Good Friday Friends...

 "Human Wisdom"

Spurgeon writes: "Human wisdom delights to trim and arrange the doctrines of the cross into a system more artificial and more congenial with the depraved tastes of fallen nature; however, instead of improving the Gospel, carnal wisdom pollutes it, until it becomes another gospel, and not the truth of God at all."

The Apostle Paul dealt with this very issue in the book of Galatians. He was "astonished" that the Galatian Christians had "turned away" from the true Gospel in favor of a "human wisdom-assisted" Gospel, one that added to the Gospel. 

Oftentimes, today, we can find ourselves tempted in the direction of trying to make the Gospel more "palatable" for "fallen natures". Certainly...we want to make the Gospel as clear as possible for all to hear and understanding. Yet, in seeking clarity, we must be careful not to minimize the hard truths which in turn makes the Gospel soft and turns it into a "different" Gospel. 

In the Grip of God's Grace,

MBH

Good Friday Friends...

Have you ever just sat in your vehicle at a stop light or stop sign or when you have pulled into your driveway and just listened to the motor hum? Every engine has a certain hum to it, a sound that it makes. 

When our vehicles are "idling" without the radio on or other noises, you can hear the hum of the gears so to speak.

When we think of our day-to-day lives, what does the "hum of the gears" of our soul's affections sound like? 

I wonder if it sounds the same as the world's engine, or does it have a hum in idle position that sounds like the kingdom of God?

Our affections have been defined in several ways over the years. We can think of our affections as the inward impulses, disposition, motivations, values, loves that direct our day-to-day lives. They are the soul/heart instincts that move us to act in the ways that we do. Affections lie under the attitudes and actions giving force to those attitudes and actions. 

Whatever dominates our affections--whatever the hum of our gears is--controls our life. 

What's the hum of your heart sound like today?

In the Grip of God's Grace,

MBH

Good Friday Friends...

Over the last several weeks, I have been reading "a 40-day Bible Study" book on Matthew's gospel by Dr. Charles Quarles, New Testament Professor at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. It is a walk through the gospel of Matthew over a 40 day period. Each day's devotion contains several parts: focus passage, a longer passage to read, commentary on the passage, a focus on Christ section, application section, and some reflection questions. 

I have found this to be a great resource and help in understanding the gospel of Matthew. The commentary is superb and substantive. There is no fluff here; yet, the application to real life...excellent! If you are looking for devotion book without the fluff and stuff, here's a good one. Click the link for Amazon: Planted in the Word - Matthew. 

One of the big takeaways for me: the tie in from Matthew 1 to Matthew 28 that Jesus is "Immanuel". Everything in between is the revelation of Jesus as God with us. That is the link throughout the gospel, and it becomes evident the more you read. 

Immanuel - God with us. 

In the Grip of God's Grace,

MBH

Good Friday Friends...

Living the Christian life often feels like taking one step forward and two steps back when it comes to our sanctification. The flesh we battle against rears its ugly head like a weed in the flowerbed you thought you had pulled up from the roots; yet, there it is...again.

You confess...you repent...you pray for the Lord's help to gain the upper hand. But, alas...the reality of Romans 7 hits hard again and again. 

Romans 7:21-24 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 

"Wretched man that I am" -- what a phrase to really motivate you toward obedience, right? It reminds me of the original lyrics to the great hymn "At the Cross" in verse 1 by Isaac Watts, "for such a worm as I". Thankfully, the Holy Spirit prompted Paul to keep writing in Romans 7 and 8 and prompted Isaac Watts to keep writing the refrain of that great hymn. 

Romans 7:25 "But thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord". 

And, then Romans 8:1 -- "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

When the battle with the flesh rages and we give in...when we lose...with humility and repentance we keep running to the cross of Christ because "at the cross where I first saw the light the burden of my heart rolled away". 

Hold Fast in the Fight for Holiness,

MBH

And...just like that...part 2

 And, just like that...it's June, 2023...

Almost half-way through the GOAT year as it has been labeled...you know, "23", you know, Michael Jordan...okay...as long as we are on the same page (had to throw that in).

One of the many things about God's grace and His work in our lives is the opportunity to hit the "reset" button. In fact, every morning since His mercy's are new each day, is really an opportunity to hit "reset". 

Even with a desire to faithfully walk with the Lord each day and be obedient to Him, we often (more often than we want to admit) just flat out blow it. We say a cross word here, we have an ungodly thought there -- sometimes, it's just like -- Ugh!

Yet, in God's mercy and the promises of scripture grounded in the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, in humble confession and repentance, He allows us to hit "reset". And, for that, I am so very thankful. 

So, as we head toward the middle of the year and make the turn, maybe you need to hit reset -- maybe on your goals for the year, your spiritual goals, your physical goals, your relational goals -- maybe there are others. Well, hit the reset button. Take Philippians 3:14 to heart - "I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus".

And...just like that...

 And...just like that...January is gone. 

Time marches on. The hours and minutes tick on by. 

Did you think 10 years ago that you would be where you are today? 

While I am by nature a nostalgic kind of person (most of us are at various times I suppose), as I approach 50 years old in just 15 months, questions of that nature are more prevalent in my thinking these days. I mean, most likely, more than half of my life is in the books. Wow!

Have I been as faithful to the Lord as I could have been? How many times have a made excuses for the sins I've committed along the way rather than owning them before the Lord? Have I learned from the mistakes I made along the way? Why am I still struggling with certain things in my life -- I mean, I figured I would have "mastered" that by now. 

Yeah, I know. Too much introspection can be unhealthy. And, there is that verse in Philippians that says "forgetting those things which are behind". Yet, I can't help but wonder -- what if we used introspection in a healthy manner as a tool to motivate us toward the days ahead to endeavor by God's grace to "press on toward the mark" our our calling in Christ Jesus?

That's what I want moving forward -- because, just like that...it'll be 10 years down the road...what will that blog post read like? I wonder...

How about you?

13 Days In

We are 13 days into what has been termed the "GOAT" year. Not sure about that? Well, it's 2023...the last two digits happen to be the jersey number for arguably the greatest basketball player of all time...ole Michael Jordan himself. 

But...I'm thinking...what would it take for it to be the "GOAT" year (at least up to this point) for us personally -- spiritually, physically, emotionally, and mentally? In the midst of the chaos, how can we maintain a growth mindset for developing our relationship with the Lord this year?

In my office at school, there is a white board. On that whiteboard, I have written two phrases:

• No more excuses
• First Things First (Yes, I realize that's a book title. Just work with me.)

No more excuses -- we (at least, I am) are really good at making excuses. And...sometimes, if we are being truthful, we couch those excuses as "legitimate reasons"...even though, we really know they are not "legitimate reasons". This is especially true when it comes to the sin in our lives that clings so closely & so entangles us. This is especially true when it comes to being distracted from that which is most important.

First things First -- ah, the issue of priorities. For whom or for what are we leveraging the best of our time, energy, and resources? The roles you are fulfilling and what those roles require will determine how you leverage the best of your time, energy, and resources. Man, when the tyranny of the urgent & unimportant strikes, it is a challenge to stay on track.

A GOAT year ahead? I'm praying toward that and pursuing that for my own life as I seek to follow Christ with everything I have. What are you pursuing?

Friday Fodder (12/31/21) - Reflection and Anticipation

Another year has come and gone. No doubt we are all reflecting on the past year's events--personal events, family experiences, national & global events.

As we ponder those experiences, how have we grown in the midst of them? What has the Lord taught us through those experiences? What are we anticipating in the coming year? What goals are we setting?

In setting goals, do we have some goals for our spiritual life; goals that will move us forward in our Christian life toward spiritual maturity?

I'm reminded of the exhortation in 2 Peter 1 that says, "make every effort to supplement your faith". Certainly, the ground of our effort is the work of Christ on the cross. We "make every effort" because Christ has already completed the work of our justification. Therefore, we pursue growth in godliness from the perspective of His finished work.

So, what are you "making every effort" toward in the new year? 

Brokenness

The reality of brokenness can be felt and seen in so many places in the world. The core piece of the brokenness we experience is because of the broken relationship humanity has with its creator. When that relationship became broken, the effects were felt throughout all of creation...especially within ourselves. We are scrambling to find wholeness and significance and peace for the internal part of ourselves; searching for that sense of well-being and being restful. We search and search for ways to fill that void, to alleviate that emptiness--even for a moment. The problem with looking for solutions either within ourselves or in the things of the world like careers, sports, other people, food, technology, social media, activism, etc. -- they are, as Jeremiah said, like broken cisterns that hold no water. Sure, there is a temporary relief from the internal struggle and striving, but it is just that--temporary. It doesn’t last--they overpromise and underdeliver. We have to keep chasing the next feeling of relief like a drug addict or alcoholic chasing the next fix. That’s why we have to keep going to the next thing, the next cistern because that one eventually dries up -- someone betrays us or lets us down -- the “coolness” of whatever activity we are engaged in wears off and we are left wanting once again. The path toward wholeness and deep satisfaction and joy and, dare I say, happiness -- is the restored relationship with our creator through Christ. In Him we find our sufficiency--our wholeness--He is the well that never runs dry. Are you feeling the effects of your brokenness today? Run to Christ -- run to the well that never runs dry.

Disciple

The root meaning of the word disciple is “learner”. In fact, the Greek word translated disciple is the word mathetes. Yep, we get the word mathematics from this Greek word. Since I’m a math teacher, that makes me happy. Ha ha. So, in a general sense, we are all learners; we are all disciples. The only question then is this: who/what is discipling me? From whom am I learning? From whom am I receiving counsel? To what am I turning to inform and shape my thinking? Christians are “disciples” of Jesus. He is our Lord and Master. His Lordship is mediated through the scriptures for how we live, think, strive, desire, feel, etc. Therefore, as a disciple, our thinking should be shaped by the truth of scripture in every facet of life.The scriptures must be our starting point; they must be our foundation. They are, truly, our starting point AND our ending point. No matter what the topic, we must begin our examination of that topic from the scriptures as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Our worldview should be shaped by the scriptures as the guardrails for our thinking to keep us on track in faithfulness and loyalty to Christ as Lord. The world system, the secular culture, is seeking to “make disciples”, too--it really is. It is not neutral (1 John 5:19). There is a system at work to deter and pull people in its direction following the evil one--it is a system designed by the evil one to “disciple” people away from God’s ways and God’s truth. As “disciples” of Jesus Christ, we are oriented toward the Father--oriented away from the world system and toward the scriptures. Yet, we can fall prey to the secular worldview and its arguments if we are not grounded and saturated in the scriptures. In a world of bobble-head commentary and social media pundits, as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, hold fast to the scriptures--anchor your thinking in the scriptures--so that no matter how the waves and winds of this world crash and blow, you will remain steady and stable on the Rock--even when the mountains give way and the seas roar around you.

Friday Fodder - Flavor (8/28/20)

 Colossians 4:6 reminds us to “let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt…”

Seasoned with salt...when I cook I like to experiment with different “flavors”. Whether it is chicken, pork chops, hamburgers, steaks, etc., I like to put different flavors on them or have them marinade in a new flavor overnight before they are cooked. Some people like spicy flavors while others prefer the sweeter flavors. And, still others, prefer a combination of the two. Some want a lot of kick; others, not so much (we call them wimps).

As Christians, our speech--our conversation, our lifestyle--should have a specific flavor to it. The flavor of our speech should simmer, boil over even, in the flavor of Christ. The flavor of our lifestyle should be the flavor of the kingdom of God, that which is not attached so closely to the things of this world.

Does our speech, our conversation, leave people wanting more of Christ, thirsty for Christ? Does our speech move them in the direction of Jesus? Does it have the flavor of Christ in our words, our responses, or our reactions?

Does our lifestyle--our values, pursuits, longings, desires, activities, attitudes--have the flavor of the kingdom of God, the things of God & the eternal or the flavor of the world?

When people hear our speech or watch our life, what do they taste?

Friday's Fodder - July 10, 2020 - Remember

How many of you are "date rememberers"? That's probably not a word, but, for whatever reason, I remember dates of things. Maybe it's because I love math or for some other reason. And, I'm not necessarily talking about birthdays and such. 

I remember certain dates of things that are significant, not just the event, but the date itself sometimes.  It might be a series of dates or a particular time period, but oftentimes it is a specific date. We will be talking about something as a family, and they can't believe that I remember that.

I imagine you do the same with certain things.

One of the commands in scripture I have come across several times is the command to "remember". Think about when the Israelites crossed the Jordan River. They were told to set up a "memorial" to "remember" what God had done for them. I remember (ha ha) in college at our Spring Conference for BSU (Baptist Student Union) as a senior, we made a picture of the significant events in our lives leading up to our senior year of college. 

Those crude drawings were to help us "remember" significant times along our Christian journey that were particularly significant in our walk with the Lord. 

With the uncertainty of the future, it is good to "remember" the faithfulness of God in the past. It is good to remember, especially, the faithfulness of God in the gospel--the life, the death, the resurrection, and the ascension of Christ.

While there is still a "pandemic" going on and the times in our country are kinda crazy right now, maybe it's a good time to spend some time "remembering" the faithfulness of God in your life. Maybe it would do your soul some good to get a little notebook or journal and start remember today.

Be Like Christ

Over the last 3 weeks, there has been a documentary on ESPN about this dude named Michael Jordan. You may have heard of it...it's called "The Last Dance". I was introduced to MJ when I was about to turn 8 years old...yes, it was 1982 and he hit the first of many "the shots" to defeat Georgetown in the NCAA championship game for the Tarheels...beginning his streak of defeating Patrick Ewing over and over again, but that's another story.

From that day, the basketball goal on the tree in the backyard at the parsonage of Oak Grove Baptist Church went up (and everywhere else we lived), and a million times, I took "the shot"...tongue hanging out with the clock running down. Then, in the summer of 1982, I was at the Campbell University basketball camp...yep, the man himself was there...live and in person.

In May of 1982, I was introduced to someone else...Jesus...by my dad. Yeah, I had heard dad preach the gospel every Sunday, but this was different...he sat me down and personally shared the gospel with me. In October of that same year, God opened my heart to believe the gospel...I knew I needed a Savior...not MJ, but Jesus, the one who gave his life in my place.

Fast forward 11 years...the summer of '93 working at the BEST camp in the world...Camp CaRAway. And, what is one of the most popular songs in the country at the time...yes, "Be Like Mike"...the Gatorade commercial...the single...

Well, I had the single...I would play that song EVERY morning to wake up my campers that summer...oh, yeah, I got roasted for it at the end of the summer by my friends...

It wasn't that I really wanted them to "be like Mike" -- that one or even this one...the goal was to call these young men to "be like Christ" every single day. It was really about making disciples...like Jesus did...like Paul did..."follow me and I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:18-22) and "follow me as I follow Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1).

So, did I have a little fun with the song...of course I did...even the rap in the song...but, it wasn't really about that...it was about making disciples.

And, sure, did I want to "be like Mike" in my basketball game...you bet...tongue out, baggy shorts, and the wrist band...but in life...I just want to "be like Christ" (Philippians 2:5-8).

The Struggle is Real

As you live the Christian life, do you ever find yourself immersed in the battle of Romans 7:15-25? Some days, that battle is off the charts. It's like you're wrestling against the Beast, Brock Lesner and it's a lumberjack match with all the "bad guys" surrounding the ring (yes, that's a WWE reference).

With the "quarantine" having been in full force the last few weeks, it has reminded me that while there is an enemy I'm wrestling against outside of myself, sometimes, no...many times...no, most of the time...I am my own worst enemy in this battle.

Sometimes, I feel like screaming with Paul, "Wretched man that I am!" The struggle is real! The fight for righteousness and joy in Christ is not for the faint of heart. Fortunately, like Martin Luther wrote in the hymn A Mighty Fortress is our God, the right man is on our side.

"Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

We fight, we wrestle from the position of victory in Christ--that we've been given everything we need to win the battle.

So, keep fighting today...in the immortal words of Jimmy V, "Don't give up, don't ever give up!" (yes, I quoted a coach from NC State)

Wherever You Are

Remember the books from years ago called "Where's Waldo?" Of course you do. Today, I ask you, "where are you"? I mean, what are the circumstances of your life at the present time? Sure, we are all navigating a stay-at-home order because of the Covid-19 crisis. But, I'm not necessarily talking about physical circumstances. What about your soul, your internal circumstances?

Where are you spiritually? What are your spiritual vital signs?

Wherever you are...start there. Maybe, just maybe, this is the time for many of us to get our life compass re-calibrated to true north...toward Christ, His mission, His purpose for our lives..toward a vision of life that reflects a view of those things that matter for eternity.

Sure, it will take some self-reflection, asking and answering some honest questions about ourselves, our decisions, and our habits. But, it will be worth the time and effort when we come out of this time with a better sense of God's purpose & direction for our lives and a greater love for Christ moving forward.

A friend of mine was preaching on 2 Peter 1:3-11 this past Sunday. And, as the Lord would have it, He has been moving me in the direction of that text for this coming Sunday as well for our church.

Maybe this holding pattern is the perfect time to apply the principle of 2 Peter 1:5, "for this very reason, make every effort (be diligent) to supplement your faith with virtue..." Putting this instruction into practice is not simply a matter of "pulling ourselves by our boot straps".

The application of this principle is grounded in the gospel, the power of God toward us who believe. 2 Peter 1:3-4 tells us that "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire".

For this reason...because of what God has done for us in Christ through the Holy Spirit...make every effort...pursue godliness, pursue Christ-like character, pursue God Himself.

Wherever you are...start there...make every effort...start today.

All Mixed Up

Several weeks ago I found one of the older discipleship courses put out by Lifeway at a used bookstore. The study is called "The Mind of Christ" by TW Hunt & Claude V. King.

As I was reading this morning, I came across the following statement: "Our minds often are so mixed with the world's way of thinking that we need to be reoriented to God's way of thinking".

That sentence struck a chord with me. Proverbs tells us that "as a man thinks in his heart so is he". We have the capacity as humans to choose what we think about. What we think about, concentrate on, focus our mental attention on, allow to influence our mind becomes the grid through which we interpret our circumstances and make decisions in the midst of those circumstances. What we think about and how we think determines the person we become -- whether we are growing more like Christ or more like the world.

And, unfortunately, we are oftentimes like Hannah Montana -- we want the "best of both worlds". Our thinking becomes "all mixed up" when we yield our mental attention to being more influenced by worldly, humanistic viewpoints rather than biblical ones.

What has a greater influence on our thinking today? Is it the voice of the world or the scriptures? Are we developing the "mind of Christ" (1 Corinthians 2:16) through consistent exposure to, meditation on, and obedience to the scriptures (Hebrews 4:12)?

Maybe, just maybe, this time of quarantine could be the turning point for many of us -- that God could use this time in our lives to reorient and renew our minds (Romans 12:1-2) toward His kingdom rather than the world.

I pray that He will do just that -- in me, in us all.

"For your name's sake"

I was reading a devotion the other day, I think by John Piper, can't remember. The main theme was "for your name's sake" (or a variation thereof). The devotion referenced scriptures such as Psalm 23:3 that says, "He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake".

Recently, I have been praying about something and asking the Lord to intervene in a situation. This morning, as I was finishing up my workout, it struck me, "Why do I want God to intervene? Do I want him to intervene to alleviate the struggle? Do I want him to intervene to bring relief? Or, am I asking God to intervene "for his name's sake" and "for His glory"?

That was an "aha" moment. While God is our Father and wants us to bring all our petitions to Him and we all want relief when going through times of difficulty, I wonder about my own deeply held motivations in asking God to intervene sometimes. Thankfully, God's mercies are new every morning (my devotion this morning) and in my weakness, his strength is made perfect.

Father, let the motivations of my heart's desires truly be "for your name's sake".

Becoming What we Worship

I have been reading Mark Dever's book 9 Marks of a Healthy Church in preparation for our church's Wednesday Bible study this week. In the chapter on conversion, he quotes AW Tozer: "Human nature, as we know it, is in a formative state. It is being changed into the image of the thing it loves."

That statement has struck a chord with me today. Dever makes the comment after this quote saying, "Our lives are like those old Polaroid snapshots. They are slowly but surely developing into a picture of the god we worship" (p. 123).

I thought about this in terms of "who" we are becoming as we develop. "Whoever" we are becoming reveals that which we love -- however & in what direction our character is developing reveals the thing we love and the thing we are chasing after. If we are chasing happiness in the things of the world, we will become more like the world, loving the things of the world, thinking like the world thinks. If we are pursuing Christ & our happiness in Him, then our character will develop accordingly--the fruit that is borne in our life will reflect that pursuit in the fruit of the Spirit, conformity to the character of Christ and obedience to the will of God.

While those who are without Christ are always chasing after happiness in the world because it is their default position, it is sad to see a professing Christian distracted by the world and begin to chase happiness in the world. When that happens, it reveals one of two things: either the person has not been converted truly (cf. Matthew 13, parable of the sower) or the person is converted truly, but has lost their way as a believer like James 5:19-20.

What, rather who, are you chasing today?

Repentance

Remorse is not repentance. Being sorry is not repentance. Repentance is not feeling "crummy" about yourself. Repentance is not feeling "crummy" about what you did. God may use all those to bring one to repentance, but they are not repentance.

"As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly sorrow produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death" (2 Cor. 7:9-10)

Repentance requires re-direction of mind, heart, desires, and behavior. Repentance requires change--not perfectly, but truly. Repentance requires brokenness before God (Psalm 51). Repentance requires humility without defensiveness. Repentance requires taking responsibility without excuse or condition. Repentance requires absorbing the hurt your actions or attitude caused others.

Pray for repentance--for ourselves, those without Christ, and those believers who are living out of step with God's will in temporary rebellion.

Evangelism and Discipleship

Sometimes I wonder why we in the church see so many "twin truths" or concepts in scripture as an either/or rather than a both/and. We seem to like to make dichotomies about things. When we do, we almost invariably divide ourselves into two camps as if we are on opposite sides and almost demonize one another for no reason.

One such area of the church is the evangelism/discipleship discussion. It seems that the church would be better served and our unity be better held together about the mission of the church if we saw these as two sides of the same coin or like a yin-yang symbol.

Sure, they may be distinct in their individual definitions, but that doesn't mean we have to turn this into an either/or discussion and debate. There really is a flow between these two, isn't there?

That's probably why I appreciate the designation of "disciple-making" to describe the whole shooting match, so to speak. I was listening to an older video by David Platt the other day, and he reminded me about the arch in the gospel of Matthew. Jesus begins in Matthew 4 with the call, "follow me and I will make you fishers of men". Then, Jesus closes his earthly ministry in Matthew 28 with the command, "go and make disciples of all nations". Recognizing this arch in the gospel of Matthew, I believe, helps us keep the evangelism/discipleship purpose of the church as a both/and rather than an either/or concept.

Disciple-making includes relationship building with the unsaved (which seems to be so very important today) so we can love people & share the gospel (evangelize) with them. Then, as the Lord saves them, we are able to equip, train, "disciple" them so they can in turn, do the same thing -- reproduce. That's why The Master Plan of Evangelism by Robert Coleman is a great tool to help one synthesize the pattern of disciple-making (evangelism/discipleship) that Jesus set for us.

Just a few thoughts rolling around...