Tough! I love this dog. It is amazing that we get these pets, knowing at some point we're going to have to say "goodbye." Yet we still put ourselves through this. Hank is a good dog. I blogged about him recently. You can see the post here. He removed all myths about how "all rottweillers are mean and bad." He was so gentle and had no clue as to what he could do if he wanted. He is about as loyal a dog as one would find. Earlier this morning I went to see him at the clinic. He is in obvious pain and discomfort, and can't get up. Yet when he saw me he was wagging his tail and reaching his paw to me.

I know this is a dog. I certainly don't want to minimize the other things that are more pressing. I love my 2 boys more than life itself and am so thankful that they are on the mend, finally. I hope they soon get their strength back so they and my wife can come home. I miss them. And I am quite sure their illness and absence is adding to my emotions right now; sadness, some grief, guilt and helplesness. I imagine the week has been even tougher on Cody. She is obviously tired from not much sleep and no one likes to see their children sick...especially this sick.

So why did I write all this? Not real sure. Perhaps many will not read it or care too much. But it has been therapeutic for me. I am thankful for the opportunity to vent. Ha! Now you all know why I REALLY blog! :-)

Thank you all for your prayers, e-mails, calls, texts, and cards regarding the boys, especially Aaron. It has been overwhelming actually, and it is good to know we are loved and cared about. All the kids at church made Aaron a card Wednesday night. It was really sweet. Please keep praying for them. Chase will be fine. He just has to ride this virus out like Aaron did. Aaron is obviously still down with his pneumonia, but we think he is pretty safe at this point. He is getting lots of rest, and most importantly, lots of love and support from his mom and grandmother.

I'm sad but I am also upbeat. I think we all have to keep in perspective that we know things like this are going to happen. It's life. And again, I know this is a dog but I can't help but be reminded that everyone of us are going to one day "go to sleep." I am so thankful that because of my relationship with God, I don't have to fear it. In fact, I look quite forward to it. There, I won't have to have weeks like this one, :-)

Have a good weekend!


And Hank, you rest in peace my buddy! Thank you so much for the fun 7 1/2 years we had.

Does Romans 2 Teach "Justification By Works?"

This is a question that Jack Cottrell raises in his Romans Commentary and I think he does an excellent job in addressing it. I will do my best to convey to you his thoughts on the matter.

Let’s first look at what the Bible says in portions of Romans 2:

“He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek…” (Romans 2:6-10).

“...For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified” (Romans 2:13).

“…So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision?” (Romans 2:26).

On the surface, this sounds consistent with the general idea of “keep God’s commandments” that we were taught from childhood--that is do good and go to heaven--or-- do bad and go to hell. That’s fair, right? Pretty simple it seems. This is also consistent with what we talked about before. What are the principles of law?

BREAK THE COMMANDMENTS AND SUFFER THE PENALTY
KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS AND ESCAPE THE PENALTY

This is difficult to argue with. And for the record, let me emphasize that I do whole-heartedly believe that we are to submit to God’s ways and obey Him. Please, make no mistake about that. But there lies the problem with taking these scriptures I just quoted at face value without considering them in their proper context. Paul indicates some other things in his theology that on the surface, seem to contradict what he says here in Romans 2. Let’s look at a few examples:

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘the righteous shall live by faith’ (Romans 1:16-17).

“For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:20).

“For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law” (Romans 3:28).

So we have what looks like two opposing views from the pen of the same inspired apostle. But we know that can’t be the case, right? Surely Paul is not contradicting himself. There has to be an explanation. We have to search for the way that the Bible harmonizes both of these concepts to form what we know as Truth. Once again, keep in mind that Paul is speaking in the overall context of law-keeping in this section of scripture, making the point that it falls short as a means of salvation. Under this type of salvation system, we fall short; all of us do. No one is exempt from this. Therefore Paul is actually speaking here about the conditions or terms of salvation if law-keeping were it—but we know that is not the case. But if it were, Paul is saying, this would be the description. And not one of us meets the terms of this type of salvation. This is the only viable explanation in light of its context; otherwise we have Paul, an inspired apostle, directly contradicting himself and sounding like a hypocrite. I don’t think any of us believe this about Paul or his writings.

Notice Dr. Cottrell’s explanation of this. He does a much better job than what I am able to convey:

“In the texts in question (vv.6-10, 13, 26) Paul is not talking about the judgment of Christians under grace, but about the conditions that prevail within the sphere or system of law, or about how a person is judged for either justification or condemnation under the provisions of God’s law. As already explained, the subject of this whole section is law, and especially its inability to save sinners.

As we also saw earlier, the principles of law are this: ‘Keep the commandments, and therefore escape the penalty; break the commandments, and therefore suffer the penalty.’ Within the context of law, anyone who does not keep its commandments will be condemned. Likewise, anyone who persevered in good works, who is a doer of the law, who keeps its commandments, will be justified. This is a statement of fact. Any Jew or Gentile who completely obeys the law available to him will be justified.

But as a matter of fact—and this is Paul’s whole point in this section—there is no one at all in this category; everyone has sinned. As a formal principle it is true that the doers of the law will be justified. But in view of the universality of sin, it is only theoretically or hypothetically true. Not one single Jew and not one single Gentile will in fact be accepted by God in the final judgment because of his good works or his obedience to law. Thus, vv.7, 10, 13, 26 should not be taken as referring to any actual state of affairs.

The actual state of things is given in (Romans-JB) 3:20, that by works of law no one will be justified, since the law judges everyone to be a sinner.” (Jack Cottrell, Romans, pp.100-101).

Everyone has flaws. In theory, if one is able to keep the law perfectly, then sure that person is justified. But Paul’s point in the context is that this theory (law-keeping as a means of salvation) falls short because none meet this standard. The only way to meet the criteria is to keep the law perfectly (Galatians 3:10; James 2:10). In other words, because of the universality of sin, law keeping as the means of salvation can only be in theory (or hypothetical). There really are only two alternatives to being saved: “nonexistent perfect obedience [law] or the gospel reality of righteousness through faith [grace]” (Cottrell, p. 101).

I do think it is important that we seek and make application from all of this. The lesson here is so strong that we can ill-afford to miss it. Its application is actually two-fold: on one hand, when sin enters our lives, we become desperately in need of God’s grace. And we need to rely on that grace. Trust in God and His righteousness more than we do our own. Relying on it means submitting to it—understanding that it is a much better way than our own way, and so we trust that it is powerful enough to save us although we don’t deserve it. This is humility. This will lead to true repentance--hopefully. On the other hand, keeping this in context with the overall Romans letter, if we think this means we can stop serving God and start living immoral lives, and somehow withdraw our responsibility to submit to His will, then that makes a mockery of His grace (Romans 6:1ff). God forbid that anyone define God’s grace as a license to sin.

The Sinfulness of Man Continued: A Study of Romans 2:1-11

*I apologize to those following my study on Romans for the lengthy time period between chapter 1 posts and chapter 2. I have a lot going on. I will try and do better.


As chapter 1 of Romans closes, Paul is discussing the sinfulness of man. He makes the case that the Gentiles are without excuse and are therefore not an exception to the general rule that no one will be or can be accepted by God according to the terms of law. Although most commentators or “experts” seem to agree that Paul was making reference to the Gentile readers (those that were not given a special revelation-i.e., Law of Moses), there is also little doubt that every point he makes is applicable to all man.

And so this brings us to the beginning of chapter 2, where Paul is continuing to talk about mankind’s sinful ways.


WHO SPECIFICALLY IS PAUL WRITING TO HERE?

This question often comes up at this juncture of studying this epistle. Many agree that here in chapter 2, Paul transitions from the Gentiles as his focus to the Jews as his focus. But the question is at what point? Some believe it is in v.1. Others believe it is in v.9. Either way, Paul’s whole point here is that no one is left out. All are susceptible to God’s wrath and therefore fall short. Every person is in dire need of something greater than law. Personally, it seems to me that v.1 marks the beginning of Paul’s transition from speaking primarily to the Gentile reader to the Jewish reader. See also v.4. By the time he gets to v.17 there is certainly little doubt that he is speaking to the Jew.

I think it is important to mention here also, that it is possible to get so "bogged down" in this that we miss Paul’s point entirely. Regardless of who thinks what as for who Paul is specifically talking to and when, it doesn’t change the overall message, which is summed up quite well in Romans 2:11; for God shows no partiality. Paul states in Romans 3:9, “What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin.” Let’s not miss this overall point of the section.

This first overall section (1:18-3:20) is emphasizing that law as a means of salvation falls short. Because we are less than perfect, we cannot be right with God in terms of a system of law. Therefore because of our inability to keep the law perfectly, law is unable to save us. If our ability to keep law is our means of salvation, then salvation becomes impossible (Mark 10:27; Romans 3:20).


MAN UNDER GOD’S WRATH (vv.1-5)

In reading the first verse, let us remember that the Jews were especially notorious for being arrogant and judgmental. Jesus’ ministry attests to this fact as well. This is one reason why I think Paul seems to be shifting his focus on the Jews at this point, especially when you consider vv.3-4. It is no secret that the Jews took their status as “God’s chosen ones” to an absurd extreme. They thought that because of their status as God’s special people that He would just forgo the standard concerning them—the standard they were so apt and quick to place on everybody else. They assumed that their status as God’s people was an automatic ticket to heaven. Can God’s elect find themselves guilty of this today? I think this is clearly our application. Paul wants them (and us) to realize that God’s grace, mercy, and kindness is never something to be taken advantage of. These wonderful gifts from God are actually designed to lead us to live righteously. God’s goodness is not for the purpose of excusing sin, but rather to stimulate a response of active and submissive faith.

Repentance as it is used here means to change one’s mind about God and especially about one’s own sin. It is when the sinner admits to the awful nature of his/her sin that this person begins to see the fruits of repentance. Like all of us when we become Christians, it must start with our recognition of (1) the seriousness of sin, (2) the fact that we are deep in it, and (3) we unequivocally need help from One greater than ourselves to get us out of it. Paul completes this thought by suggesting that if things don’t change with them, they are going to be just as “condemned” as those they are criticizing (v.5).

A large part of Paul’s message here, and we will see this even more as we continue through the epistle, is that God's bringing judgment really takes a lot of pressure off of us feeling like we have to do it. This letter to the Romans is really quite a liberating message when you think about it. It is God’s judgment that really counts, not ours. Paul will elaborate on this extensively in Romans 14. Also note that “judgment” as it is used in this text does not mean merely discerning right from wrong. Obviously we can’t help but do this (Matthew 7:20; John 7:24). But this term “judgment” carries the idea of “passing off condemnation” or "passing off a sentence." This is not our role and we shouldn’t do it (Matthew 7:1-5). It is one thing to lovingly address sin as it stares us in the face; it is quite another to assign motive when we do not know all the details. We are not detectives. God has not called us to be private investigators. And we certainly should not criticize others for something with which we are guilty ourselves. Paul wants these Christians to understand that if they condemn others while they themselves do what these others are doing, then this necessitates their own condemnation.


GOD DOES NOT SHOW PARTIALITY (vv.6-11)

As we read this, keep in mind the overall context of what Paul is conveying. Law falls short. If we are saved by law, then what Paul is saying here applies to all of law and we therefore have no hope of eternal life because of the truths revealed in Romans 3:23, Galatians 3:10, and James 2:10.

I believe the essence of Paul’s message here, keeping it in its proper context, is that if we are saved by law-keeping, then we are all doomed. None perfectly keep the law so as to be saved by it. No one will stand before God on Judgment Day and be justified due to his/her law keeping. I will elaborate on this more tomorrow, as I will make a separate post on this section. But for now, I will just say that I do not believe Paul is teaching justification by works here in Romans 2.

On the other hand, something else that Paul is demonstrating here is that it does indeed matter what we do. For example, in applying this to us, if we are baptized that is great, but are we living it too? In essence, Paul is confirming to these elitists here, Yes you will be treated like all others. And no, you will not be given special consideration on Judgment Day just because you are “my people. And here’s why…"

Dr. Jack Cottrell states it well when he discusses in his commentary on Romans how these Jews were confusing their “election” with their “salvation.” These are separate entities and the Jews were treating them as if they were synonymous concepts. Just because they were God’s chosen people did not necessitate God not holding them to the same standard of judgment. Likewise for us today, we are God’s elect, but our status as Christians does not mean that we are automatically saved, or that we have a free ride to heaven based on our status as the called out by God. Paul wants these Jews to understand, In the same way the Gentiles fall short in these areas and in the same way they sin, so do you. You too are deserving of eternal punishment.


WHO DO WE THINK WE ARE?

Verse 11 is a strong statement for a lot of reasons. It is terse but definitely falls under that proverbial “dynamite comes in small packages” category. When you keep what Paul says here under its proper context, this is extremely powerful in teaching us how to deal with others, isn’t it? I am not suggesting that we should not lovingly correct error when the opportunity arises. In fact, often times when we do not want to, we still should. This is reality and it is Biblical. But the point here is that all of us, regardless of what our imperfections are, are still imperfect, nevertheless. We need to realize that we are just as much in need of God’s grace as the person we are often tempted to condemn and criticize. We must approach things in a humble way, realizing that we ourselves are unworthy. We are all doing something wrong. None of us are flawless. Also, don't forget the meaning behind how "judging" is used in this context. When we are harsh and critical of others, we could very well ask ourselves, “Who do we think we are? This is undoubtedly the essence of Paul’s message to these folks here and among other places in this letter (i.e., Romans 14:4, 10-13, 17-19). In fact, isn’t this also precisely the question James raises in James 4:12?

In the next post, we will look at the question, "Does Romans 2 teach justification by works?"

Preparing For The Future

Preparing for the future has become a way of life for us in so many ways. I am not sure how we would survive without planning at least somewhat. We plan for our retirement and our children’s college, among other things by saving money. We plan for our future in the “working” world by going to an institution of higher learning to get an education. We send our kids to school (or homeschool) with the intent of preparing them to be well-rounded and productive citizens for when they become adults. Preparation for what we know is to come in future years is very important. It is vital!

Perhaps an aspect of our future that we do not give enough consideration to is our spiritual future. Currently on Sunday mornings I am going through a series of lessons designed for our youth. This past Sunday morning I talked about some things our younger generation can start doing now that will hopefully help ensure their faithfulness in 10, 20, or 50 years from now. Obviously there is a lot we as adults can take from this also. Interestingly, these are examples of some things we see in a young Timothy as Paul helped to prepare him for a life serving God. There should be little doubt that these qualities helped ensure Timothy’s own faithfulness as he grew older.

Develop your own faith.
As adults, many of us can look back at our childhood and remember so much of what our parents did for us. We lived off of them. They provided for us and we should always be grateful for that. We should do what we can to instill gratitude into the hearts of our young people. It is God’s design that parents provide for their children. Children live off of parents (1 Timothy 5:8). However, with this said, children cannot live off their parents’ faith. We must develop our own faith. Faith must be sincere and genuine, and it cannot achieve this status if it is not our own. I think it is good when children develop the same faith as parents, especially when that faith involves truth. But it needs to be their own. And as parents, hopefully we are instilling this in them. This seems to be the case with how Timothy developed his own faith through the strength of his family’s faith (2 Timothy 1:5). This is Biblical. But a faith that is not genuine will eventually be a weak one that crumbles in the midst of adversity once a child leaves home. As adults we can help by not getting “up in arms” when our young people have questions. We should encourage that. I can’t think of anything worse than Aaron and Chase growing up claiming faith in God only because mommy and daddy say that He exists. We have too many kids leaving home for college without a clue as to why they believe what they believe.

Study your Bible.
All living things, whether plants, animals, or humans, must be nourished properly in order to grow and flourish. God specifically designed food for our nourishment and growth. He also gave us His living word, the bread of life so that we can be nourished spiritually. It is not uncommon that God uses “spiritual food” as a metaphor to indicate our need for growth. See Matthew 4:3-4; John 6:26-27, 32-35; Hebrews 5:12-14; 1 Peter 2:2. God’s word is certainly in great part attributed to young Timothy’s steady growth and spiritual strength (2 Timothy 3:14-15). We cannot learn what God wants of us as His people without giving attention to the guide He provided us. See also 1 Timothy 4:13.

Practice what you preach.
In other words, the gospel is not merely to be taught, but it is to be lived. Jesus taught that Christianity is an active faith. He taught and provided an example of how kingdom living entails getting out and making a difference in the lives of others; teaching people things that really and actually matter; helping them; associating with those that the rest of society will not hang out with; assisting the needy, the sick, the poor, the jailed, the widows. Jesus taught it and He lived it, thus providing for us the perfect example. The Bible also gives us the example of Timothy as a young person who actually cared about others. His love and sincerity is what compelled him to live and teach the gospel. He carried out the same message he taught. See Acts 16:1-3 and Philippians 2:19-21. There should be little doubt that his living out the gospel message is what gave him opportunity to effectively teach it.

Christianity is not merely about facts and rules. It is absurd to think that one will stand before God on judgment day, knowing full well that they did not love and serve others, never tried to impact others for good, and never helped others, yet somehow because they were “sound” on all points of their doctrinal positions that they have an automatic ticket to heaven. This is essentially what the religious elite of Jesus’ day thought and Jesus told His followers “…unless your righteousness exceeds that of the Scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). In other words, life in the kingdom is better than that. The Bible mentions nothing of a doctrinal quiz to be taken at judgment. While doing our best to adhere to pure and healthy doctrine, let us remember that Paul says it is the things we do and practice that will actually determine how we are judged (2 Corinthians 5:10). Service to God, that is, practicing what we preach is what matters.

Happy Memorial Day

I just wanted to express my gratitude for the many men and women who have sacrificed their lives on our behalf and in defense of our great country. May this be a day of thanksgiving and reflection. And to all of our living vets as well as those currently serving in the armed forces, "thank you" for your service.

Have a happy holiday!

Farther Along

I have never looked at this song the same since October 2, 2002, the day Aaron was born. Obviously it was an exciting time for us as our first child was born. But it was a rough journey as he was forced to come 5 1/2 weeks early due to Cody's pregnancy induced high blood pressure. Aaron was tiny (3 lbs. 15 oz.). The doctors assured us he would be fine. So we were thankful and we certainly counted our blessings. But it was still difficult because he had to be on a respirator and had wires attached to so many parts of his body. He had to live in the "glass box" for a few days. It was tough to see. Well, I digress!

I remember the next morning, we were with Aaron behind a curtain. Cody had him close by and was rocking and nursing him. And Aaron was crying and having a difficult time. Then she began to sing this song to him and it was so incredible to see him so soothed and at peace. I am not sure if there has been a day that I loved my wife more. I still to this day cannot sing or even hear this song without getting choked up.

Tempted and tried we're oft made to wonder Why it should be thus all the day long, While there are others living about us, Never molested tho in the wrong.

(Chorus) Farther along we'll know all about it, Farther along we'll understand why; Cheer up my brother live in the sunshine, We'll understand it all by and by.

Faithful til death said our loving Master, A few more days to labor and wait; Toils of the road will then seem as nothing, As we sweep thru the beautiful gate.

(Chorus) Farther along we'll know all about it, Farther along we'll understand why; Cheer up my brother live in the sunshine, We'll understand it all by and by.

When we see Jesus coming in glory, When He comes from His home in the sky; Then we shall meet Him in that bright mansion, We'll understand it all by and by.

(Chorus) Farther along we'll know all about it, Farther along we'll understand why; Cheer up my brother live in the sunshine, We'll understand it all by and by.

Complaints By Women On Their Husbands

According to a poll that came out about 4 years ago (I wish I still had the source---sorry), here are the top 10 complaints by women regarding their husbands:

1. Often selfish and inconsiderate
2. Unsuccessful in business--not bringing in enough money
3. Not always honest
4. Complains too much (focuses more on what is negative)
5. Only showing affection/romance when he wants sex
6. Lack of communication and sharing how he feels
7. Too harsh on the children
8. Overly-sensitive (too thin-skinned)
9. Lack of quality time spent with the children
10. Not doing things to help out around the house (bills, cleaning, cooking, etc)

Quotes On Gratitude

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."

--John Fitzgerald Kennedy (35th U.S. President)

"Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind."

--Lionel Hampton

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow."

--Melanie Beattie

"To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven."

--Johannes Gaertner

"Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude.

Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness.

Thankfulness may consist merely of words.

Gratitude is shown in acts."

--David O. McKay

"Rejoice always! Pray constantly. Give thanks in everything, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

--The Apostle Paul (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good."

--Psalm 136:1

May all of us have hearts of thanksgiving and allow this to affect every step of our walk with Christ.

Have a great day!

How Can I Know Right From Wrong?

I have gotten to a point where I do not like arguing about "issues," like I once did. For the most part, I think they are often counter-productive (Titus 3:9). So I don't mind admitting that I avoid them when I can. However, because our young people often ask questions that are so pertinent to their lives, sometimes the subject of moral issues must be addressed. Some of the young people in the congregation where I preach have recently asked me about questions of this nature.

It is not uncommon that we are faced with dilemmas in life, many of which are moral ones in nature. Granted, many are easy for us to decide "no." For the most part, Christians are already resolved (hopefully) to not engage in things that the Bible explicitly forbids. For example, the Bible is clear on how God feels about sex outside of marriage, lusts, drunkenness, violence, theft, sowing discord, etc. But what about some of these "issues," that aren't so clear? Those things where the Bible doesn't explictly give us a "thou shalt..." or a "thou shalt not..." We are left wondering (1) Does the Bible really condemn this? (2) How far is too far? and (3) why? Some examples of this might include things like whether or not to watch a certain movie, whether or not it is really sinful to use tobbacco products, what really constitutes immodest clothing, etc. How really do we know?

Here are a series of things to consider when attempting to answer these questions for ourselves:

If we are asking about it, then we probably shouldn't do it. I think the principle set forth in Romans 14:23 indicates that if I am actually wondering or debating in my mind as to whether or not a certain action is wrong, then that is a pretty good indication that I should avoid it.

Ask ourselves, "Is this helpful?" Remember Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 6:12. Just because something, in and of itself, may not be sinful, it doesn't always mean it is a good idea to do it. There are other things to consider also.

Ask ourselves, "Will this help me go to Heaven?" or, "From what the Bible reveals to us about Heaven, do I envision this occuring in Heaven?"

Ask ourselves, "Will this help or hinder my influence for the kingdom?" Matthew 5:13-16. One who truly has a kingdom heart will hopefully base their decisions on whether or not certain things will benefit the kingdom.

Ask ourselves, "If Christ were with me, would I still do it?" Want to hear a secret? He is with you (Matthew 28:20). We are in a partnership with Jesus, walking hand in hand with Him, for the good of His precious kingdom. Let us always remember that He is indeed with us.

Sometimes we can't answer this question for someone else, because as humans, we are unable to discern hearts as Jesus was able. Sometimes we just need to take a deep breath, step back and accept that it is not our role or responsibility to be the church police (Romans 14:4; 10-12; James 4:12)

I would like to add one more thought here. When we approach these things as if Christianity was about checking off boxes on a checklist, we are setting people up to fail. Because kingdom living is so much deeper than this (Matthew 5:20). We can fulfill all the external rules and check off every box there might be, but if our heart is not where it should be, it is all in vain. I pray that I am instilling in our young people in the congregation, as well as my own children, that the heart is what matters. I say this, not because there is not a standard; there is. But if our hearts are where they should be, we will do the right thing.

Have a great day!

No Not One

I remember as a child growing up, this was one of my favorite songs. This one will always have a special place in my heart. In fact, it is the first "church song" that I actually remember liking.


There's not a friend like the lowly Jesus, No, not one! No, not one!
None else could heal all our soul's diseases, No, not one! No, not one!

(Chorus)
Jesus knows all about our struggles; He will guide till the day is done;
There's not a friend like the lowly Jesus, No, not one! No, not one!

No friend like Him is so high and holy, No, not one! No, not one!
And yet no friend is so meek and lowly, No, not one! No, not one!

(Chorus)
Jesus knows all about our struggles; He will guide till the day is done;
There's not a friend like the lowly Jesus, No, not one! No, not one!

There's not an hour that He is not near us, No, not one! No, not one!
No night so dark but His love can cheer us, No, not one! No, not one!

(Chorus)
Jesus knows all about our struggles; He will guide till the day is done;
There's not a friend like the lowly Jesus, No, not one! No, not one!

"No one has greater love than this, that someone would lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13).

Happy Anniversary To Us

Wow! 12 years of marriage to me is quite an accomplishment. Thanks for hanging in there with me babe. I love you! :-)

I'm A Christ Follower

Great Quote On The Beatitudes

Here is a thought-provoking quote from Dallas Willard, concerning the beatitudes preached by Jesus (Matthew 5:1-12; Luke 6:20-26):

"They serve to clarify Jesus' fundamental message: the free availability of God's rule and righteousness to all of humanity through reliance upon Jesus Himself... They do this simply by taking those who, from the human point of view, are regarded as most hopeless, most beyond all possibility of God's blessing or even interest, and exhibiting them as enjoying God's touch and abundant provision from the heavens.

This fact of God's care and provision proves to all that no human condition excludes blessedness, that God may come to any person with His care and deliverance. God does sometimes help those who cannot, or perhaps just do not, help themselves. (So much for another well-known generalization!) The religious system of His day left the multitudes out, but Jesus welcomed them all into His kingdom. Anyone could come as well as any other. They still can. That is the gospel of the beatitudes......

Thus by proclaiming blessed those who in the human order are thought hopeless, and by pronouncing woes over those human beings regarded as well off, Jesus opens the kingdom of the heavens to everyone" (Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy, pp.116-119).

May all of us strive effortlessly and fearlessly in our quest to help others come into contact with the gospel of the kingdom (John 3:3, 5). It is the good news and it is available to all (Acts 11:17-18; Romans 5:18; Colossians 1:13).

Have a good day and God bless!

The Truth Hurts

I was given a dose of the cold, hard truth this morning. Let me relay to you my conversation this morning with my 6 year old, as I walked in the house coming back from the gym.

Aaron: "Good morning Dad."

Jason: "Hey bud, good morning. How did you sleep?"

Aaron: "I slept well. I love you."

Jason: (my head is swelling w/ pride) "Well, I love you too."

I rub his head in a manly kind of way, trying to be affectionate somewhat, as I didn't want to hug him; I was sweaty.

Aaron: "I'm hungry, can you fix me some breakfast. Mom's still in bed with Chase."

Jason: (Chuckling and now realizing why he just told me he loved me). "Sure, buddy. Do you want sausage biscuits?"

Aaron: "Yes"

After a long pause while I am fixing his breakfast and turning my coffee pot on...

Aaron: "I know who in our family is cute."

Jason: (Wondering where in the world this came from) "Oh really! Who here is cute?"

Aaron: "Fritz!" (this is our little mini-schnauzer)

Jason: "You think so? Well, I think I'm cute. What do you think about that?"

Aaron: "Well, sorta I guess. I think the order goes like this: Fritz, me, mommy, Chase, Hank, and then you."

Ouch! Sometimes the truth really hurts.....

Traits Of A Godly Woman

Yesterday morning, I preached about a great Christian woman in the Bible, named Tabitha (Dorcas) from Acts 9:36-43. Interestingly, her name translated in its original language, actually means "female gazelle," which is an antelope-like animal that is well-known for its beauty. Even the term for "Joppa," the city where Tabitha was from, means beauty. I get the idea that the Holy Spirit wants us to gain something from this text about beauty. The text indeed reveals to us some beautiful things about this woman. Hopefully this can be a lesson for all of us, whether a woman, man, child, parent, employee, employer, etc.

"Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, 'Please come to us without delay.' So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them. But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, 'Tabitha, arise.' And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. And he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. And he stayed in Joppa for many days with one Simon, a tanner" (Acts 9:36-43).

Here are a few traits for which we can all strive as people seeking to belong to God:

• HER SACRIFICE: We are told that she was full of good works and acts of charity. The term for "acts of charity" here is translated as "almsgiving" in the KJV. The meaning of this word in its original language means merciful in giving or pity; thus signifying the giving of oneself to another who is less fortunate. Undoubtedly, Jesus taught us to be this way and described life in the kingdom as possessing this selfless quality.
• HER REPUTATION: A few things here speak volumes about what others thought of her: (1) the fact that they were seemingly so desperate to get her back. The pleaded with Peter to hurry. Have you ever known someone that you just couldn't bear the thought of losing? Apparently this was the impact Tabitha had on these folks. (2) That Peter complied with this urgent request is a great testament to her also. And (3) The scene of the widows crying and holding these items Tabitha had made while she was with them. I think this also says a lot about how she was likely very influential in the lives of these other women.
• HER RESILIENCE: Peter performs one of the greatest miracles recorded in the Bible here. Tabitha's submission and desire to obey is seen even in her death and resurrection. Obviously something like this does not happen today but the lesson here is that her reputation and sacrificial service to others is what allowed her to be resilient and overcome death. Likewise our service to others and ultimately God, is what allows us to overcome sin and spiritual death. Is our life a resurrected one? Does our life demonstrate walking with Jesus? Tabitha's did.
• HER INFLUENCE: Tabitha was an icon. Her life was a reflection of what Jesus came to do (Luke 19:10). We can hardly deny the strength of her influence. The reaction of the people to her death tells us all we need to know. But what is especially revealing is that we are told in this text that as a result of all that transpired here, people believed. Can we say that our sacrifices and love for others culminate in others coming to Christ?

Thank God for texts in the Bible such as this that gives us a sense of application for all that Jesus said that He wants from us. May there be more Tabithas in the world. And may it begin with those of us who claim followership to our precious Savior.

Have a great day!

Four Meaningful Women In My Life

Here are four people I am thankful to have in my life:


Nelwyn Metting (My Mother)-I don't think I can express in words how incredible my mom is. Something that sticks out in my mind is that although we had our "spats" when I was a child, and boy did we, not one time did I ever doubt her love for me. Her patience was thin with me at times......okay, many times. But she never allowed me to lose sight of the big picture of how much I meant to her. Mom, something I appreciate so much about you is when I look back at my childhood and even into my early adulthood, sometimes you would tell me what I needed to hear, and sometimes you knew it was best to say nothing and allow me to learn life's lessons the hard way. I got into a lot of trouble and despite being so far removed from God for a period of time, I knew where to come back. I attribute that to you and the fact that you never gave up on me....even when I had about given up on myself. And it is a lot of fun watching you be "Grammy" to our boys. You are so good with them. The fun times we had when I was a child, as well as the ones we share now are what I think make our "mother-son" relationship so unique. Mom, you are one of my best friends and I feel pretty special because of it. Not too many men can say that. I am proud to be a "mama's boy." I love you!


Cody Browning (My Wife)-Next Saturday, I will have been blessed with 12 years of marriage to a wonderful woman. I remember asking her the day before our wedding, "What are you doing?" and I still often wonder how I could be so fortunate. Cody, I love you so much! For so many years, I have struggled to find myself. I still to this day have yet to learn how to truly love myself as I should. But I have made so many strides because of you. And while I still have a long way to go, you continue to be patient with me. Thank you! It is so amazing to me how some of your unconventional ways can drive me crazy, yet at the same time make me fall more and more in love with you as each day passes. You are so comfortable with who you are and I adore and admire that about you. And it would take an incredibly large book to express in words how proud I am that our boys have such a loving, caring mother who sacrifices so much for the happiness of others. It is an honor to cherish you. I have fun being your husband. And I am glad we are friends. Thank you for all that you are. I love you!



Carol Browning (My StepMother)-Carol is one of most compassionate, loving, and thoughtful people I have ever known. Carol, I couldn't be more proud to have you in this role in my life. Your kind heart is such an example to me. And I thank you for loving my dad as much as you do. You are an incredible person. Thank you for all you do for me and Cody as well as for the boys. They love you. I am so amazed how when you married dad, your family took me in and treated me as if I were their own. Not one time did I ever feel like the "step-grandson" to Grandma and Grandpa. I love and miss them and will always be so grateful to them and to you for treating me the same. I love you!



Kathy Overbeck (My Mother-in-Law)-You can tell I haven't spent a lot of time with her lately, because I am writing something kind about her. Ha! I couldn't resist. My mother-in-law is truly, hands down, no questions asked, the most selfless person I have ever known in my life. In the almost 15 years that I have known her, I don't remember ever being around her when she is not giving and sacrificing for someone other than herself. Kathy, I am so grateful for the wonderful job you and Papa Charlie did in raising your daughter. The boys and I are the benificiary of that...big time! And I thank you for your unconditional love you have for your family. Your ability to not be judgmental is admirable. You truly are an example to me. And I don't think I will ever be able to express to you enough how grateful I am to you for putting up with and overlooking my arrogance, all for the sake of peace and unity. You are a true depiction of what servanthood is all about. And it gives both me and Cody such a secure feeling that the boys get to see and experience first hand your love, ethic, values, and example. I love you and admire you more than you will ever know.


The happiest of Mother's Days to each of you. Thank you for everything! I love you all!

A Lesson on Loyalty

Hank, my 7-year old rotweiller, is actually a pretty laid back dog. Cody and I have kept him socialized with kids ever since he was a puppy, and as a result, he has no clue as to his potential. I realize I am at least somewhat biased but he is one of the sweetest and most gentle dogs I have known. Another wonderful trait about Hank that I absolutely love is his loyalty. I will give you an example. As is the case with most dogs I suppose, Hank loves to eat. I usually feed him in the mornings before I go to work. If I am running late, he slides his pan on the patio concrete to remind me that he wants to eat. And when I do get out there with his food, he goes nuts. It is one of the most exciting times of the day for him.

Well, last Friday morning morning I was outside working on my lawn mower, trying to get it to start (another completely different story altogether). Usually when I am outside Hank is right there with me. But before I went to my lawn mower, I fed him. He was his usual excited self, of course. And then I got curious. As I was by my lawn mower, I called for him while he was eating. And he immediately came. His food no longer mattered. I petted him and played with him a little. And of course, he was enjoying my attention. He would periodically look back at his food he left behind, but there was absolutely no way he was going back to his food pan. When I started back to working on my lawn mower, he sat there by me. As much as he loves to eat, Hank was much more interested in what I was able to give him emotionally. That makes him much happier.

Now, I don’t want to necessarily compare us to dogs, but what a tremendous lesson on commitment and loyalty. We too have a Master. He gives us spiritual food, which is much more important than physical nourishment (Matthew 4:4). Jesus tells us that when our loyalty is to Him and His kingdom, then our needs will be met (Matthew 6:33). Do we live in such a way that demonstrates this kind of faith? Hank trusted that he would eat. He knew I was going to take care of Him. He has faith in me as his master that his needs are going to be taken care of. And that is exactly why he would much rather spend his time with me. He is committed to me. And it makes me feel good, just as it pleases God when He comes first in our lives. Hank is not perfect. But he is loyal and faithful. Do we see the connection? There is no doubt in my mind that I take priority over anything else in his life. Can God claim the same of us?

I think the words of the psalmist are appropriate here:

“Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act” (Psalm 37:3-5).

Have a good weekend and for all of the mothers out there, I hope you have a wonderful Mother’s Day!