Gazing at Glory

Earthly Fathers and "Our Father Which Art in Heaven"

noreply@blogger.com (Doug Smith) — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 09:58:00 +0000

Thankful today for my earthly father and father-in-law (who I knew all too briefly, before he was called home), thankful to be a father to four, thankful for my Father in heaven!

In reflecting on how Jesus taught believers to relate to God as their heavenly Father in prayer (Matthew 6:9-13), I am reminded too of the reverence for and dependence upon our earthly fathers that should be the norm of our experience as children. I think this is part of the way mankind, even in a fallen state, reflects the image of their Creator God. But even if you never knew your earthly father, or did not have one who was holy and cared for your needs, if you put your faith in Jesus Christ, you become a child of the heavenly Father, who is worthy of all honor and praise, and who provides for your needs, pardons your sins, and protects you from evil. If you are a father, the greatest thing you can do for your children is to teach and model for them the character of God.

An Antidote for Self-Centeredness: Sincerely Praying as Jesus Taught

noreply@blogger.com (Doug Smith) — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 16:32:00 +0000

"It is comparatively easy to repeat the words of the Lord's Prayer like a parrot (or indeed a heathen 'babbler'). To pray them with sincerity, however, has revolutionary implications, for it expresses the priorities of a Christian. We are constantly under pressure to conform to the self-centredness of secular culture. When that happens we become concerned about our own little name (liking to see it embossed on our notepaper or hitting the headlines in the press, and defending it when it is attacked), about our own little empire (bossing, 'influencing' and manipulating people to boost our ego), and about our own silly little will (always wanting our own way and getting upset when it is frustrated). But in the Christian counter-culture our top priority concern is not our name, kingdom and will, but God's. Whether we can pray theses petitions with integrity is a searching test of the reality and depth of our Christian profession."
John R. W. Stott, The Message of the Sermon on the Mount, p. 148

Some Benefits from Meditating on Scripture

noreply@blogger.com (Doug Smith) — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 22:17:00 +0000

“It is an help to knowledge, thereby your knowledge is raised.

Thereby your memory is strengthened.

Thereby your hearts are warmed.

Thereby you will be freed from sinful thoughts.

Thereby your hearts will be tuned to every duty.

Thereby you will grow in grace.

Thereby you will fill up all the chinks and crevices of your lives, and know how to spend your spare time, and improve that for God.

Thereby you will draw good out of evil.

And thereby you will converse with God, have communion with God, and enjoy God.

And I pray, is not here profit enough to sweeten the voyage of your thoughts in meditation?”

William Bridge (1600-1670)[1]

[1] Quoted in Donald S. Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, p. 62.

Locking the Key Up: a Gospel Meditation

noreply@blogger.com (Doug Smith) — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 22:10:00 +0000

I did something foolish yesterday. I locked the key up in a building, and it was the only key that went to the building. I was not extremely distressed, since it would be a few days before anyone would have to access the building again. And I knew that I could find a way back in to get the key or that someone else could. The thing I most dreaded was the work of getting back in the building to retrieve the key.

Today I went to the building with the necessary tools in hand and went to work. I ended up spending a lot of time with a screwdriver and eventually gained access, retrieved the key, and put things back like they were before.

The reason I dreaded this work so much is because I have so many other projects that I am trying to work on (some urgent and some that can wait). I didn't want to waste a half hour or an hour trying to fix something caused by my lack of thinking.

God certainly could have caused me to remember to take the key in the first place, but He didn't. (I think He has on many occasions or I might have done things like this far more often than I have!) So I had to trust that there was something good that can come out of this.

After getting the key back, I reflected on the thing that distressed me initially: all the time and effort expended that could have been used for something else if I had not messed up to begin with. It would have been far less work if I had done it right in the first place, whereas it was much more work and time to remedy my mistake.

It reminds me of God creating man, man's ruin by means of his sin, and the work of God in redemption. While creation is glorious and a result of what only God could imagine and do, redemption is glorious because only God could fix the mess that sinners like us got ourselves into. Our rebellion against God, the marring of the image He created us with in order to reflect His glory, the destructive consequences of our sin on our relationship with God, with others, and even the effects on creation -- there is no way we could put all this right.

Thankfully, locking the key up was not so bad that it required someone else to fix it (although I did get a little help from a friend who appeared as I was finishing up). However, redemption required someone who could do that work, and only one qualified. Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), was the only One fit for the work. The Son of God stepped into our time, in human flesh, lived a perfect life of obedience to and dependence upon God, died on the cross to bear the punishment for the sin of the world and to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8), and rose again from the dead, all so that sinners like you and me could be forgiven by God (Luke 24:46-47) and be made a new creation in Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 5:17).

Our problem had to be dealt with for things to be put right. I couldn't simply leave the key locked up and imagine that the problem would take care of itself, and God couldn't simply sweep our sin under the rug. And He didn't. Mercy and justice met at the cross, and Jesus willingly gave the time and effort necessary to remedy the mess we were all in.

This message of the gospel is foolishness to those who reject it, but the wisdom of God to those who believe (1 Cor 1:22-25). I thought I was wasting my time and energy today, but I think God slowed me down to remind me of the Savior who freely gave of His time and effort to fix a situation that was not even His fault. He did not waste His time or energy, but rather accomplished eternal redemption for all who trust Him (Hebrews 9:12). And that's something worth stopping to take the time and energy to think about for a long time -- and give thanks.

The KJV Only Controversy: Some Personal Reflections

noreply@blogger.com (Doug Smith) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 15:07:00 +0000

by Doug Smith

(This article is also available in a Word document and a pdf file.)

The “Eye-Opener”

I remember seeing a horrifying sight as a child. It was probably one of the scariest things I ever saw in church. It was a tract, one of those small booklets or brochures that are usually about the why one should become a Christian and how to do so. This tract was not about becoming a Christian, but was about something at the very heart of the Christian faith – something that revealed the Christian faith.

The scary tract was written by John Jasper Ray and it was entitled “The New Eye-Opener.” What was so scary about it? It wasn’t that it tried to frighten someone with the doctrine of Hell or that it contained unsettling illustrations. It was scary because it contained a long list of verses alleged to be altered or omitted in modern English versions of the Bible.

In the church I attended on Sundays and those I frequented for revival services and homecomings, we sang hymns which included words like: “What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus” and “He sought me and bought me with His redeeming blood.” Certainly, we were taught, as the Scriptures teach, that there was no remission, or forgiveness, of sins apart from the shedding of blood. This was, and is, a key part of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Yet, according to “The Eye-Opener,” the modern English versions of the Bible were a direct assault on such Scriptural doctrines and therefore the work of Satan. As such, Christians were warned to avoid the poison of the modern versions and cling to the old landmark of the King James Version.

As I recall, that tract and the affirmations of trusted preachers sealed the deal for me. The King James Version of the Bible was the only legitimate version. It was so clear to me that when I attended an Easter drama in my teenage years, I had to let them know on the comment card that I was very disappointed that they had quoted from a modern version in their presentation.

Defending the Bible

As the years went on and my social circle widened a bit, I began to hear challenges. The teacher who sponsored our high school Bible club encouraged me to keep an open mind about other Bible versions. But who needs to keep an open mind about an issue that’s so black and white? I was right, she was wrong. At least that’s what I thought at the time.

Fast forward to 1995, when I began classes at a professedly Christian liberal arts college. The NIV Study Bible was a required text for our college Bible classes. Obviously, this school was not going to teach from the perspective I grew up with – that we could only trust the KJV and that the modern versions were the work of Satan.

I figured the truth needed to be exposed and people needed to hear it. I sought oversight from a Bible professor to undertake a major paper that would trace the history of the Bible up to its English translations and versions, and show the superiority of the King James Version and corruption of the others. I occasionally participated in Internet chat rooms, and regularly posted on the college’s computer bulletin board system, arguing with peers and professors, or, rather, parroting back to them what I had “learned” from a variety of pamphlets, books, websites, and radio shows about the KJV only controversy. I had found a treasure trove of material, or so I thought – and it was my job to pass it on, or so I thought.

At some point I ran out of steam, although I don’t remember exactly why. I stopped my ambitious paper, and refrained from making waves on the computer bulletin board. Maybe I was burned out and losing interest in this topic that had consumed so much of my time. Maybe it was the growing realization that I wasn’t going to change anyone’s mind. Maybe it was the growing understanding that this college’s Bible department didn’t really trust any version of the Bible or even the Bible’s teaching that Jesus alone was the way to God. Or maybe it was the inevitable acknowledgement that many of my sources weren’t all that trustworthy.

Who Should I Trust?

The trustworthiness of sources was a big deal for me. I did not want to pass along untrustworthy information, nor did I want my views to be based on anything other than the truth. Now, it did not bother me that my professor had written on a bibliography that authors from Dallas Theological Seminary were not from a school known for a commitment to “honest, open inquiry.” (This professor had actually recommended the work of DTS’ Dan Wallace, as a conservative who did not believe in KJV onlyism.) Besides, at some point I came to suspect that those who talked of “honest, open inquiry” would often ignore evidence that contradicted their views – such as the clear teachings of Jesus and the apostles about theological and hermeneutical issues (such as the identity of the suffering Servant in Isaiah 53). I never questioned that a source was not trustworthy just because someone was conservative, or held to a confession of faith, or came from a school that wanted to uphold the Bible as the Word of God and expose false teachers.

But I began to see something just as disturbing as the “Eye-Opener” tract from years ago. A number of the KJV only resources themselves were either: 1) dishonest; 2) mistaken; or 3) otherwise unsupportable in many of their allegations. Many of them merely parroted similar resources and did not rely on original research. At least three things helped me to rethink my position: 1) the history of the Bible and its translation into English; 2) conservative scholars who wrote on the KJV only issue; and 3) applying a bit more critical thinking to what I read.

History of Bible Translation

To come into English, the Bible (originally written in Hebrew and Greek) had to be translated. Studying the history of Bible translation shed light on the King James Only controversy and opened my eyes in at least two ways. First, it showed that it was not unique in church history, as similar claims had been made for the Septuagint, the Latin Vulgate, and even Martin Luther’s German translation of the Bible.

Second, it revealed that the KJV only idea would have been a strange concept to many throughout church history, such as the 16^th century Reformers and even the KJV translators themselves, who relied on a myriad of translations and said that even the worst was still to be regarded as the Word of God. (Their “Translators to the Readers” preface, included in the original 1611 KJV and still printed in some editions, as well as available online, is a wordy but profitable read.) The KJV itself went through numerous revisions, with most modern copies deriving from the 1769 edition. Furthermore, many leaders respected in KJV only circles, including C. H. Spurgeon, C. I. Scofield, and John R. Rice made it clear in their publications, and sometimes their sermons, that they did not believe there was only one legitimate version of the Bible. (Mount Calvary Baptist Church’s booklet, “Trusted Voices on Translations” is a compilation of helpful quotes documenting such leaders on this issue.)

Publications by Conservative Scholars

While a large part of my initial exposure to those in favor of modern versions also exposed me to theological liberalism, I came to see that belief in the legitimacy, usefulness, and even need for a modern English translation did not a theological liberal make. In fact, many theological conservatives (in addition to men like Spurgeon and Rice), advocated the use of such translations.

In addition to seeing such writers as James Montgomery Boice, John MacArthur, and others use modern translations in their preaching and writing ministries, I saw that conservative scholars had researched and written on this very issue, particularly James R. White, D. A. Carson, and a book edited by James B. Williams and Randolph Shaylor, entitled From the Mind of God to the Mind of Men. These resources encompassed those that would be considered broadly evangelical as well as those who were strict separatist fundamentalists. It was also an “eye-opener” for me to see that Bob Jones University had ministry students study the NASB in their Bible classes, and that there were independent Baptist pastors and seminaries that were not KJV only (such as Inter-City Baptist Church and Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary in Allen Park, Michigan). Hebrew scholar James D. Price, formerly of Temple Baptist Seminary in Chattanooga (and involved directly with the New King James Version and Holman Christian Standard Bible), even dealt at length with the relevant issues in a self-published tome entitled King James Onlyism: a New Sect.

The most helpful resource for me was James R. White’s The King James Only Controversy: Can You Trust the Modern Translations? He seemed to deal fairly with the evidence, and actually turned the tables on the KJV only approach I was so familiar with. While verse comparisons can appear to demonstrate that modern versions attempt to remove the blood of Christ or the deity of Christ, etc., similar comparisons can “prove” that the KJV has watered down such issues. For example, White pointed out that the text of John 1:18, Philippians 2:6-7, and Titus 2:13 in the NASB and NIV are clearer statements of the deity of Christ than the KJV’s rendering of those passage (while conceding that the KJV is probably more accurate on 1 Timothy 3:16).

Scripture Reference	NASB rendering	NIV rendering	KJV rendering
John 1:18	No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.	No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.	No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
Philippians 2:6-7	who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.	Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.	Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
Titus 2:13	looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,	while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ	Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
1 Timothy 3:16	By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh, Was vindicated in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Proclaimed among the nations, Believed on in the world, Taken up in glory.	Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.	And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

In his article, “The Unlearned Men: the True Genealogy and Genesis of King-James-Version-Onlyism,” Doug Kutilek demonstrated that writers like James Jasper Ray (“The Eye-Opener”; God Only Wrote One Bible) and David Otis Fuller plagiarized other writers, including Seventh Day Adventist sources, and often used selective quotations to make it appear that others (such as Spurgeon) agreed with them when, in fact, they did not. These were serious charges that could not be ignored.

Reading Critically

While not all authors advocating a form of King James onlyism are equal, many have demonstrated an approach based on sloppy or non-existent scholarship or underhanded methods of argument. Some, like E. F. Hills, Theodore Letis, the Trinitarian Bible Society, and, to a lesser degree, David Sorenson (who, unfortunately leaned on some unreliable sources, like Gail Riplinger), tended to be more on a level-headed or moderate end of the spectrum, others consistently resorted to ad hominem arguments (attacking the character of people while failing to adequately answer relevant arguments), unfounded assertions, erroneous information put forward as fact, and absurd interpretations of the Bible.

Many authors resorted to attacking the character of 19^th century British Bible scholars, B. F. Westcott and F. J. A. Hort, of practicing occultism and intentionally seeking to corrupt the Scriptures – serious charges, but lacking sufficient proof. Some asserted that God gave the whole Bible to the English speaking people in a way analogous to how He gave the Old Testament Scriptures to the nation Israel. Some attacked the New King James Version for including alternate textual readings in the margin, saying that such would undermine faith in God’s Word, yet even the original King James Version included notes such as “This 36. verse is wanting in most of the Greek copies” (margin of Luke 17:36).

One of the most absurd examples of the problems that plague the extreme KJV only publications comes from Gail Riplinger’s publication, “Omissions in the NKJV” (Riplinger also wrote New Age Bible Versions). In her note on the NKJV rendering of 1 Sam. 13:21, “the charge . . . was a pim,” she explains pim as meaning “positive identification microchip.” (The NKJV footnote explains pim as “about two-thirds shekel weight,” rightly identifying it as a form of monetary currency, not as a “positive identification microchip!”) A conspiracy theory on steroids? (James D. Price wrote a lengthy refutation of this document, entitled “The False Witness of G. A. Riplinger’s Death Certificate for the New King James Version.”)

Perhaps the most frightening and eye-opening aspect of the extreme KJV only advocates is that some of them misuse the Bible in order to justify their position. Two examples will suffice. In Dr. Samuel Gipp’s The Answer Book, he argues that “a translation cannot only be ‘as good’ as the originals, but better” (page 90). He plays with the word “translation” to “prove” that the translation of the kingdom of Israel from Saul to David (2 Samuel 3:7-10), the translation of believers into the kingdom of God’s dear Son (Colossians 1:13), and the translation of Enoch (Hebrews 11:5) show that a “translation” can be better than the original. But what would this “prove” about a Bible translation being better than the original Hebrew and Greek from which it was translated? Was God’s Word somehow imperfect and inferior when originally given?

The second example, a common argument in these publications, is that Psalm 12:6-7 proves the perfection of the KJV and reveals God’s promise to preserve His Word. Some even go so far as to claim that since God’s words are pure words, purified seven times, therefore, the KJV is the perfect Word of God since it is the seventh in a line of English translations (their lists vary, as there were actually more than six English versions of the Bible prior to the KJV). Here is the complete text of Psalm 12 in the KJV, to show the context.

PSALM 12

¹Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.
²They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.
³The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things:
⁴Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?
⁵For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.
⁶The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
⁷Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.
⁸The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.

While the purity and preservation of God’s Word is an important subject, no one can credibly argue that verse 6 is referring to English translations. If it were, does that mean God’s Word was imperfect before the supposed seventh English translation? Would not His original words be “pure words”? As to verse seven, the promise of keeping and preserving does not refer there to God’s words, but, as a look at the overall context demonstrates, to believers (the godly man and the faithful in verse 1, the poor and the needy in verse 5). God is telling believers here that they can trust His words, namely, His promise to preserve them against the wicked. Psalm 12 has nothing, pro or con, to say about Bible translations, much less the KJV! This method of abusing Scripture to support the KJV only position only serves to discredit those taking this approach.

Where Am I Now?

So, what has this journey through King James onlyism helped open my eyes to see?

The King James Version is a wonderful translation. I love it and want to continue to read from it, study it, memorize it, quote it, and, in certain settings, preach from it. One of the things that makes it so valuable to me is that it preserves a more accurate form of English, particularly its inclusion of plural and singular second-person pronouns. Our modern “you” can indicate that we are speaking to an individual or more than one person. Thee, thou, thy, thine, etc. indicate singular, whereas ye, you, your, etc. indicate plural. Many languages preserve this distinction, whereas modern English has lost it. Although a more generic “you” may not radically distort matters, it can affect interpretation and application of Bible passages. The KJV is a good, reliable translation with much to commend it.

There is more than one edition of the King James Version. Many claim to hold to the “1611 KJV,” but most modern KJV’s are actually the 1769 revision, one of several updates. (I own a replica of the one of the early editions; the original included the apocryphal books which Protestants view as uninspired but historically useful but that Roman Catholics elevate to the level of Scripture.)

There are various types of King James only advocates. Some are smart. Some are kind. Some are well-meaning. Others do not exemplify such qualities, or may demonstrate one at the expense of others. I would not dare lump them all together. There are those who prefer the King James but have no problem with modern versions; there are those who prefer translations based on the same original language texts the King James was translated from; there are those who believe the King James is the only good translation available today; there are those who think any version other than the King James is straight from Satan (and some in this camp tend to argue their case more with ridicule than proof). As one pastor told me, some are “King James only,” and some are “King James ugly.”

Not all arguments from King James only advocates are ridiculous. If one argues for accurate translation of masculine and feminine pronouns, or that it matters whether Isaiah 7:14 should read “virgin” or “young woman,” I must agree, and many others would concur. However, I also happen to find one oft-maligned point concerning the reliability of manuscript families to be very compelling. Modern scholarship tends to assume that, generally speaking, the older manuscripts represent a more reliable text (although they do not hold this view to be absolute, and sometimes do not favor the older manuscripts as the most accurate reading). Some who argue for the KJV or at least for its underlying text also argue that older does not necessarily mean better or closer in accuracy to the original. It could be that later families of manuscripts have more accurately preserved the original readings, particularly if the more reliable of the older manuscripts were worn out from so much copying. I’m not sure that either side has been able to prove its case on this matter of which manuscripts are genuinely more reliable. I do not know if any modern scholars take the objection to the older = more accurate argument seriously, but I think it bears consideration. For this reason, I am not willing to dispense with disputed passages like the woman caught in adultery in John 8 or the ending of Mark 16.

The King James only issue is one of the most divisive issues in certain circles. Christians who begin to question this view or who boldly advance another opinion may quickly find themselves ostracized, vilified, or even expelled from some churches. Many KJV only advocates are not willing to listen to the views of others and see it as compromise to entertain those who use modern versions. However, the reverse can often be true as well. Some unfairly view all KJV only believers as fanatics or as a cult and avoid them at all costs. In situations where one side or the other is prejudiced to the degree that one will not even seek to understand the other side, discussing this issue can only lead to strife.

There are well-meaning people who embrace or tend toward KJV onlyism. Not all KJV only people are “King James ugly,” and some of them are even willing to cooperate with those who do not see things exactly as they do. In longer term situations, some of them may even be willing to change with some patient and loving instruction, though it may take some time to work through this emotionally charged issue. A pastor or friend may have to take great pains to understand why this position is dear to the individual, what concerns hinder change, and what it would take to convince them otherwise. Nevertheless, it may be that the individual will not change. However, that may not need to be an obstacle to cooperation. Our main goal should be to advance the gospel of Christ, and God can still use people who cling to the KJV to help do that.

It is beneficial and generally preferable to use a modern translation for study and preaching. While I love the King James Version, and while my present position is that the traditional texts underlying it are probably the most accurate manuscripts, I believe people of today need a translation in the language of today. We are blessed to have many study tools where we can look up archaic words such as those contained in the KJV, but it makes more sense to use a modern English equivalent if possible. For this reason, I favor the New King James Version of the Bible. I read a variety of translations (KJV and modern ones) in private, but in my weekly pulpit ministry I use the NKJV because it is based on the same texts as the KJV, but uses updated language. This is not an issue in the church I serve. On the other hand, if I am visiting a church, Christian school, or even a home where this may be an issue, I would rather use the KJV than unnecessarily hinder my ministry among those people.

Not all versions of the Bible are equally reliable. For someone to disagree with a KJV only position does not necessarily mean that he must embrace all other versions and translations with open arms. Aside from the obvious need to reject translations from cults (such as the New World Translation of the Jehovah’s Witnesses), there are some versions that are not very useful or reliable because of the liberal bias that went into their translation. I cannot recommend the Revised Standard Version, which translated Isaiah 7:14 with “young woman” instead of “virgin,” nor can I endorse the New Revised Standard Version with its frequent use of a gender-neutral approach to translation. I also have a hard time seeing much usefulness in modern paraphrases such as the Message. The other versions I find useful are those that tend toward a faithful rendering of the text with as much equivalence as possible in English. The New King James Version, the New American Standard Bible, the Holman Christian Standard Bible, and the English Standard Version are the ones I generally consult in addition to the King James Version.

We should not implicitly trust any human authority. If authors seek to argue a point, we need to make sure their conclusions logically follow. If authors make historical assertions, we need to make sure they back them up with appropriate evidence. If authors advance interpretations of the Bible, we need to make sure they are based on sound interpretation. If they cannot make their points by honest and accurate statement of the facts, then they prove themselves untrustworthy.

It is a scary thing when our beliefs about the Bible rest on mere human traditions. We are to “prove all things” and “hold fast that which is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21) and must be Bereans (Acts 17:11), searching the Scriptures daily to see whether these things are so. When we do that with the help of God’s Spirit, our eyes are truly opened.

——

(If the reader is interested in studying this issue further, I have provided links to a number of useful articles and resources, available byclicking here.)

Bible Reading Plans in 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Doug Smith) — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 13:47:00 +0000

"Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." (Psalm 119:105)

To walk with God in 2011, we need to be in His Word daily. Here are some resources for Bible reading plans:

YouVersion (not crazy about the name) is a great Bible app that syncs across the computer to your mobile device so you can read the Word at your desk or on your phone. Lots of reading plans to choose from (free). http://blog.youversion.com/how-to-pick-your-reading-plan/

Another helpful, related resource from Dr. Don Whitney: Bible reading record for 2011. Use personally, as class handout, for church resource table, or bulletin insert.

M'Cheyne's Calendar (formatted for bulletin insert)

There are certainly many other Bible reading resources and many ways to read the Bible... going through the books in order, reading selections for each testament, reading one book at a time in any order, using a One Year Bible (with selections portioned out for each day), combining reading it with listening to a recording of it being read, etc. But the most important thing is to actually READ God's Word. However we do it, let us resolve with the help of God to pay even more attention to His Word this year than last and feast upon it in 2011.

Preaching in the Advent Season

noreply@blogger.com (Doug Smith) — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 22:19:00 +0000

(cross-posted at capsministry.com)

When it comes to Christmas, some preachers are faced with one or more dilemmas:

Should I temporarily step away from the book I am preaching through to preach a special Christmas message or series of messages throughout December?
What texts and topics shall I cover?
How can I present the old, old story without coming across in a stale way? How do I stay fresh with texts and topics I feel I have exhausted?

Some preachers will not deviate from their normal preaching, but will continue through the book or series they are working through. Some of these will probably recognize the season somewhere in the service. Others will continue their normal preaching rotation, but may use the Christmas story as an illustration of the text. If they are preaching on humility, they may point to how Christ’s first coming provides a perfect example of humility.

Others, however, will devote entire messages to the themes of Christmas. If this is your preference, here are some ideas that may help you present fresh, helpful, Biblical messages for the Advent season, whether you are a pastor or are filling in this month.

Expository Series

Preaching through a portion of a book – the most obvious idea here would be to preach through Matthew 1 & 2 or Luke 1 & 2. One year, I had the opportunity to fill in at a church in December and preached consecutive messages from Matthew 1:1-17, 1:18-25, 2:1-18, and finished with 28:18-20 (connecting the coming of the King to His marching orders in the Great Commission).
Preaching through selected passages – one could take a theme and preach expository messages from key passages related to it, for example: “Christmas prophecies made and fulfilled” or “Christmas with the patriarchs & prophets.”
Preaching stand-alone messages – one could select various passages to preach messages that are not part of a series, except that they share the Christmas theme (such as Genesis 3:15, Genesis 12:1-3, Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah 9:1-9, Micah 5:2, Matthew 1-2, Luke 1-2, John 1:14, Galatians 4:4-7, Philippians 2:5-11, Hebrews 1, etc.).

Topical Series

Biographical studies – perhaps “the characters of Christmas”; could focus on the significance of the individual in the larger story and lessons we can learn (positive & negative) from individuals such as: Mary, Joseph, shepherds, magi, scribes, King Herod, Elizabeth, Zacharias, John the Baptist, Simeon, Anna, the angel Gabriel, Caesar Augustus (well, maybe not a whole message on him, since he is just mentioned in passing… but there could be some great contrasts between him and the true Ruler), God the Father, God the Holy Spirit and of course, Jesus.
Geographical theme - trace the events from Bethlehem to Egypt to Nazareth to Calvary or something similar.
Christmas carols - take the song title as the sermon title, give the background to the song in the introduction and the preach on the main text or truth the song declares (make sure it does teach truth — see the next suggestion).
Christmas: fact or fiction? or “the myths of Christmas” – could debunk common errors (Really a “silent” night? Is it true that “little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes?” Did the shepherds look up and see a star? Did the wise men visit Jesus immediately after the shepherds?) and focus on giving an accurate account, encouraging the people that it is necessary to know what God’s Word actually says for ourselves.
The scandal of Christmas – man finds fiancée pregnant before marriage! king born in a cow trough! etc. — there is plenty of shocking material in the Christmas story that points to the glory of God in using the lowly and unexpected to bring His plan to pass.
The wonder of Christmas – could deal with all the wondering and marveling that the people in the narratives do (Luke 2:18, 33) and how we ought to be far more amazed at what God has done than we are.
The necessity of Christmas – we don’t need a lot of the stuff we have or get, but we desperately needed for Jesus to come; one could preach a series on our accountability to God our Creator, the punishment our sin deserved, how Christ was qualified to be our sacrifice, and what He accomplished in His life and death

There are many ways to preach helpful, biblical messages for the Advent season. And they can be intermingled as well (for example, preaching a biographical message each year and using the rest of the Sundays for an expository series). But none of them will be as helpful and as biblical as they should be unless you also remember to do the following:

Connect passage to its context and main point, even if you’re focusing on a minor point.
Locate the Christmas story in the storyline of the Bible – particularly in how it is fulfilling God’s promises to bring salvation to sinful mankind.
Be sure to bring out who Jesus is, and the wonder of the incarnation – God taking on flesh, fully God and fully man (but perfect) – it is also good to connect His humble birth, perfect life, substitutionary death, victorious resurrection, exalted title, and His future glorious return.
Explain why Jesus needed to come – although you could preach a whole message on this topic (one of the suggestions above), it needs to be present in some way any time we preach, if we are to be “gospel” preachers who preach the gospel. And the whole reason Christmas should be so glorious is that it is an announcement of the gospel: “good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people” (Luke 2:10).

The Unashamed Workman blog also has some suggestions for dealing with the “Challenges of Christmas Preaching” here.

Two related articles:

"An Ambivalent Hallmark Calendar Guy" by Dr. Michael Lawrence

"100 Failed Human Predictions" by Dr. David Murray

Christmas through the eyes of... Gabriel (Reflection #2)

noreply@blogger.com (Doug Smith) — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 02:10:00 +0000

GABRIEL

Summary of Biblical Testimony

The Bible contains four direct references to Gabriel - two in the Old Testament book of Daniel (8:16, 9:21), and two in the New Testament book of Luke (1:19, 26). The only other angel in God's service who is named is Michael (Daniel 10:13, 21; Jude 1:9; Revelation 12:7).

We know that Gabriel appeared to at least three individuals to communicate and clarify God's message for them. Taking the form of a man (Daniel 8:15), he appeared to Daniel to explain prophecy and even to indicate when the Messiah, God's anointed, promised Savior would first come (Daniel 8:16ff., 9:21ff.). He appeared in the temple to the elderly Zacharias to announce the conception, birth, and ministry of John the Baptist, who would prepare people for the coming of the Lord (Luke 1:19). Gabriel describes himself as "standing in the presence of God" and as being sent to give good news to Zacharias (Luke 1:19). God sent Gabriel to Nazareth to announce to Mary that God had favored her: the Holy Ghost would come upon her and a son would be conceived - Jesus, who would receive the throne of his ancestor David (Luke 1:26ff.). He left Mary after she verbally consented to the prophecy (Luke 1:38). In all three instances, Gabriel dealt with the glory of God in accomplishing what was humanly impossible - predicting in great detail the rise and fall of future kingdoms and the timing of Messiah's coming; announcing God's choice to give barren Elisabeth a child in her old age; and the virgin birth of the Son of God, who would reign forever.

It is possible that Gabriel appears in other places, but it is conjecture without the actual mention of his name. However, the usage of "an angel of the Lord" and "the angel of the Lord" seems to be interchangeable in these New Testament passages ("an angel of the Lord" in Luke 1:11 is later identified with Gabriel in 1:26), and it is possible that Gabriel was the one who appeared to Joseph in a dream (or dreams) in Matthew 1 & 2, and that he was the one leading the heavenly host in their glorious announcement in Luke 2.

Lessons from His Character

Gabriel stood in the presence of God. He did not receive what he shared second-hand, but actually stood before the Lord. While we are not part of the angelic host as Gabriel was, if we have repented of our sin and trusted Christ, we can stand before Him through the presence of His Holy Spirit, by virtue of being united to Christ, as we draw near to hear His voice in the Bible and commune with Him in prayer.

Gabriel was sent. He was conscious of being commissioned to go, obey God, and minister in the ways that he did. (The word "angel" is derived from has the connotations of being a messenger - one who is sent.) It may be that the sending would not have happened without the standing in God's presence. God calls people to different avenues of service, but if we know Him and stand before Him, we will know that He has called us to obey Him and serve in particular areas, especially the next two points.

Gabriel communicated God's Word. As he explained and communicated prophecy, he was simply passing on what God wanted Daniel to know. As He told Zacharias and Mary how God had blessed them and what He would do for them and through their sons, He was simply communicating God's Word. As people with a message, God sends Christians to communicate God's Word, not our own opinions, but what the Most High God says.

Gabriel announced the gospel. His focus was on the preparation for and coming of Jesus. Christians also ought to see the announcing the good news of Christ as their most glorious privilege in serving God. We must announce, from the Scriptures, that Christ, the Son of the Most High God, has come, and fulfilled the promise of God. He offers forgiveness and eternal life to all who turn away from their rebellion and trust Him who is King forever and ever. He will return one day to judge the living and the dead, and we must come to Him on His terms if we are to experience His salvation and are to eagerly anticipate meeting Him face to face.

Christmas through the eyes of... Joseph (Reflection #1)

noreply@blogger.com (Doug Smith) — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 04:21:00 +0000

I hope to spend some time reflecting on some of the people often associated with the first advent of Christ, and share some of those thoughts over the next few weeks. I hope to give the Biblical background of the people and think about their character and and consider them as models (or warnings) for us today.

JOSEPH

Summary of Biblical Testimony

The New Testament books of Matthew and Luke are our primary source of knowledge about Joseph. While Joseph is a relatively obscure individual, we do know some things about him - some stated and some implied.

In Matthew 1:1-16, we learn his genealogy, which is traced through Israel's patriarch Abraham and also through King David's line (particularly, the kings of Judah), as well as through Zerubbabel (governor of Israel after their return to the land) and then through some obscure individuals. (It is also interesting to note the "outlaws" and women who are named in the genealogy, but that is beyond the scope of this somewhat brief meditation.) The wording of Matthew 1:16 does not name Joseph as the father of Jesus, but as "the husband of Mary." Regarding Mary, it says "of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ."

In introducing the birth of Christ, Matthew 1:18 begins by telling us that Mary was betrothed to Joseph (cf. Luke 1:27), which, in that day, was a commitment as binding as marriage, dissoluble only by divorce. Yet Mary was "found with child of the Holy Ghost" before they ever came together. Matthew 1:19 describes Joseph as a "just man" (that is, a righteous man), who did not want to make Mary a public example, and so considered divorcing her privately. The angel of the Lord interrupted his thoughts, coming to him in a dream, telling him not to be afraid, but to take Mary as his wife. The child Mary bore was conceived by the Holy Spirit and was to be named Jesus because He would save His people from their sins, in fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy. Joseph awoke, obeyed, and took Mary as his wife, but did not know her intimately until she had brought forth Jesus, her firstborn son.

Before Jesus' birth, Joseph took Mary, "being great with child," to Bethlehem (since he was descended from David) to be counted in the census ordered by Caesar Augustus (Luke 2:1-5). When the shepherds went to see the newborn babe, Joseph was there with Mary and Jesus (Luke 2:16).

God communicated with Joseph in another dream, probably when Jesus was about two years old, when King Herod was seeking to have him killed. In this dream, he was instructed to take Jesus and Mary and go to Egypt (Matthew 2:13-15). Later, he was instructed in a dream to return to Israel (Matthew 2:19-20). He then dwelt in Nazareth, to fulfill prophecy (Matthew 2:21-23).

Joseph, along with Mary, was diligent in observing the Mosaic ordinances, including having Jesus circumcised (Luke 2:21). They went to Jerusalem to offer a sacrifice for Mary's purification and to present Jesus (Luke 2:22). The offering of two birds instead of a lamb suggests that Joseph was not a rich man (Luke 2:24, cf. Leviticus 12:6-8).

Joseph "and his [Jesus'] mother" were in wonder by the things spoken about Jesus by Simeon (Luke 2:33).

Joseph is referred to as a "carpenter" (Matthew 13:55), which could also be translated as "woodworker" or "mason." John MacArthur writes: "It may have been that he did both. If he built houses he would need to be able to lay bricks and frame windows and doors too. At any rate, he worked hard for a living and probably was anything but rich." (The Miracle of Christmas, pg. 56)

Lessons from His Character

God certainly knew what He was doing when He chose Joseph to be the earthly guardian of Jesus, but it is also true that Joseph's calling was not an easy one. The difficulties that Joseph faced show us several things about his character.

His thinking about how to deal with Mary (before he knew the truth of the conception), showed Joseph to be a righteous and caring man. According to Deuteronomy 22:20-21, Mary could have been executed by stoning under the Mosaic law if she had lied about her virginity to her betrothed husband. The Roman rule over Israel would not allow this in Joseph's time, yet she could still be publicly shamed. He showed a graciousness and concern that went above and beyond what some would have done, in his inclination to divorce her privately.

Joseph was a man of reflection. He thought about the situation. He wasn't hasty. He considered the situation and the implications of a course of action. He was given a difficult set of circumstances to process, but he did not despair, but rather took his time to try to think through the matter.

Joseph was a listening man. When God communicated with Joseph, he paid attention. He listened to what he was told. He was open to more information and wisdom than he had on his own!

Joseph was a man of faith and obedience. He not only listened, but believed and obeyed. When God told him to do a particular thing, he did it. And he apparently obeyed without question or hesitation, as we never read of him raising objections to God's directions. (We never see, "But Lord, this is too embarrassing to be married to a woman with a child I didn't father; it's really a long trip to Egypt; etc.") Because of his faith and obedience, he married Mary, named her son Jesus, left for Egypt, and returned to Israel.

Joseph was a working man. Probably a carpenter by trade, he worked diligently to support his family.

From all indications, Joseph was a man of humility who listened to God, and thought of others, believing God and obeying Him. Although we do not know what became of Joseph in Jesus' later years, we have a picture of him in Jesus' early years that shows us a man worthy of respect and honor, with traits worthy of emulation.

Following these traits in and of themselves do not make us right with God. But if we have turned from our rebellion and put our trust in this Jesus, who was born to save His people from their sins, and therefore died on the cross in place of sinners and rose again, these character qualities will help us walk worthy of the good news of Jesus Christ.

Some Thoughts on the Immediate Context of Deuteronomy 6:4-9

noreply@blogger.com (Doug Smith) — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 14:36:00 +0000

a few reflections on this passage... how I need these reminders from God's Word constantly!

4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: 5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. 9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates. (Deuteronomy 6:4-9, KJV)

This passage instructed Israel
-to pay close attention to the truth that Jehovah (YHWH) is One (4).
-that they were to love Him with all that was within them (5).
-that they were to have these words in their hearts (6).
-that they were to diligently teach them to their children, with regular conversations and reminders (7-9).

The surrounding verses in the chapter reveal that
-these commands were given that they might obey them when they went to possess the land (1)
-they may fear God and keep His commands - they and their children and grandchildren
- and have their days prolonged (2-3)
- they could easily forget God their Savior amidst all His blessings if they did not do what is instructed in 6:4-9 (10-13)
- they could easily become idolaters if they do not do what is instructed in 6:4-9 (14)
- they could incur the wrath of God if they do not do what is instructed in 6:4-9 (15)
- their diligent observance of God's commands would result in it being well with them, in possessing the land He gave, and in the overthrow of their enemies, as God had spoken (17-19)
- their diligent observance of these commands would naturally lead to opportunities to testify of God's glory to future generations (20-23)
- for their good, their preservation, and their righteousness (24-25)

The relevance for us is that
- just as Israel failed to heed these commands, did fall back into idolatry and was eventually banished from the land for their disobedience, we too have failed.
- none of us has loved God completely - with our whole heart, mind, soul, and might; we have not treasured His Word as we ought
- Jesus, God the Son, who humbled Himself to become a man, taught and obeyed these things perfectly. He always pleased the Father, and took the punishment for sinners on the cross, so that we might have His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21)
- just as Israel received these instructions upon being delivered from bondage in Egypt, Christians receive God's instructions on how to live after experiencing His salvation; keeping commands does not reconcile one to God - repenting of sin and trusting in Christ alone for salvation does that - yet, He lets His children know how they need to live to please Him
- keeping God's commands flows out of our love for Him, as a response to His character and works. Truly keeping God's commands cannot be done merely as a duty, and certainly not as a scheme to merit His blessings.
- the command to teach our children has not been rescinded (Ephesians 6:4). Fathers particularly bear the responsibility to be sure that their children are taught and trained up in the Word of God.
- the instruction of our children should include frequent conversations at all times of day and phases of life. (Regular family worship should be an important part of this too.)
- like Israel, we too are prone to forget God and lapse into worshiping things other than Him (1 Corinthians 10:1-14).
- the only way for Christians to truly advance in sanctification and achieve any measure of victory over sin is to keep our focus on loving God supremely and diligently obeying and teaching His commands with the help of His indwelling Spirit.

Pastor Lester MacKinnon, 1937-2010

noreply@blogger.com (Doug Smith) — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 12:32:00 +0000

The pastor emeritus of our church, who served for over 50 years, went home this past Lord's Day.

God greatly used his servant - a young boy from Canada who came to the USA for training and planted his life in a church and a community (Fellowship Chapel, Bristol, Virginia).

I have set up a memorial site at the link below, with the obituary, sermon audio, video, etc.

http://lestermackinnon.wordpress.com

Philippians 1:1, Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Doug Smith) — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 18:46:00 +0000

Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: (Philippians 1:1, KJV)

“Paul and Timothy”

Thus begins this ancient letter, the New Testament epistle to the Philippian saints. Its author, the apostle Paul, wrote at least twelve other New Testament epistles. Although the salutation is from Paul and Timothy (Timotheus is the Greek form of the name, transliterated accordingly in the KJV), the pronouns and subject matter throughout the epistle show that the thoughts being communicated, humanly speaking, are Paul’s. This verse is the only time Paul is mentioned in the third person, whereas Timothy is always mentioned in the third person in this epistle. All the first person pronouns (I, me, my, etc.) refer to Paul.

Paul and Timothy first visited Philippi about ten years prior to this epistle if Paul wrote to them from a Roman imprisonment around AD 62, the same time period as the composition of Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon (the other “prison epistles”). The view that Paul wrote from Rome is the traditional one, and the only view that is older than competing theories that have surfaced in the last few hundred years.

After a life-changing encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 9), Saul of Tarsus (later called Paul) was changed from a chief enemy of the church into a follower and apostle (officially commissioned and sent messenger) of Jesus. He went on to spread the good news of Christ to many others, planting numerous churches, including the church at Philippi.

Acts 16 records the first meeting of Paul with the Philippians. He arrived at Philippi on his second missionary journey. This encounter brought the gospel to European soil for the first time. Silas, Luke, and Timothy accompanied Paul during this part of his journey. Acts 16 contains the Bible’s first mention of Philippi (16:12), and it also contains the first mention of Timothy (16:1), the son of a believing Jewish mother and a Greek father.

The Philippians would have remembered Timothy, and Paul communicates his intention to send Timothy to them as soon as possible (Philippans 2:19-23). Timothy, who was highly regarded by those who knew him in Lystra and Iconium (Acts 16:2) and by Paul (Philippians 2:20-22), was evidently present with Paul at the writing of this epistle (Philippians 2:19, 23).

In the next article of this series, we will consider the significance of the identification of Paul and Timothy as servants, or slaves, of Jesus Christ.

"God the All"

noreply@blogger.com (Doug Smith) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 17:46:00 +0000

O GOD WHOSE WILL CONQUERS ALL,
There is no comfort in anything
apart from enjoying thee
and being engaged in thy service;
Thou art All in all, and all enjoyments are what to me
thou makest them, and no more.
I am well pleased with thy will, whatever it is,
or should be in all respects,
And if thou bidst me decide for myself in any affair
I would choose to refer all to thee.
for thou art infinitely wise and cannot do amiss,
as I am in danger of doing.
I rejoice to think that all things are at thy disposal,
and it delights me to leave them there.
Then prayer turns wholly into praise,
and all I can do is to adore and bless thee.
What shall I give thee for all thy benefits?
I am in a strait betwixt two, knowing not what to do;
I long to make some return, but have nothing to offer,
and can only rejoice that thou doest all,
that none in heaven or on earth shares thy honour;
I can of myself do nothing to glorify thy blessed name,
but I can through grace cheerfully surrender soul adn body to thee,
I know that thou art the author and finisher of faith,
that the whole work of redemption is thine alone,
that every good work or thought found in me
is the effect of thy power and grace,
that thy sole motive in working in me to will and to do
is for thy good pleasure.
O God, it is amazing that men can talk so much
about man’s creaturely power and goodness,
when, if thou dist not hold us back every moment,
we should be devils incarnate.
This, by bitter experience, thou hast taught me concerning myself.

from The Valley of Vision: a Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions, ed. Arthur Bennett, pg. 4 (published by Banner of Truth Trust)

Blogging at capsministry.com

noreply@blogger.com (Doug Smith) — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 03:35:00 +0000

After over a year of virtually no blogging, I have decided to blog again on a limited basis, primarily over at capsministry.com. This is the official website of the Cumberland Area Pulpit Supply, a ministry from which I received training and in which I now teach hermeneutics and serve as the Tri-Cities area representative.

Every month, there should be some "fresh" content (at least a couple of posts), but there will be quite a bit of resource reviews and links. The focus is on issues related to the pulpit supply ministry, training for ministry, and the pastorate, especially in the small rural church. Topics to be covered include hermeneutics, homiletics, spiritual disciplines, practical helps, and study tools (including book reviews). I plan to have about two posts per week. You may subscribe via the email subscription link on the sidebar of capsministry.com, or via our RSS feed.

www.capsministry.com

Is the Old Testament Still Relevant Today?

noreply@blogger.com (Doug Smith) — Sat, 29 May 2010 02:23:00 +0000

"Is the Old Testament Still Relevant Today?"

Dr. David Murray, professor of Old Testament and practical theology at Puritan Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan, addressed issues related to this question in a recent conference at Fraser Valley Bible Conference in British Columbia. You can access the media from the conference by clicking here.

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to all the sessions, and was especially moved as Murray clearly demonstrated that the Old Testament is a manual for Christian living. I found his treatment of Hebrews 11 and 12 to demonstrate this point beyond the shadow of a doubt. It is not a manual in a moralistic sense of do this, do this, do this - rather, we live a particular way because we are looking to Jesus in faith.

In addition to these lectures, I have been thoroughly enjoying Dr. Murray's blog, "Head Heart Hand" and his weekly 30 minute podcast with Tim Challies, Connected Kingdom. I have been refreshed with the Gospel and gained helpful insights through these resources, and commend them to you.

"Is the Old Testament Still Relevant Today?" In a word, YES, and I encourage you to check out Dr. Murray's lectures to see how it points to Christ, shows us how to live, and shows us how to read the New Testament.

Link: "The Sinkhole Syndrome" by Dr. Don Whitney

noreply@blogger.com (Glorygazer) — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 14:42:00 +0000

Here's a link to "The Sinkhole Syndrome," an article by Dr. Don Whitney. Great material for the kind of regular spiritual check-ups we should engage in.

A couple of quotes:

"I'm sure you're already familiar with many factors that undermine intimacy with Christ. Realize that it's almost certain that the 'time-thieves' trying to steal from your time with God will only increase as the years pass. My hope is that this article will alert you to this subtle, creeping tendency so that it won't overtake you."

"Resolve never to let your daily life keep you from Jesus daily."

http://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/sinkhole-syndrome/

Sermon Critique Form

noreply@blogger.com (Doug Smith) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 21:28:00 +0000

Here is a helpful sermon evaluation/critique form (developed by Pastor D. Scott Meadows/Calvary Baptist Church, Exeter, New Hampshire-used by permission) (Word document) (.pdf file)

Resource for Guest Preachers and Churches: Church Information Form

noreply@blogger.com (Doug Smith) — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 07:18:00 +0000

CHURCH INFORMATION FORM (feel free to distribute this form freely)

If you are a guest preacher or a church planning to host a guest speaker, the items on the form below can help make sure the preacher and the church are on the same page. Click here to download the church information form in Word document format.

Matthew's Begats

noreply@blogger.com (Doug Smith) — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 22:30:00 +0000

New CAPS Promo Video

noreply@blogger.com (Doug Smith) — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 02:45:00 +0000

My New Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Glorygazer) — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 11:15:00 +0000

I have relocated to http://dougsmith1977.wordpress.com - it contains posts from here, as well as links and resources that are easier (I hope) to navigate. Please update your records if you are a reader! Thank you.

Isaiah 6:5 Sermon: Seeing Ourselves in the Light of God

noreply@blogger.com (Doug Smith) — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 02:30:00 +0000

November 23, 2008 - Community Church of Exeter, Exeter, NH - Sermon on Isaiah 6:5 "Seeing Ourselves in the Light of God" (audio)

On Sermon Preparation

noreply@blogger.com (Doug Smith) — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:56:00 +0000

Some helpful links for preparing an expository sermon (all .mp3 files except the last two links):

Mark Dever on Sermon Preparation (preparing an expositional sermon)

Ligon Duncan on "Principles of Preparation and Normal Practices for Preaching at First Presbyterian Church"

Steve Lawson - 10 How-To’s of Expository Preaching

Hershael York - "A Sermon Preparation Checklist" from 2007 Power in the Pulpit conference

Steve Weaver on preparing expository sermons

Expositional Preaching at 9Marks.org

Luke 11:33-54 Sermon: Be Real

noreply@blogger.com (Doug Smith) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 12:00:00 +0000

November 16, 2008 - Grace Baptist Church, Cheshire, CT (church website) - Sermon on Luke 11:33-54, "Be Real" (The Fine Print of Discipleship?) (audio)

Our Help Is Here: a Meditation on Psalm 46

noreply@blogger.com (Doug Smith) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:00:00 +0000

by Doug Smith (The following was originally published as three articles at SharperIron.org - part 1 - part 2 - part 3. The audio sermon is available here.)

Psalm 46:1-11 (NKJV)

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A Song for Alamoth.

¹ God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. ² Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; ³ Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah.

⁴ There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. ⁵ God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn. ⁶ The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted.

⁷ The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

⁸ Come, behold the works of the LORD, Who has made desolations in the earth. ⁹ He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire.

¹⁰ Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

¹¹ The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah

When you are in trouble, it is a blessing to know that help is available. It is a great blessing to know that it is on the way. And it is an even greater blessing to know that your help is here.

The blessing of help in time of need is magnified even more when others are involved. If you have had vehicle trouble with a van full of small children, you know what I mean. And if you have not experienced such a thing, you can surely imagine it or relate a similar circumstance where help is needed, not just for an individual, but for a group.

In our spiritual lives, as individuals and as groups—particularly local churches—we experience crises. The world, the flesh, and the devil are set against our having joy in Christ and glorifying God in all circumstances. Persecution and temptation—external opposition, internal strife, and disappointments—threaten to shake our faith. We need help, and help is available. But God’s Word has better news for us than that help is on the way. When we turn to Psalm 46, we see the good news that our help is here. In unstable and uncertain times, we can have stability and certainty because God is our help, and He is here.

The book of Psalms functioned as a songbook and prayer book for Israel. The psalms reflect much about the experience of God’s people—joy and thanksgiving as well as repentance, complaints, and cries for help. Some psalms clearly indicate the event that is addressed in the psalm. For example, Psalm 51 describes David’s repentance after being confronted about his sin of adultery. Others, such as Psalm 46, do not tell us the exact occasion for which they were written. However, Psalm 46 is one of the eleven psalms with the inscription “Of the Sons of Korah.” It is especially appropriate that we take a brief look at the background of the sons of Korah as we consider this corporate psalm of God’s help for His people in troubled times.

Numbers 16 is the record of Korah’s organized rebellion against Moses. After the congregation of Israel separated from the rebels, God caused the ground to swallow up Korah and his followers alive to show His judgment against them. But according to Numbers 26:9-11, there were sons of Korah who did not die. Though not part of the Aaronic priesthood, the Korahites (also descendants of Levi) served in the temple. According to 1 Chronicles 9:19, they were still in existence after the Babylonian exile. Their background in being spared while their rebellious ancestor perished should have made them thankful to sing praises to God for His present help in trouble.

As we look at Psalm 46, let those of us who are believers be grateful for God’s salvation and look to Him to see that our help is here. We will notice three different emphases in this psalm. It teaches us about the people of God, the person of God, and the presence of God.

Our Help Is Here: Help for the People of God

The corporate nature of this psalm is evident throughout its eleven verses. Notice the references that indicate this nature:

v. 1 God is our refuge and strength.

v. 2 Therefore we will not fear.

v. 4 the city of God

vv. 7, 11 The LORD of hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our refuge.

Many psalms are worded in the first person singular with “I” and “my” and “me,” but this is one of the corporate psalms, worded with we and our and us (6 instances). The corporate nature of this psalm reminds us that our relationship with God is not merely an individual relationship that has no relevance to our relationships with others. Rather, it changes the dynamics of our relationships to others. When we become God’s children, we find that we have brothers and sisters. I am not an only child to God, and neither are you. All God’s people are part of a larger group.

But before we discuss the importance of the group, let me ask you this: Do you have a right relationship with God? Have you been forgiven of your disobedience and reconciled to Him? God created this world, including you and me, for His glory to display His character. Yet Adam and Eve—and you and I—have rebelled against God. Our sin has rightly been called cosmic treason; disobeying God is equivalent to seeking to dethrone Him and enthrone ourselves as the king of our lives. This treason deserves eternal punishment. Yet in His great mercy, God sent His Son, Jesus, the eternal Son of God, who was born of the virgin Mary, lived the perfect life that God requires and that we could never live, and died on the cross in the place of sinners, bearing their punishment. He rose from the dead and lives forever. He promises to pardon and rescue rebels like you and me if we will turn from our sin and trust Him for our salvation. If you do not have assurance that you are part of the people of God through faith in Christ, I beg you—trust in Him today.

If you have turned from your sin and trusted in Him, then you have the certain hope and assurance of salvation in Christ. But He has not saved you for yourself; you are part of a larger body, the church.

If you are trusting in Christ, part of following Jesus means to identify with His people. We do this identification through baptism or the immersion into water as an ordinance of the church in order to testify to the world that we are dead to sin and raised to walk in newness of life in Jesus Christ. To identify with God’s people, we should also join ourselves to a local congregation, becoming members of a local church, where we can participate in the decisions of the congregation and also be subject to its discipline. We take gathering with the church seriously. We attend so we may grow from the preaching of the Word and partake of the Lord’s Supper. We also fellowship and encourage and warn one another, being involved in the lives of others.

If you know Christ but have not been baptized or joined a local church, let me urge you to obey God in these areas. Do not be afraid or ashamed to be publicly united to other believers. In our individualistic society, many do not value commitment. But to please God, we must value commitment to one another and love Christ and one another enough to identify ourselves as His people.

As God’s people, we understand that our Lord’s concerns extend not just to our individual problems, but to the problems we face corporately, particularly in local churches. Whether with your local assembly or with persecuted believers gathering in Saudi Arabia or Sudan, God, our Help, is there. He is a very present help in trouble.

Our Help Is Here: Help from the Person of God

God is clearly the subject of this psalm. Twenty-five different references to Him appear throughout these eleven verses. We see a divine name or title eleven times (God, the Most High, the LORD of hosts, the God of Jacob, the LORD), a metaphorical description five times (refuge, strength, help), and deity pronouns nine times (I, He).

This God who is our Help is the God who made heaven and earth. As the Most High, there is no God or power above Him. This God is the LORD. Notice in verses 7, 8, and 11 that the word “LORD” is in all uppercase letters. This use designates that the original Hebrew has the word for the most sacred name of God—Jehovah or Yahweh. It is probably derived from the same name that God revealed to Moses in Exodus 3:14, when He revealed Himself as I AM WHO I AM. This God has the power of self-existence, needing nothing outside Himself to exist. He has all the resources of life in Himself, whereas we need food, water, oxygen and other external circumstances to live.

God’s sacred name not only refers to His self-existence but also speaks of His covenant relationship with His people. This God—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and—as focused on in Psalm 46—Jacob—is the same God for the Korahites, for the Israelites, for the first-century believers in Christ, and for you and me. The God who showed mercy and faithfulness to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has not changed—His people can still count on Him. Notice that this sacred name is paired with “of hosts” in verses 7 and 11. This reminds us that God is omnipotent and commands all the powers of the universe. This self-existent, faithful, promise-keeping, all-powerful, exalted creator God is our Help!

The metaphors in Psalm 46 indicate our dependence on God. He is our refuge, the One we run to for shelter. We trust in Him to protect us. He is our strength. Apart from Him, we are weak and faint. We have reason to fear if He is not our refuge and strength in trouble. He is also our help, providing the aid we need in our distress. This God is our fortress who protects us in troubled and unstable times—our stronghold and safe place. He is our defense. We do not need to fear trouble. We can trust God.

God’s names, titles, and descriptions remind us of His character, but we also learn about Him through His works. This God dwells with His people and helps them “at the break of dawn” (v. 5)—not a second too late. He opens His mouth and unleashes His omnipotent decree: “he uttered his voice, the earth melted” (v. 6). When He thus speaks, compliance is the only option. None can withstand His judgment. Regardless of your view on global warning, we haven’t seen anything yet! God will one day speak, and the heavens will be destroyed by fire, and “the elements will melt with fervent heat” (2 Peter 3:12 NKJV). The psalm mentions the desolations God has brought on the earth. We can see astonishing things today that show the power of God. The Grand Canyon shows evidence of the catastrophic effects of the power of God. Hurricanes, tornados, and volcanic eruptions are just glimpses of the infinite strength of the Almighty. This God has power to stop wars, break the bow, shatter the spear, and burn the shields with fire.

God says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (v. 10). Calm down. Quiet your troubled soul. Make certain that you truly know that God is God and that He will be exalted in the earth. Consider the greatness of God, Who is the permanent, powerful, preeminent protector of His people. We should not fear trouble if we know Him. We should not fear to take the gospel to those near and far away, even if they react with hostility. God is our refuge and strength, and He will be exalted in the earth. Our Help is here.

Our Help Is Here: Help in the Presence of God

Notice how Psalm 46 emphasizes the presence of God: “God is…a very present help in trouble” (v. 1). He is “in the midst of” the city of God (v. 5). He is “with us” (vv. 7, 11).

It is not unusual to experience a period of waiting for help to arrive after we call for it. We may know that it is available, and we may know that it is on the way; but it is another thing altogether to know that it is here. It could be available but not come to us. It could be on the way but encounter a roadblock.

God is not just potential Help or Help who might arrive—He is already on the scene. The child of God never has trouble in which the Lord is not present, ready to help. He dwells among His people in their midst. He is with us even now.

God has always desired to be among His people. He walked with Adam and Eve in the garden before they sinned. He manifested Himself to Abraham. He dwelled with His people in the tabernacle and later the temple. Jesus Christ Himself is the fulfillment of the temporary dwelling places God made use of. John 1:14 tells us that “the Word became flesh and dwelt [tabernacled or pitched His tent] among us.”

Knowledge of God’s presence should encourage us. His river makes the city of God glad. He was with Joseph in the midst of all his trials (Gen. 39:2-3, 21, 23). God’s promise of His presence encouraged Moses and Joshua and the returned exiles who rebuilt the temple (Ex. 3:12, Josh. 1:5, Hag. 1:13; 2:4). God has also promised to be with believers today. Jesus Christ, when charging His disciples with the Great Commission, told us, “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20). The unchanging one, Jesus Christ, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever, has promised never to leave us so we can say with boldness and confidence, “The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Heb. 13:6).

This God dwells with you if you are a believer. He dwells in a special way in the midst of His called-out ones, His church. If you are trusting in Him today, you can be encouraged that God is with you, a very present Help in trouble. Our Help is here.

Conclusion

It is a great encouragement when needed help arrives. But the help of God is far greater and more necessary than any human help we may need. We all need God’s help every day in the troubles of this life. We are tempted to fear and worry when the circumstances we face seem like the earth shaking and mountains falling into the sea. When things threaten to change life as we know it, we need the help of God to survive the storm. It may come. Things may change. But God, the only source of stability in unstable times, is unchangeable.

The sixteenth-century Reformer and German pastor Martin Luther wrote a famous hymn based on this psalm. We know it as “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” Luther faced many trials from the world and the devil as well as his own flesh. It is written of Luther that,

In the darkest times he used to say, “Come, let us sing the 46^th Psalm, and let them do their worst. He says, “We sing this Psalm to the praise of God, because God is with us, and powerfully and miraculously preserves and defends his church and his word, against all fanatical spirits, against the gates of hell, against the implacable hatred of the devil, and against all the assaults of the world, the flesh and sin. ¹

God’s help is promised to His people forever. But there are those who will not survive storms and calamity and judgment. Friend, if you are not looking to Christ today, you are in trouble and great danger. You do not know when you will draw your last breath. God will judge all people with His perfect justice. He requires perfect obedience to His commands, but we have all failed in this regard. The penalty for such an offense against the infinitely high dignity of God is eternal, conscious torment in hell. Yet because of His great love, God sent His Son Jesus, who perfectly fulfilled the requirements of His holy law to take our punishment if we trust Him. If you forsake your sin and efforts to make yourself acceptable to God and simply trust in the One who has done the work for you, you will find a very present help in trouble.

Are you facing fear and anxiety? “God is our refuge and strength, avery present help in trouble” (v. 1). Our Help is here. Are you discouraged? Our Help is here. Are you tempted? Our Help is here.

Uncertain, unstable times should serve as a reminder to look to the certain, stable, faithful God. “Be still, and know that [He is] God” (Ps. 46:10). He can be trusted. He is our refuge and strength. Encourage one another with this truth from Psalm 46—our Help is here.

Notes:

^{1. William S. Plumer, Psalms: a Critical and Expository Commentary with Doctrinal and Practical Remarks – Geneva Series Commentary (Carlisle, PA: the Banner of Truth Trust, 1975), 522-523.}