tag:www.forthright.net,2008://1 2008-05-12T23:43:51Z Movable Type 3.35 tag:www.forthright.net,2008://1.8176 2008-05-12T23:24:16Z 2008-05-12T23:43:51Z

by J. Randal Matheny, editor The announcement was unplanned. The employer went to the microphone and appealed to the congregation to help a poor employee who had lost her home and belongings in a flood.

Richard Mansel The announcement was unplanned. The employer went to the microphone and appealed to the congregation to help a poor employee who had lost her home and belongings in a flood. He asked for furnishings, clothes, everything one needs to set up housekeeping. Being far from home and living out of a suitcase for two weeks, I had nothing to give. But I did pull out a $20 and give it to him, telling him to let her know that a Christian in Brazil wanted to share in her need. I thought that if only 200 of the people who heard the request had done the same, many of the woman's needs could have been immediately cared for. Probably, she will continue to be needy for some time. Why? The consumer society begets consumer churches. In some places, elders become panderers to congregational desires, preachers stroke audiences with warm fuzzies rather than proclaim the word of God. Change starts with me. How can I leave off being a carnal consumer to become a spiritual producer of good works that glorify God? #1. Move from selfishness to selflessness. I will think of Christ's sacrifice and count myself as his follower. The death of my Lord will curb every fleshly desire and encourage every effort to bless others. #2. Be satisfied with what I have. I surrender the desire for more, the urge to update, the impulse to spend. Out with greed, in with generosity. With God's Son and all good things freely put at my disposal (Romans 8:32), material possessions mean little. #3. Seek out the needy. Whom can I help? Who is hurting? Who is a good candidate for a visit? With whom can I pray? I know I have been sent to serve, not promised comfort, safety, health and prosperity. #4. Praise the good. The good is what moves people toward God. This will be my focus, catch my attention and evoke my praise. By such attention on the good, I may be able to encourage more good works. I want one God in my life, the true and living God, eternal Sovereign, who will care for me now and forever. Mammon tantalizes, but never delivers. Spiritual obesity is always self-indulged, gorging on desire. And it always kills. I not only want to live, but want to share life. To do that, I have to move from being a carnal consumer to a spiritual producer. Then I can say I am God's child.]]> tag:www.forthright.net,2008://1.8171 2008-05-09T13:54:51Z 2008-05-09T13:58:45Z

When we stop to think about a mother's worth ... In recent years women have made important gains in the workplace. Some take jobs out of necessity, but many who don't necessarily need the income choose to do so. As...

Tim Hall When we stop to think about a mother's worth ... In recent years women have made important gains in the workplace. Some take jobs out of necessity, but many who don't necessarily need the income choose to do so. As a result, those who make the choice to be stay-at-home moms are sometimes disparaged. "What's wrong with you?" others seem to say. "Why don't you want to work?" I learned long ago to carefully phrase my questions. Instead of asking a woman, "Do you work?", I know it's better to ask, "Do you work outside the home?" Mothers, whether they work only in the home or also at the workplace, are worthy of great respect when they fulfill their motherhood tasks well. Salary.com provides an interesting tool for calculating a mother's financial worth. I entered the pertinent data for my daughter-in-law, a mother of two preschool children. According to the calculator, the median income for the area in which she lives, doing the work that she does as a stay-at-home mom, is $111,853. If you wonder why that figure is so high, consider some of the hats a mother wears, according to that site: housekeeper, day care center teacher, cook, janitor, van driver, psychologist, nutritionist, staff nurse, etc. (Now you're beginning to think mothers are undervalued?) Long ago King Lemuel mused on this very subject. He didn't have access to Salary.com's calculator, but he arrived at a similar conclusion about the worth of a godly woman. "Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies" (Proverbs 31:10, NKJV). He also points to some of the many hats such a wife and mother wears: seamstress (vv. 13,19), purchasing agent (v. 14), cook (v. 15), business manager (v. 16a), gardener (v. 16b), benefactress (v. 20), wardrobe manager (v. 21), and teacher (v. 26). The conclusion naturally follows upon consideration of all that a godly mother does: "Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her ... a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised" (Proverbs 31:28,30). Not all mothers are worthy of such praise, for not all fear the Lord. But there are many of us who can say, "My mother is described well by this beautiful passage." Let us not take for granted the gifts God has given us. On Mothers' Day 2008, may we do our own calculations and praise those women whose words and deeds have taught us to follow the Lord. "'Honor your father and mother,' which is the first commandment with promise: 'that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth'" (Ephesians 6:2,3).]]> tag:www.forthright.net,2008://1.8158 2008-05-07T15:25:17Z 2008-05-11T00:37:12Z

Regal words ignite our imaginations as our minds race through the landscape of the society being portrayed. It is beautiful. God enthrones his powerful, righteous and benevolent Son saying, "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a...

Barry Newton Regal words ignite our imaginations as our minds race through the landscape of the society being portrayed. It is beautiful. God enthrones his powerful, righteous and benevolent Son saying, "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet."/1 Before the ink of these words can dry, the author of Hebrews has continued, "'you crowned him with glory and honor and put everything under his feet.' In putting everything under him, God left nothing that is not subject to him."/2 Everything in submission to Christ. What a thought. Peering into this society we discover evil and those who insist upon following her ways have either been subdued or banished as Christ's rule covers the land. Good will, peace, patience, love, gentleness and faithfulness dominate the cityscape. This is what God's people want. This is how life should appear when Christ is in charge. Just then our concentration in reading Hebrews is broken as the evening news crackles to life shattering the moment. Stories of greed, evil intent and murder fill the horizon of our TV screen. We are violently yanked out of a world where Christ is visibly in charge to be plunged back into our living rooms where "at present we do not see everything subject to him."/3 For those who have begun to question whether the effort to gather for worship with the saints is worth it, such deltas as this difference between what is happening outside of their windows in contrast to the claims of scripture can become a nagging hobgoblin weakening faith. The author does not skirt such possible doubt but acknowledges it openly, "Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him."/4 While faith calls us to be sure of what we hope for and certain of what is not presently seen (Hebrews 11:1), the author has not abandon either us or his readers to the irrationality of making a blind leap of faith. This is no call to "just believe because." Faith is nourished by what has already happened, by what has already been seen. The ways in which God has already shown himself faithful provide planks upon which to walk securely toward receiving future promises. And so, with pen dripping ink he wrote, "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone."/5 Honestly acknowledging that the reign of Christ is veiled in this world, the believer is encouraged to be certain and to hope for what presently can not be seen because we know what Christ has already accomplished. Jesus has come. He has died and been raised to life providing us with salvation. The Lord's unveiled heavenly rule will be expereienced. Long ago scripture had foretold what stands in our past as well as in our future. 1/ Hebrews 1:13 quoting Psalm 110:1 2/ Hebrews 2:7-8a which includes a quote from Psalm 8:5-6. While the Psalmist had humanity in mind, the context of Hebrews reveals that the author has narrowed the application to Christ. 3/ Hebrews 2:8b 4/ Hebrews 2:8b 5/ Hebrews 2:9 tag:www.forthright.net,2008://1.8155 2008-05-06T08:00:00Z 2008-05-06T14:53:33Z

by Richard Mansel, The filmmakers present this excellent documentary as an answer to a salient question. Why are professional people losing their positions at scientific institutions because they express an interest in intelligent design?

Richard Mansel When we selectively grant freedom of thought in a discipline predicated on intellectual inquiry, we find ourselves in a strange quandary. Science, built on investigation and hypotheses, goes where the evidence leads until empirical data can lead to a conclusion. However, when this breaks down and we predetermine outcomes, we are no longer in science but in the morass of indoctrination. "Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed" is a documentary directed by Nathan Frankowski, written by Kevin Millar, Walt Rulof and Ben Stein. /1 Stein, noted actor, author and conservative columnist, also serves as the host. Undoubtedly, his notoriety helped the film secure a nationwide release. Stein is a familiar face to those who grew up in the previous two decades. His dry delivery and intelligence are perfect for the film. The filmmakers present this excellent documentary as an answer to a salient question. Why are professional people losing their positions at scientific institutions because they express an interest in intelligent design? Why is the theory of evolution the only alternative? Why do these institutions refuse to allow discerning students the freedom of choice? The comparisons to abortion are pervasive throughout the film. The proponents of abortion call themselves pro-choice. However, they do not allow any other choice in the public arena but abortion. Science, founded on intellectual inquiry, silences dissent when anyone's ideas fail to meet the evolutionists' predetermined conclusions. Sophistry is never attractive. One of the key moments in the film is when they show that technology is a detriment to evolution. Darwin's severely limited knowledge is apparent as technology advances. The rapidly increasing advancements in cell biology are pointing clearly to a creator. However, evolutionists refuse to relinquish their antiquated beliefs. Stein interviews highly accomplished scientists who endured discipline or termination because of their belief in intelligent design. For those who do not know, "The theory of intelligent design holds that certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as natural selection." /3 Intelligent design is separate from creationism because it does not seek to resolve the identity of the higher power. Accordingly, the persistent cry of evolutionists that intelligent design is simply creationism in disguise is erroneous. Many creationists welcome intelligent design because of its repudiation of evolution but they acknowledge its ultimate goals are separate from theirs. /4 Stein interviews avid supporters of evolution and they offer up theories, possibilities and maybes for how life began. Richard Dawkins, avowed atheist and author of the bestselling book, "The God Delusion," admits that he has no idea how life began and even allows the possibility of aliens bringing life to earth. Dawkins even conjectures that these aliens are the result of intelligent design. Another evolutionist mentions the possibility of crystals bringing life to earth. Their fanciful ideas are valid in their minds while the solid scientific evidence of intelligent design is not. The hypocrisy is laughable. 1/ http://www.getexpelled.com/index.php 2/ http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sophistry 3/ http://www.intelligentdesign.org/whatisid.php 4/ http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/2514 ]]> tag:www.forthright.net,2008://1.8154 2008-05-05T19:31:20Z 2008-05-05T20:21:34Z

by J. Randal Matheny, editor We will put up with things in the world that we cannot tolerate in the church. We do it because we have been sent into the world to preach the gospel of salvation.

Richard Mansel "I wrote in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people. In no way did I mean the immoral people of this world, or the greedy and swindlers and idolaters, since you would then have to go out of the world." 1 Corinthians 5:9-10 NET We will put up with things in the world that we cannot tolerate in the church. We do it because we have been sent into the world to preach the gospel of salvation. Jesus ate with publicans, prostitutes and sinners, not because he was greedy, sensuous or sinful, but because the doctor went to the patients. The Corinthians misunderstood Paul's instructions in a previous letter. Others have also read the Bible wrong and tried to flee the evils of the world in monasteries, on tall poles or lonely mountains. The whole sense of Scripture, the whole character of God, the entire mission of the Lord, is to go after rebellious man, to pursue the fleeing sinner, to enter the fray of frantic mankind and pull him back to his original design for divine fellowship. The direction toward the immoral and sinful is demanding. The heart breaks in the presence of distorted souls. The saint wants to shrink from the filth that flows from mouths, the degradation of sex, power and possessions. But more overpowering than the stench of moral corruption or the decay of spiritual death is the love that wants to revive a lost person for his true destiny, the compassion to rescue the perishing, the drive to save as we have been saved. To go out of the world was unthinkable to Paul. Such a worldly exit is no more an option for us. Because Jesus came into the world. Because he sent us into the same world. Though divided by millenia and separated by language and technology, the world is still the world. And salvation still comes exclusively through the message that Jesus Christ died to give life to all. ]]> tag:www.forthright.net,2008://1.8152 2008-05-04T17:51:42Z 2008-05-05T20:20:17Z

by Neal Pollard After Paul and his shipmates survived a shipwreck and landed on Malta, the stranded passengers found themselves cold and wet in a strange place. The natives, however, were friendly and built a fire for them all (Acts 28:2).

Richard Mansel After Paul and his shipmates survived a shipwreck and landed on Malta, the stranded passengers found themselves cold and wet in a strange place. The natives, however, were friendly and built a fire for them all (Acts 28:2). It is interesting that Paul "gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire" (3). This was when Paul was bitten by an apparently deadly viper. Somehow, in reading this part of Paul's journey to Rome, I overlooked a fundamental fact that helped make Paul great. Paul did his part. When the others had built that fire, Paul was not content to let the others do it all. He did his share. Not only that, he did his share even at great personal cost. He did his share, though he might have rationalized that he had already done so much and been through so much. Paul noted their unusual kindness which made them feel welcome, and he showed his appreciation in a tangible way. You may be a busy, active servant of God. You may have done much in the past for the cause of Christ. Yet think about how notable it is and inspiring to others, when you gather your own bundle of sticks to help the fire others have started. It may be noted and remembered long after you are gone. _______ Neal works with the Bear Valley church in Denver. This article was published Apr. 28 in his Daily Bread and used with his permission. http://www.bearvalleycofc.org/]]> tag:www.forthright.net,2008://1.8138 2008-05-02T13:07:08Z 2008-05-02T13:08:01Z

The promises of God are backed by his limitless treasures. There's a bank in the Fort Worth, Texas area you might want to avoid. It seems the tellers there are mighty suspicious folks. A story published today by the Associated...

Tim Hall The promises of God are backed by his limitless treasures. There's a bank in the Fort Worth, Texas area you might want to avoid. It seems the tellers there are mighty suspicious folks. A story published today by the Associated Press tells of a bad experience Charles Ray Fuller had there. Fuller entered the bank last week and presented a check to be cashed. Nothing out of the ordinary there; such transactions happen all the time. What made the tellers suspicious might have been the size of the check: $360 billion dollars! When police later questioned him, Fuller explained that his girlfriend's mother had given him the check to start a record company. Mighty suspicious folks, those tellers. I heard another story years ago of a panhandler who approached a well-dressed man asking for a handout. The wealthy man recognized him as a schoolmate from the past and gave him a check for a generous amount. When he saw the beggar the next week, his appearance was no different. "Didn't you cash my check?" he asked. "No one would believe the check is good," the poor man lamented. "One look at me and they'd kick me out the door." "Cash the check!" his friend urged. "What makes that check good is not how you're dressed, but my signature." When I approach the teller at heaven's window, I'm embarrassed to ask for blessings. One look at my robe shows I've not been living the life God demands. Why even bother? Since I'm unworthy, there's no point in even asking. John has a message we need to hear: "In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent his only begotten son into the world, that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins" (1 John 4:9,10, NKJV). God showed his love for us before we knew how filthy sin had made us. It's not how clean we're able to make ourselves that prompts the grace of God, but the amazing love he has for us. Paul added these thoughts: "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age" (Titus 2:11,12). God's grace appeared before my reform efforts began. But I do have an obligation to respond to that grace appropriately. Unless I'm willing to learn its lessons and submit to its teachings, the grace of God will have appeared to me in vain (see 2 Corinthians 6:1). Each promise God has given is like a check waiting to be cashed. If I am his child, I should cash them. My goodness (or lack thereof) is not what makes the check valid, but his grace.]]> tag:www.forthright.net,2008://1.8135 2008-05-01T14:06:45Z 2008-05-01T14:11:29Z

Rather than making provision for this life, perhaps we should be making preparations for the next!

Stan Mitchell does ring true about this story is the fact that life, and death, are unexpected. The lady in question counted on living another 42 years. She made provisions for a long and fruitful life on earth. But she didn’t get it. We are all guaranteed a long, long life ... eternally, that is! Rather than making provision for this life, perhaps we should be making preparations for the next! You have an eternity left. Be ready! ]]> tag:www.forthright.net,2008://1.8134 2008-05-01T14:01:35Z 2008-05-01T14:05:52Z

As a song leader, I am afraid we will lose our capacity for congregational singing

Stan Mitchell “They sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the lamb” (Revelation 15:3) Jerry McDade and his wife were out walking one Sunday morning when they heard singing so beautiful that they just had to stop and listen. Both were from the Church of England, and had heard beautiful choirs sing. What made this so startling was that it was congregational singing. Ordinary Christians raised their voices in adoration with such feeling that it compelled visitors to come in. It wasn’t long before they were baptized into Christ. Some time ago I was in a church building that had a screen in the front where words were projected for songs without printed music. This seems to be a brotherhood-wide trend. I spoke to one of the members and this is what he said: “We might as well have only the words to songs. Most people can’t read music anyway.” I thought: “When did we concede the point?” I know this is only a preference, but permit me, please, to express one. You must remember that I have worshiped many times in Africa with neither hymnbooks nor multi media capability! For most African congregations meeting on a rock under a tree, hymns on power point is not a controversy.It’s not the technology that worries me. As a song leader, I am afraid we will lose our capacity for congregational singing. We need to train our young people to sing. We can develop our own ability further. We can learn new songs. There are singing schools that would benefit our young people greatly. It is important to remember our objective. We aren’t training members to sight-read Gregorian chants or Bach’s quartet music. In congregations across the land, however, we have always had this ability; when a song leader introduces a song, there have always been enough members with the ability to pick out the harmony so that the new song takes hold and becomes a part of our worship in song. That’s a precious heritage indeed. And one more thing. A century ago, when the organ was brought into churches of Christ, the reason given was: “Our singing is so bad that this will improve it.” I never want that to happen to this fellowship that I love again, do you? tag:www.forthright.net,2008://1.8133 2008-05-01T13:55:12Z 2008-05-01T13:59:07Z

Children are high fidelity microphones, picking up every breath, every inflection, every tone they hear.

Stan Mitchell A friend of mine tells of the day he went with a group of people to an old age home, to the ward that cares for those suffering from Alzheimer’s. Most of the residents were, to put it as kindly as possible, no longer there. Their stares were vacant, their memory as empty as a Montana prairie. They remembered nothing, knew no one, not even themselves. It was a heartbreaking experience. What could the visitors do? What could they say? Because they didn’t know what to talk about, they sang hymns – “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” and “Jesus Loves Me, This I Know.” And something astonishing happened. These elderly people began to sing along! Silver heads perked up, feathery thin voices were raised in song. Apparently the earliest childhood memories are the very last to go, and these poor victims of this dreadful disease remembered the songs they sang in Sunday school. Their oldest memories, dating to before the Fireside Chats, before the Waffen SS, before that street in New York crashed – these memories still lit these otherwise dark minds! And they say that children don’t learn anything! Of course “they” must have never had a child. Children are high fidelity microphones, picking up every breath, every inflection, every tone they hear. When parents quarrel, they know; when ladies use language that once made sailors blush, they hear; when voices are raised in honor of an incomparable God, the sound and the words lodge deeply in the memory. Tell an adult that God is right here, in our midst, and he will scoff. Tell a child, and he will say, “OK.” Tell an adult that he should forgive his brother, and he will set his face in stone and intone, “Never!” Tell a child to forgive his brother, and in moments they will be lost in their play again. The Teacher said it best: “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19:14). We behave as if children are a barrier to worship, that their squirming and shuffling gets in the way of our time with God. Contrast this attitude with that of Jesus, who drew them into the very center of his activities. The disciples said, “send them away.” Jesus said, “bring them to me!” Will you bring your children? All of which makes me determined that we will put in our children’s memories things of substance, pieces of our spiritual heritage that have stood the test of time. You see, the real tragedy is not when an Alzheimer’s victim forgets his childhood, but when a society forgets its conscience. tag:www.forthright.net,2008://1.8132 2008-05-01T13:49:32Z 2008-05-01T13:53:55Z

Service to God is not an Olympic sprint, a burst of nerves and adrenaline; it is a long distance run, characterized by planning, dedication, and determination.

Stan Mitchell Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders, and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us" (Hebrews 12:1). On Tuesday, July 20th, 1993, Vincent Foster, a Little Rock Lawyer and White House Counsel took his own life on a bluff overlooking the Potomac River. When President Clinton gathered his staff together to console them over the loss of their friend and colleague, he said: "It would be wrong to define a life like Vincent Foster's in terms only of how it ended." He was right. All the man's accomplishments, all his acts of kindness to friends and family, and his service for his country, but in the popular mind, he will probably always be remembered as "the guy in the Clinton Administration who committed suicide." No matter how we try to put his end out of our minds, the manner of his life's ending will always leave a shadow over his life. Jesus' life wasl also be defined by its end. There is no question that his life was characterized by good deeds, and profound teachings, but for everyone who knows the name "Jesus," whether it be a thoroughly secular person who knows few of the details, or a person who has dedicated his life completely to Jesus, it is the death that stands out. Jesus, too, will always be remembered for his death. His words made him a respected and wise teacher. His life marked him as one who actually lived out the truths he expressed. But it was his death that marked him as the son of God. So what was the difference between the tragedy of Mr. Foster and the victory of Jesus the Christ? What made one death a declaration of victory, and the other a lonely act of surrender? With the deepest of respect for the former Presidential Advisor, may I suggest that Vincent Foster's manner of going was a surrender to his circumstances, while Jesus' death was the completion of what he had come to do, illustrated in his own words, "It is finished" (John 19:30). The Lord had carried his task to the end. Service to God is not an Olympic sprint, a burst of nerves and adrenaline; it is a long distance run, characterized by planning, dedication, and determination. The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep. (Robert Frost) If you have committed your life to serving the Christ, I have three words for you: Don't go yet. tag:www.forthright.net,2008://1.8094 2008-05-01T06:13:32Z 2008-05-01T06:38:31Z

by Mike Benson Larry and Jane Hudson are dear friends from the Main Street church. They recently invited me to Sunday dinner following the AM worship assembly.

Mike Benson Larry and Jane Hudson are dear friends from the Main Street church. They recently invited me to Sunday dinner following the AM worship assembly. This special couple was celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary and so they asked me to go along and commemorate the happy occasion. Our destination...? Owensboro, Kentucky and Moonlite Bar-B-Q. Everybody in this neck of the woods knows about Moonlite. Think "casual dining." Think "family feel." Think "all-you-can-eat" BBQ buffet. Underline the word "all." Hungry guests stand in line with a plate and then help themselves to a smorgasbord of tasty, home-style dishes. Buffet. Choose what you want. Skip what you don't want. Go back as many times as you wish. This is gastronomical heaven. I loaded my plate with country favorites -- mashed potatoes, pulled pork, and green beans, but then skiped the macaroni and cheese, gravy and rolls. I left the restaurant full as the proverbial tick. Okay, maybe not full -- I stopped just one bite shy of gluttony. The meal was great. The Christian company was even better. It occurs to me that many preachers treat the Word like a trip to Moonlite. They fill their theological dinner-ware with perennial favorites. They "eat" what their doctrinal belly desires (Phil. 3:19), but then pass over those food items which their denomination deems unpalatable. For instance, some heap their plate with faith, but then consciously omit what the Scriptures teach about baptism. They select SOME of God's word but not the SUM of God's word. They claim to be "Bible-believing," but then do a "Moonlite" on those passages which teach the necessity of immersion. Does the New Testament require baptism? No? Look again. According to Matt. 28:19-20 baptism is involved in my becoming a disciple of Christ. According to Mark 16:15-16 baptism is something I must engage if I want to be saved. According to Acts 2:37-38 baptism is something I must undergo in order to be forgiven of my sins. According to Acts 8:12-13, 38 baptism is something I must submit to, even if it means changing my religion. According to Acts 10:48 baptism is something I must obey because it has been commanded. According to Acts 16:14-15, 33 baptism is something I will yield to -- immediately -- in order to be faithful to the Lord. According to Acts 22:16 baptism is something I must do if I desire my past sins to be taken away (cf. Acts 9:6). According to Rom. 6:3-7 baptism is that which makes a difference (slave of sin vs. slave of righteousness) in my life. According to 1 Cor. 12:13 baptism is the means by which I enter the body or church (cf. Eph. 1:22-23). According to Gal. 3:26-27 baptism is the way that I become a child of God. According to 1 Pet. 3:21 baptism saves. Got your Bible handy? Read through Jeremiah 36. Jeremiah prophesied during the closing days of the Southern kingdom of Judah. On one occasion, the prophet received a divine message from God and then had the words written on a scroll (vv. 1-3). This inspired document was later read to king Jehoiakim by Jehudi (vv. 21). When Jehudi read that the kingdom-nation would be overthrown by the Babylonian empire, Jehoiakim decided he couldn't "stomach" anymore. The arrogant ruler took a scribe's penknife, cut up the scroll, and then cast it into the fire until it was consumed (vv. 22-24). Jehoiakim would have liked Moonlite. Eat what you want. Skip what you don't want. Mashed potatoes "yes," dinner rolls "no." Authoritarian rule "yes," servile bondage "no." Faith "yes," baptism "no." Dear reader, the Bible is not a self-serve restaurant. We can't pick out the parts that we like and then reject or cut out the portions that don't strike our fancy. We must declare and consume (Jer. 15:16) the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27; cf. 2 Tim. 4:2-4), including those passages which teach the necessity of baptism. Is your preacher offering some of God's Word, or the sum of God's Word? "The sum of your word is truth,and every one of your righteous rules endures forever" (Psm. 119:160).]]> tag:www.forthright.net,2008://1.8100 2008-04-29T08:00:00Z 2008-04-30T17:51:58Z

by Richard Mansel When we listen "intentively," we do so with a purpose. We intend to act upon what we have heard. We are receiving a call to arms so we leap into action.

Richard Mansel Men will rise and lead the congregation in prayer. As they do, they pray that the congregation will listen attentively to the sermon. In many places, though, they do not say attentively. Instead, they substitute "intentively," which is an obsolete word no longer in use. /1 However, if we consider this word, it actually makes a lot of sense in this context. When we listen to a sermon attentively, we listen very carefully and politely, which is commendable. However, in itself, this only goes so far. What will we do after we have listened attentively? Will we ponder the thoughts as they leak into the ether? Will we act upon them in any way? A sermon unheeded is a sad, lonely thing. When we listen "intentively," we do so with a purpose. We intend to act upon what we have heard. We are receiving a call to arms so we leap into action. If only we would listen to sermons with this in mind, the kingdom would move rapidly forward. Each sermon must provide an action for listeners to engage in. Sermons that are simply academic exercises pose little threat to Satan. They massage our minds, but the message is quickly lost in the hubbub of life. Scripture is the basis of all that we preach (Colossians 3:17; 2 Timothy 4:1), but we can't just quote a string of passages without making application to the lives of the listeners. The Scriptures cannot speak to the mind that is not stimulated to act. This function of preaching is indispensable. Entreating listeners to live more righteously is certainly biblical (1 John 2:29). However, listeners need an explanation and practical advice on how to accomplish this goal. What does it mean to live righteously? How will it change our lives? What will it mean on a daily basis? When we preach or listen to sermons, we both bear a responsibility to bear fruit. Fired with the Word and with purpose, the preacher tries to implant God's truths in the hearts and minds of his listeners. His subject matter pierces the listeners' defenses when properly delivered by a man of God focused on the love of souls (Ephesians 4:15). Speaking the truth in love means that we care more about souls than scoring points. Lifting the name of Christ means it supersedes our own. The message is bigger than the man who delivers it. We stand aside and let it work (Ephesians 3:14-19). As preachers and listeners, we are committed to the edification and the salvation of souls. We never simply mark time in worship. Our hobbies and agendas go in the wastebasket, while lifting souls to heaven takes precedence. Stale lessons and comedy routines languish in drawers. Instead, Jesus, discipleship, resurrection, faith and the meat of the gospel speak to listeners whom we have taught to listen "intentively." This skill, like anything else, is taught. However, first the preacher must listen the same way to God's will. We prepare the sermon over time as we reach their sense of spiritual responsibility and help them attain goals in the faith. We help them place themselves in the text as active participants. They are empowered when they have the "working of His mighty power" in their veins (Ephesians 1:19). Their transfusion is enabled when those who proclaim the Word have also been fueled. Will we learn and teach others to listen "intentively"? Will we grasp the real need to do so? Is heaven worth the effort? 1/ http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/intentively ]]> tag:www.forthright.net,2008://1.8097 2008-04-28T06:33:37Z 2008-04-28T12:29:53Z

Darwinism is dead. Evolution has expired. Not many will admit it. The cadaver is propped up on a throne, his eyelids taped open to his eyebrows. The scientists are chatting normally, jocundly, even, and glance his way as if to keep him in the conversation. ...

J. Randal Matheny http://randalmatheny.com/blog/ by J. Randal Matheny, editor Darwinism is dead. Evolution has expired. Not many will admit it. The cadaver is propped up on a throne, his eyelids taped open to his eyebrows. The scientists are chatting normally, jocundly, even, and glance his way as if to keep him in the conversation. This closed conversation only allows certain qualified personnel into the room. The door is locked, and shibboleth must be said to enter. Most of the journalists are there, since they not only have the exact spelling and pronunciation of the word, but also kiss the feet of the doormen. University administrators and professors are there, moving seamlessly from their cloisters to the cadaver's throne room. Some, not all, scientists are there, those who know enough to know which way the wind blows, meteorologists be they not. Once in a while someone mentions the objectively verifiable stink in the room, but the naive commenter is threatened with expulsion if he dare hint that death rules the roost. If King Darwin is rotting on his throne and his subjects play the fool, what other chief doctrines in this kingdom are also naught but the rattle of bones and dust of decay? Prime Minister Sir Ancient Dating Methods looks to be, well, billions of years old by his fossilized imprint. But the king's subjects act as if he is as lively as the most zealous scientist who props him up with pompous pronouncements. Counselor Lost Link continues his frantic search in the corners of the Darwinian kingdom, constantly muttering, "It's got to be here somewhere!" Occasionally he pops up with a bone in hand. "Aha! Here it is! I knew it! Definitive proof!" A round of applause, hoorays and pats on the back. And when somebody whispers it's a pig's foot or monkey's jaw, all pretend not to hear, while the exasperated counselor heads back to his earthen layers to continue his quest. Meanwhile, the Minister of Education applies his litmus tests to the learned institutions of the land and extends his seal of approval only to those who genuflect before the official spiel that the King is alive and well. The High Priest of Amorality works closely with the One Judge of Political Correctness to impose the rule of tolerance upon the populace, which foments dissolution and prohibits Biblespeak. Though their marriage is troubled, the HPA lets the green-clad High Priestess Gaia exalt the Planet and supports her fully in her stringent calls to minister to the needs of the earth as an act of worship and scale back on prosperous living. They were rewarded for their loyalty to the dead king with a 100-room mansion. The Deconstructionist Director of Media films the movements of the king's court and, using CGI graphics, puts flesh on the king and makes him move and speak, so the populace will believe he is still alive. His mission also includes tearing down popular myths that detract from His Royal Deadness through movies that debunk historical accuracy and moral goodness. The king's ministers, counselors and footmen have all conspired to perpetuate King Darwin's myth. Their power, their prestige, their position, all depend on this king. They cannot admit that King Darwin is dead. "Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, "Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us." Psalm 2:1-3 ESV Darwinism is dead, but not many will admit it. tag:www.forthright.net,2008://1.8074 2008-04-26T05:01:00Z 2008-04-27T04:20:03Z

The Dhaka newspaper had a front page headline this week, “17 killed as train rams bus in Tangail”. The accident occurred at a level crossing where there is no automatic signal or crossing barriers. Rather, as in most Bangladeshi crossings, the crossing is watched by human crossing guards and the barriers are lowered manually. In explanation of the cause of the accident the newspaper article stated, “The on-duty gateman ... was asleep when the accident took place." ...

Michael Brooks By Michael E. Brooks “How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep -- So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, and your need like an armed man” (Proverbs 6:9-11 NKJV). The Dhaka newspaper had a front page headline this week, “17 killed as train rams bus in Tangail”. The accident occurred at a level crossing where there is no automatic signal or crossing barriers. Rather, as in most Bangladeshi crossings, the crossing is watched by human crossing guards and the barriers are lowered manually. In explanation of the cause of the accident the newspaper article stated, “The on-duty gateman ... was asleep when the accident took place.” I do not know the circumstances or the gateman’s condition. The accident occurred about 3:00 a.m., a time when sleepiness is normal and even those on duty may find difficulty in staying awake. This guard may be aged or ill. Yet, in this case, sleep was tragic and no excuse can justify such neglect of duty. Military guards may be court-martialed with heavy penalty for sleeping on duty, even if no such tragedy results. The reasons are obvious, and accepted by all. Others, however, when not in such positions of responsibility, see little harm in idleness and laziness. If one is able to rest, what is the harm? Why should one labor diligently, depriving oneself of rest and relaxation, when a little slumber gives such enjoyment? The wise man of Proverbs states the case. Slumber (i.e., laziness) is addictive and cumulative. One begins with a few minutes here and there. Then it becomes habit and lifestyle, robbing the sleeper of valuable time, energy and productivity. A few minutes of rest, here and there, but before it is realized opportunity has passed and poverty has come. Paul exhorts, “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men” (Colossians 3:23). In all activities of life, energy and zeal are rewarding. To the young man Timothy Paul wrote, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). Effort is blessed, but laziness brings reproach and failure. One may not always be in a position where his neglect causes tragic death and suffering. But such results illustrate the importance of care and attention. “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58). The diligent worker is always prepared, always alert and never neglectful. Such effort will be eternally rewarded. Slumber (laziness) is addictive and cumulative.