Biography Challenge for Christmas Break

I know that reading is probably the last thing you would consider as enjoyable at this moment. You are probably busy reading, studying, and writing in order to ensure you survive this semesters final gantlet called "finals week." I am praying for you my beloved brothers and sisters.

But, I want to suggest a way to encourage your soul over this Christmas break. Why not plan to read a good Christian biography? I really enjoy reading theology books, but what often brings me the most encouragement is to read a good biography of a faithful Christian who has traveled the pilgrim path before me.

Here are a few good reasons to read a biography of a faithful Christian:

1. It gets me outside of myself and into the sufferings of another child of God. It reminds me that suffering is the common lot of all people in this fallen world and that Christians have resources to endure suffering with joy in Christ.  
2. It helps me see my blind spots. We can often become myopic, only seeing things from our own culture and times. Reading of saints from bygone eras helps me overcome my temptations to chronological snobbery and cultural blindness. 
3. It reminds me that God has been our dwelling place in ages past and is, therefore, my hope in years to come. That is to say, God has been faithful to believers in the past and that encourages my trust in him as I look to the future. Biographies remind me that our labor is not in vain, even when it might feel that way at times, because God is at work in history. 

So, I encourage you to read a good biography (or listen to one using audible or christian audio). Here are few good ones you might consider

• Any of Piper's books in The Swans are Not Silent series (each on contains a short biography of 3 people with great application)
• Through Gates of Splendor or Shadow of the Almighty by Elisabeth Elliott (on Jim Elliot and the 5 missionaries martyred in Ecuador in the 1950's)
• A Chance to Die: The Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael by Elisabeth Elliott,
• 8 Faithful Women by Michael Haykin
• 10 Who Changed the World by Danny Akin is the one I plan to read / listen to (it is available on kindle for 2.99 and you can add an audible version that syncs to kindle for another 2.99).

There are lots of other good ones. I you are interested in one and want to know if it is worth picking up, email me and I'll see what I can find out. Also, you can check out the church library to find some biographies (click here).

Enjoy.

Quotes on Prayer

I taught on prayer this past Sunday during the Sunday school hour. Here are the quotes I used from Paul Miller's book A Praying Life. 

Oddly enough, many people struggle to learn how to pray because they are focusing on praying, not on God. Making prayer the center is like making conversation the center of family mealtime. In prayer, focusing on the conversation is like to trying to drive while looking at the windshield instead of through it (pg 20). 

Because we can do life without God, praying seems nice but unnecessary. Money can do what prayer does, and it is quicker and less time-consuming. Our trust in ourselves and in our talents makes us structurally independent of God. As a result exhortations to pray don’t stick (pg. 16). 

If we think we can do life on our own, we will not take prayer seriously. Our failure to pray will always feel like something else- a lack of discipline or too many obligations (pg. 59). 

American culture is probably the hardest place in the world to learn to pray. We are so busy that when we slow down to pray, we find it uncomfortable. We prize accomplishments, production. But prayer is nothing but talking to God. It feels useless, as if we are wasting time. Every bone in our bodies screams, “Get to work.” When we aren’t working, we are used to being entertained. Television, the Internet, video games, and cell phones make free time as busy as work (pg. 15).

'Tis the Season for Envy: Fighting Envy During the Holidays

Thanksgiving and Christmas provide us opportunities to slow down, think, and give thanks. They also can provide temptations. As we slow down and have some time to think, we might find ourselves tempted towards envy.

Envy, that ability to look at others blessings or trials and wish they were your own, has a horrible, internal effect on us. Proverbs 14:30 says, “A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.” It eats us up from the inside. During the holidays, we are often tempted to envy the perceived blessings or even trials (which seem preferable to our own) of others. 

Matthew Sims has an article called "Jesus is Better Than Season Envy." After pointing out that marriage and singleness both have certain blessings and trials, he notes that the solution to the problem of "season envy" is to find contentment in Christ. He writes, 

Married men aren’t envying single friends because their life is so much better or so much easier—but because we’re not satisfied with Jesus. Single men aren’t envying their married friends because marriage makes life easy—but because we’re not satisfied with Jesus. If you feed season envy, you will carry that season envy into your next season of life regardless if it’s marriage or singleness.

As we have been learning in Ecclesiastes, God has ordained the seasons of our lives, and we ought to ask him for strength to enjoy our life and toil. 

To combat envy, spend time gaining a "tranquil heart" (Prov. 14:30) by thanking God for your blessings and trials. Maybe write out a "thankful list" in which you note the spiritual and physical blessings and trials you can thank God for giving you (You might benefit from this article by Stacy Reoach at Desiring God). Where you find it hard to lay aside envy, ask God to give you "the power to enjoy" your lot in life (Ecc. 5:19).  Finally, remember that the Lord is your shepherd, and you will not be left destitute of what you need (Ps. 23:1). Know for certain his goodness and never-giving-up love will chase you all the days of your life (Ps. 23:6). 

What the Church Should Do Post-Election

Here are a few good quotes, about what we ought to do after the election, from Russell Moore's article "President Trump: Now What for the Church?"

1. "The first thing, of course, is to pray for our soon-to-be President Trump. The Bible commands us to pray for “all who are in high positions” (1 Tim. 2:1-2). Moreover, the Scripture tells us to give “honor to whom honor is due” (Rom. 13:7). Many of us have deep differences with our new president, and would have no matter which candidate had been elected, but we must pray that he will succeed in leading our country with wisdom and justice." 
2. "maintain a prophetic clarity that is willing to call to repentance everything that is unjust and anti-Christ, whether that is the abortion culture, the divorce culture, or the racism/nativism culture. We can be the people who tell the truth, whether it helps or hurts our so-called “allies” or our so-called “enemies.”"
3. "Moreover, no matter what the racial and ethnic divisions in America, we can be churches that demonstrate and embody the reconciliation of the kingdom of God. After all, we are not just part of a coalition but part of a Body—a Body that is white and black and Latino and Asian, male and female, rich and poor. We are part of a Body joined to a Head who is an Aramaic-speaking Middle-easterner."
4. "The most important lesson we should learn is that the church must stand against the way politics has become a religion, and religion has become politics. We can hear this idolatrous pull even in the apocalyptic language used by many in this election—as we have seen in every election in recent years—that this election is our “last chance.”...Such talk is not worthy of a church that is already triumphant in heaven, and is marching on earth toward the ultimate victory of Jesus Christ."
5. "We should be ready to pray and preach, to promote the common good and to resist injustice. We will pledge allegiance to the flag, but we will pledge a higher allegiance to the cross." 

"Christian Unity and the 2016 Presidential Election"

This is certainly a tumultuous election cycle. I really appreciated this podcast from Heath Lambert (~13 minutes): "Christian Unity and the 2016 Presidential Election." I hope you can benefit from it as we take seriously Jesus' words "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

A Baby Born Twice - A Question about the Right to Life

CNN has an interesting story about a baby that was essentially born twice. Watch the video below (I typed out the details below if you'd rather read about it)

At 16 weeks, the baby was diagnosed with a tumor that was going to kill her in the womb. Doctors told the mother to have an abortion. Instead, she decided to let doctor's perform fetal surgery. At 23 weeks of the pregnancy, the doctors removed the baby completely from the womb, removed the tumor, and placed the baby back in the uterus. At 36 weeks, baby LynLee was born.

A Question 
Denny Burk offers some thoughtful questions regarding the issue of abortion.

LynLee’s case raises an interesting question. Could she have been aborted after being returned to her mother’s womb? There is obviously both a legal and moral dimension to this question. Under normal circumstances in the U.S. once a person is born, they are considered a “person” under the law and are entitled to all the protections of every other citizen. Would this baby fit that criterion? Would this baby lose that status of personhood once reentering the womb? 

If the baby loses that status, why? If the baby retains that status, then what is the moral difference between the 23 week Lynlee Boemer in the womb for the second time and any other 23 week baby in the womb for the first time?

I believe the answer for those who will defend abortion at any cost is that the difference is found in whether or not the mother wants her to be a person who will live.

We must not be silent on these issues. The logic of abortion on demand is flawed and dehumanizing. I would love to see a reporter ask our political leaders and judicial leaders to answer the questions posed by Burk.

Even under Persecution, Church in Iran Grows

In Sunday school, we looked at how believers ought to have a desire to not forsake gathering together. I mentioned how even persecution doesn't quell this desire (see Hebrews 10:24-25 - the situation of those he is writing to is one involving persecution).

The Gospel Coalition has a a modern example from our brothers and sisters in Iran. It is entitled "5 Ways Persecution in Iran has Backfired." I hope you find it encouraging.

Repentance Vs. Remorse Bible Study

I found myself encouraged and corrected as I thought about and preached on Psalm 51 and the topic of repentance. I find it is often easy to be sorry, but that my sorrow is often not a godly sorrow which leads to true repentance. If you want some help thinking more about the topic of repentance, here is a Bible study I made on the subject. I encourage you to look at it and spend some time with the passages of Scripture listed in it. Maybe do one passage a day.

Repentance and Remorse Bible Study

People often don’t understand what repentance is.  As a result, many people don’t practice true, biblical repentance.  Thankfully, the Bible has a lot to say about this topic.  So, roll up your sleeves and dig into God’s Word to learn what repentance is and how it applies to your life.

1. Read Psalm 51

• What circumstance prompted David to write this Psalm according to the superscription above verse 1 (if you are unfamiliar with this event read 2 Samuel 11-12)? 

• In verses 1-2, what does David plea to God for? 

• He wants God to treat him according to His _____________ and ______________ (v 1).  Why should knowing that God possess these attributes cause a Christian to be quick to confess his or her sins to God? 

• Who does David say his sin was ultimately against (v. 4)? _______________________  Do you realize that every sin you commit has an impact on your vertical relationship (with God) and horizontal relationships (with others)?  David teaches us that ultimately every sin is first and foremost an offense against a holy God.  Our sin is rebellion against God.  We cannot have a right relationship with God if our sins are not dealt with (v. 9).

• In verse 7, who does David ask to cleanse him? ________________________________  Do you try to cleanse yourself from sin by doing good things (going to church, reading your Bible, helping people, etc.)?  Do those things cleanse you? (See Titus 3:5). 

• What does David ask for in verse 10? David realized that the problem was deeper than his sinful behavior.  He needed to be changed and cleansed from the inside out.

• According to verses 16-17 what is God most interested in? ________________________  Does this mean that God doesn’t expect right behavior (read v. 18-19)? 

• How can you apply this passage to your situation?  What are some key aspects of repentance you gleaned from it?

2. Read Proverbs 28:13

• The one who obtains mercy must _______________ and _______________ sins. 

• To confess is to agree with God’s judgment of your sinful thoughts and behavior- to call them what he calls them (rebellion against his loving rule in your life).

• To forsake is to turn away from something and leave it behind.

• Is confessing your sins the same as repentance?  Why or why not?

• How can you apply this passage to your life today? 

3. Read Joel 2:12-13

• The word “return” is used here to refer to repentance.  The same word is used in Ezekiel 14:6, “Thus says the Lord: Repent and turn away from your idols, and turn away your faces from all your abominations.”  In both passages it means to turn from sin to God.

• What does verse 13 say the people should rend/tear? 

• Rending garments in biblical times was an outward way of showing the inward reality of a broken heart.  Is it possible for someone to do outward actions that show a broken heart while not really having a broken heart over sin?  Give some examples. 

4. Read 2 Corinthians 7:8-11

• Paul had sent the Corinthians a letter to confront some of their sins (v. 8).  How did they respond to the letter according to verse 9? 

• In verse 10, Paul says there are two types of grief or sorrow over sin.  What are they? 

• What is the difference between these to types of sorrow?   Is feeling guilty or sorry over sin the same thing as repentance? 

• The word “salvation” here does not just refer to a person being able to enter into heaven one day.  It refers to a Christian’s current spiritual vitality/walk with God and future eternal life.

• Read what one commentator had to say about the difference between these two types of grief:

Being sorrowful as God intended is feeling the deep grief that comes from knowing that our attitudes and actions have harmed our relationship with God.  ‘Godly sorrow’ feels bad because it is missing out on God … Worldly sorrow is the grief that comes about because one’s actions result in missing out on something the world has to offer.  Worldly sorrow feels bad because it wants more of the world (Hafmann, NIV Application Commentary: 2 Corinthians, 312).

            Which type of sorrow do you usually have?  How can you tell? 

• In verse 11, Paul goes on to list 7 qualities or attitudes that are seen as fruit that proves that the Corinthians actually repented.  Read Luke 3:8 and Acts 26:19-20.  Should we expect to see right thoughts and behavior flow out of true repentance? 

• In your situation, what type of fruit (new behavior and thoughts) do you think should flow out of your repentance? 

5. Examples of Sorrow over Sin

• Read Matthew 27:1-5.  This event occurred after Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. 

• Judas felt sad (remorse).  Does Judas exemplify worldly or godly sorrow?  Explain your answer. 

• Read Matthew 26:69-75 and John 21:15-17.  Peter also felt sorrow over his sin.  Does Peter exemplify worldly or godly sorrow?  Explain your answer. 

• Godly sorrow comes from a heart that sees sin as rebellion against God, and it leads to a decisive turnaround from sin to God.  Worldly sorrow feels the same pain, but it is caused because of unwelcomed consequences (feelings of guilt, fear of punishment, or difficult circumstances) and does not lead to a true turning from sin to God.  It may lead a person to turn from a particular sin (to avoid more consequences or as a form of trying to pay for his or her sin), but it will not bring true repentance or lead to God.  Which type of sorrow do most often experience and how do you know which one it is?

6. Summary- Repentance involves the following ingredients:

1. Recognizing your sin and seeing it for what it is: Rebellion against God.
2. Sorrow over your sin.  This may involve literal tears, but it does not have to.  What is important is that your heart is broken over your sin because you know it has dishonored God and affected your relationship with Him.
3. Confessing your sin to God in prayer (agreeing with God that you have sinned and that the sin has affected your relationship with Him and other people).  Be specific and name the sin.
4. Asking for God’s mercy to cleanse you.  Jesus died to pay for your sin.
5. Turning from the sin towards God (both in your heart and behavior).  

Battle Sin by Hating It

Commenting on the Psalm 51, Charles Spurgeon writes,

When we deal seriously with our sin, God will deal gently with us. When we hate what the Lord hates, he will soon make an end of it, to our joy and peace.

If we hate what the Lord hates and love what he loves, will we not find our effectiveness in putting off sin and putting on righteousness growing? We will still fail at times, but as David does in Psalm 51, we return in sorrow and repentance. And what is repentance but the hatred of sin, renouncing of it, and returning to the joy of our salvation.

So, as we battle sin. let's ask God to help us truly hate sin as he does. Until we hate our sin we will not make much progress in battling it. And, until we love what God loves, we will not grow in righteousness.

Why Christians Need to be Part of a Church

In an culture that reeks of individualism, we, as Christians, must often remind ourselves that God has placed us into a family and body with other Christians. By definition we are not to be "lone rangers."

In an article entitled, "Yes Christian, You Need the Church," Josh Buice gives some ammunition for us to combat the pull towards personal preference and individualism. Below are the main headings, but the whole thing is a helpful read (the article is short, so give it a read).

We Need the Church for:

1. Worship – Not Entertainment or Performance
2. Spiritual Development
3. Christ-Centered Friendship
4. Biblical Leadership
5. Missions

If you are wondering what a healthy church looks like, check our 9marks.org for some biblical thinking. 

A Testimony on Dealing with Depression

Crossway has a video (4 minutes) from Phil Ryken (president of Wheaton Bible College) about God's grace as he faced a time of depression.

When Trouble Comes: Phil Ryken's Personal Testimony from Crossway on Vimeo.

I hope you find it encouraging and helpful. Another resource you might find helpful is a sermon I preached on Psalm 88 several years ago (click here and look for the sermon from 7/15/12).

"If I'm Dead to Sin, Why Must I Kill It Every Day?"

Here is a good podcast episode from the Ask Pastor John podcast answering the question, "If I'm dead to sin, why must I kill it every day?".

Is it OK to Spend Money on Leisure?

Randy Alcorn supplies a helpful answer over at his blog. I thought it fit well with what we talked about at Bible study last night. Below is an excerpt: 

I believe that as believers, we should be wrestling with our own wealth in this materialistic, wealth-centered culture and seeking to give more. We shouldn’t assume that just because God has entrusted all this to us He intends for us to keep it. By embracing lifestyles that free up money, we can invest in helping others and furthering the progress of the gospel.  

And yet, the answer isn’t asceticism, believing that money and things are evil. The biblical view is that God has provided for us in His creation a wealth of pleasures and comforts He desires us to enjoy, to His glory: “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

...

So how do we find the right balance between how much we give, and how much we keep to use for our family’s needs, as well as for God-honoring recreation and enjoyment? I believe the tension reflected in that question is healthy. As we continue to grow in Christ, we prayerfully evaluate and seek God’s guidance. 

 

Receiving and Giving Criticism as a Christian

It is not usually fun to receive criticism. Even when it is constructive, we often don't like hearing there is a potential problem with us or what we've done. The reality is that all of us will face criticism. Some of it is right and some of it is off. All of it should be filtered through who we are in light of the cross of Jesus.

I recently saw an article by Justin Taylor that reminded me about a GREAT article I read while in seminary by Alfred Poirier entitled "The Cross and Criticism." I hope you will make time to read it. We will all face criticism, and it is good to have a biblical perspective on how to handle it.

Here is are two excerpts:

If I know myself as crucified with Christ, I can now receive another's criticism with this attitude: "You have not discovered a fraction of my guilt. Christ has said more about my sin, my failings, my rebellion and my foolishness than any man can lay against me. I thank you for your corrections. They are a blessing and a kindness to me. For even when they are wrong or misplaced, they remind me of my true faults and sins for which my Lord and Savior paid dearly when He went to the cross for me. I want to hear where your criticisms are valid." 

...

I do not fear man's criticism for I have already agreed with God's criticism. And I do not look ultimately for man's approval for I have gained by grace God's approval

A Thought Experiment to Encourage Us in Making Disciples

This is from Mark Dever's book Discipling (pg. 69-70)

Suppose that tomorrow a non-Christian friend of yours in another city for whom you've been praying for years becomes a Christian and starts attending an evangelical church in his city. How would you want that church to receive your friend, whom you love? Presumably, you'd want the congregation as a whole to take responsibility for him. You'd want the elders to teach him. And you'd want a number of individuals in particular to reach out to him, to take him under their wing, to disciple him. You'd want them to teach and model what it means to study the Bible, to walk in righteousness, to evangelize, to be a Christian spouse and parent, to stand up to the world, and to disciple others in turn. And how you would rejoice if that church took responsibility for your friend like this, no? 

Now do you receive and disciple the members of your church like this? Have you been helping others follow Jesus? Are you the answer to prayer of Christians in other cities?
If not, don't panic. I'm not going to ask you to start discipling dozens. Instead, I want you to think about one person in your church - just one. Think of one person whom you would love to see following Jesus more. Now, pray for that person.... 

...how do you think you might go about helping that person follow Jesus? Or, how can you do deliberate spiritual good in his or her life? What are one or two small steps you can take?

The Problem with Flirting

What comes to mind when you think of flirting? I think we could all give some description to it, but if you are like me it seems a hard to give definition to it. And that matters, because when we can't clearly describe or define it, then it becomes harder to evaluate biblically.

I was helped in the area as I was reading Marshall Segal's chapter "Good News for the Not-Yet-Married" in the book Designed for Joy: How the gospel impacts men and women, identity and practice. After reading his chapter and thinking a bit, I think a good definition of flirting might be, trying to garner the special attention of a person by using your words, actions, and attention to generate a higher than normal sense of curiosity in their mind about yourself. It generally involves ambiguous words, actions, and forms of attention. 

With that in mind, is this OK for Christians to engage in? Obviously this is not a good thing for Christians who are married to attempt. But what about the unmarried? My opinion is that this is not an activity that fits with Christian love. Paul said in Galatians 3:3-4, 

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

It seems to me that flirtation is more "me" focused than "other" focused. It is a self-promoting and other-person-confusing activity. In other-words, it doesn't seem to aim at "serving one another." Marshall Segal seems to agree when he writes,

In our oversexualized culture, flirtation has become a native tongue, especially in our high schools and colleges. Fight the temptation to try and win affection or admiration through cavalier, empty, and suggestive lines and attention. Instead of always trying to create curiosity, be known for pure motives and unmistakable clarity (pg. 104). 

Christian love is marked by pure motives and, so, it involves communicating clearly. Love compels us to be clear about our intentions and clear about our feelings. Flirtation seems to lend itself to neither.

I'd be interested to hear from you. Send me an email or add a comment.

What Do You Most Want in Life?

What is it that you most want in life? I love the way Ecclesiastes shows the goodness of many things God gives us to enjoy while warning us that good things are not the source of our ultimate hope in this sin-broken world.

It is one thing to say that, but it is often hard to let that truth grip us. For that, we need the help of imagination. We need the fact to intersect with our lives and thinking. I appreciate Zack Eswine's help here (From Recovering Eden: The gospel according to Ecclesiastes, pg. 76-77)

When we were young, we dream of a house to buy, a yard to create with, pieces of furniture to possess, and a bank account from which to use for our gain. When we are old, a time comes to sell everything that once represented our dreams of a future. We have to move to an assisted living facility, or in with our kids while someone else uses the drapes we left on the windows we used to wash and enjoy.  

A young woman fills a hope chest with treasures over which she dreams, and intends to bring into her future with her man. An elderly woman has long since buried her lovely man and now has to sell or give her hope chest away.  

"As he came from his mother's womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand." (Eccl. 5:15) 

The One greater than Solomon [ie. Jesus] takes up this truth and preaches it. There are treasures, so called, that last for a moment but rust and moth eat away. Other treasures exist of a kind that rust and moth cannot touch. The former make us smile, but they cannot keep the frowns of the world from taking place. A treasure of a different kind is needed that can outlast this life under the sun (Matt. 6:19-20).
...
Even though there are these pleasures in the world that are ours for use, they cannot satisfy what only God can.

Persecution in Russia

As we thought about persecution this past week in Sunday's sermon, I'll point us to a prayer request for our brothers and sisters in Russia.

According to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, the Russian government has passed and signed into law massive restrictions on religious liberty (Here is the press release from the USCIRF).

According to Joe Carter, at the Gospel Coalition,

The new law will ban “preaching, praying, proselytizing, and disseminating religious materials” outside of sites officially designated by the state. Citizens can also be fined up to $15,000 for engaging in these activities in private residences or distributing unauthorized religious materials through “mass print, broadcast, or online media.”

Even foreign missionaries will have to be invited by a government sanctioned organization and will be limited to working within specific locations.

We can be sure this law will bring about persecution for our brothers and sisters and make it more costly for them to "make disciples." Let's pray for their courage and strength to follow Jesus even if it means the plundering of their property and more.

"Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, And The Dallas Police Massacre"

As Rod said on Sunday, as he prayed, "It seems our flag is always at half mast." How should we as Christians mourn, speak, and act? Should it look different than the world around us? What about our social media posts? Should they look different than those who don't know Christ?

I found this podcast about the recent acts of violence in our country helpful in answering these questions (from Heath Lambert on the Truth in Love podcast).  Take a listen. It is about 15 minutes long (though I listened to it in my pocketcast app at 1.3 speed and it took less than 15 minutes...perhaps one of our math students can tell us exactly how long it should have taken).

An Ominous Sign for Religious Liberty

We finished our book club last week by looking at John Piper's final chapter in Desiring God, "Suffering: The Sacrifice of Christian Hedonism." In that discussion, I mentioned that we face relatively light persecution at this point but that it seemed that would probably not remain the case. I mentioned that religious liberty is waning in our country. I wanted to mention one recent example.

Why talk about this?
The reason I point this out is to help us get serious about properly valuing Christ now. A shallow or superficial connection to Jesus is not going to stand up when difficulty for following him comes. Second, I want us to be aware of what is going on so we can argue for religious liberty in our spheres of influence. Finally, I want us to know what is going on so we can pray for others and our country. Notice, my reason is not so we will feel sorry for ourselves and bemoan how things used to be better. There is not really a place for that when we know we live under our sovereign God's care and love.

An example of a threat to religious liberty.
A privately held pharmacy in Washington state has effectively been shut down by that state's government because they refused to sell a drug used to kill unborn children in the womb. This refusal is out of their religious convictions that life begins at conception and this drug would effectively be killing one patient at the request of another. See the video below for more details:



In June, 2016, the US Supreme Court decided not to hear the case. This effectively means these pharmacists have lost the case and will no longer be able to run their pharmacy. Justice Samuel Alito, joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Clarence Thomas, wrote, in dissent,

This case is an ominous sign...If this is a sign of how religious liberty claims will be treated in the years ahead, those who value religious freedom have cause for great concern.

This is a sitting supreme court justice writing that we ought to be very concerned about what the Supreme court is doing in this case. What they are doing is ignoring the constitution, which is the document they are charged to apply to laws in this country.

The first amendment to the constitution reads as follows:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

This has subtlety been changed, in regards to application of the law, to guarantee a freedom to privately hold beliefs and to worship as you want. That is, you can have your religious views and conscience as long as it doesn't affect the way you live, talk, or do business. However, this law actually guarantees more than that. It promises the right to exercise one's religion freely - not just to go to what church one wants to attend.

Let's spend some time thinking about the value of Jesus so that we will be ready to lose everything, if necessary, in order to have him.

The Con of Abortion Debate

This week the US Supreme Court struck down a Texas law regarding abortion clinic safety regulations. You can read more about the facts of the case here from Joe Carter at the Gospel Coalition.

What Walker Percey (American Novelist 1916-1990) wrote to in a letter to the New York Times in 1981 still seems to be quite relevant. Here is an excerpt (whole thing is here):

The current con, perpetrated by some jurists, some editorial writers, and some doctors is that since there is no agreement about the beginning of human life, it is therefore a private religious or philosophical decision and therefore the state and the courts can do nothing about it. This is a con. I will not presume to speculate who is conning whom and for what purpose. But I do submit that religion, philosophy, and private opinion have nothing to do with this issue. I further submit that it is a commonplace of modern biology, known to every high school student and no doubt to you the reader as well, that the life of every individual organism, human or not, begins when the chromosomes of the sperm fuse with the chromosomes of the ovum to form a new DNA complex that thenceforth directs the ontogenesis of the organism. 

Such vexed subjects as the soul, God, and the nature of man are not at issue. What we are talking about and what nobody I know would deny is the clear continuum that exists in the life of every individual from the moment of fertilization of a single cell. 

There is a wonderful irony here. It is this: The onset of individual life is not a dogma of the church but a fact of science. How much more convenient if we lived in the 13th century, when no one knew anything about microbiology and arguments about the onset of life were legitimate. Compared to a modern textbook of embryology, Thomas Aquinas sounds like an American Civil Liberties Union member. Nowadays it is not some misguided ecclesiastics who are trying to suppress an embarrassing scientific fact. It is the secular juridical-journalistic establishment. 

Please indulge the novelist if he thinks in novelistic terms. Picture the scene. A Galileo trial in reverse. The Supreme Court is cross-examining a high school biology teacher and admonishing him that of course it is only his personal opinion that the fertilized human ovum is an individual human life. He is enjoined not to teach his private beliefs at a public school. Like Galileo he caves in, submits, but in turning away is heard to murmur, “But it’s still alive!” 

To pro-abortionists: According to the opinion polls, it looks as if you may get your way. But you’re not going to have it both ways. You’re going to be told what you’re doing.

"Should I Attend a Homosexual Wedding?"

This past Sunday I mentioned an article by Kevin DeYoung in which he gives his response to the question of whether Christians should attend a homosexual wedding if the ceremony is entirely secular.

In short, as personally painful as it may be, and as much as the world will call us names and castigate our motives, those who believe marriage is between a man and a woman should not attend a ceremony that purports to be the marrying of a man and a man or a woman and a woman, even if that ceremony is completely secular in nature.

In the article he gives three reasons to support this view (which I agree with).

1. The purpose of a wedding ceremony is to celebrate and solemnize.
2. Wedding ceremonies are almost always public in nature.
3. The stark either/or options are not of our making.(referring to the "either you care about me and come or you don't care about me" proposition we might face). 

Under this last point he writes

If traditional Christians have to learn to love gay and lesbian friends and family members despite decisions they disagree with, then gays and lesbians should learn to love their Christian friends and families despite decisions they disagree with. We should take time to hear why our attendance means so much to them. And then, hopefully, they will take time to hear why our faith in Christ and obedience to the Bible mean so much to us.

I encourage you to read the whole article. It is worth reading, thinking about, and talking about with fellow Christians. I know this is something we will face (even afterwards someone told me they already faced this question at work). Let's have thought about it ahead of time so that we are ready to respond with convictional kindness. We want to glorify God and love our neighbors. It takes wisdom to do that. 

Thinking about the Tragedy in Orlando

It wasn't until after our worship service  on Sunday that I heard there had been a massacre in an Orlando night club. Two things come to mind in regards to this:

First, anytime I hear of a tragedy like this I am reminded of Jesus' words when he was asked about similar events in his day:

There were some present at that very time who told [Jesus] about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices [a massacre]. And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.

Tragedies like this serve to call us to consider the fragility and brevity of life. It also calls us to consider that all of us have a sin problem and that we must repent before the judge of the universe. Our neighbors need the hope of God's salvation through Jesus. There is no room for self-righteousness. Times like this are a call to self-evaluation and offering the only true and lasting hope to those around us.

Second, we ought to weep with those who weep. We realize that all those lives that were slain and all those family members grieving are image bearers- made in God's image. That, in and of itself, gives us reason to cry over the evil that was committed.

If you are still processing the events of this weekend, I encourage you to listen to Albert Mohler's briefing podcast from Monday, June 13, 2016. It is about 20 minutes long and helpfully reminds us of how Christians ought to think and grieve and offer the hope of the gospel.

What is Christian Prayer?

According to John Piper, "Prayer is the essential activity of waiting for God - acknowledging our helplessness and His power, calling upon Him for help, seeking His counsel...Prayer is the antidote for the disease of self-confidence, which opposes God's goal of getting glory by working for those who wait for Him" (Desiring God, pg. 170-171).

Prayer glorifies God by our recognition that we need Him to act and work for us. And, prayer is a filling up of our joy in God. These twin truths are seen by comparing John 14:13 and 16:24

Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. (John 14:13) 

Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. (John 16:24). 

The reason prayer brings joy is that it is fellowship with our beloved God, and because through His response to our prayers we are equipped for serving Him, which brings us delight.

"The Zoo Was Right to Kill the Gorilla to Protect the Boy"

I don't know much about this story that developed yesterday, but I don't believe we need to know all the facts to be able to affirm that if a human being is in danger from an animal, it is always right to protect the human. Christians ought never advocate senseless killings of animals, but we ought to also be able to distinguish between a senseless killing and one that is common sense.

Here is a helpful post from Denny Burk on the topic.

What is Christian Love?

As we continue to plow through John Piper's book Desiring God, I am attempting to summarize each chapter with a short question and answer. So, what is Christian love?

Is love disinterested in the benefit one receives in doing good? Piper answers with a resounding "No!". He points to 1 Corinthians 13 to show that externally good things (even self-sacrifice) can be done in a way that is not truly loving and is of no gain (v. 13). This tells us love is more than duty. It also tells us that love does provide a "gain" for us.

To help formulate a definition of Christian love, Piper points to 2 Corinthians 8:1-4, 8 to show that genuine love is "a work of divine grace."  His grace towards us fills us with joy in Him. This joy in God's grace overflows in a generosity to others, even joyful sacrifice for the good of another. In light of this, Piper defines Christian love as  "the overflow of joy in God that gladly meets the needs of others" (pg. 119).

The bottom line is that we must have joy and seek joy in God if we are to truly be loving. Love is not disinterested in one's own joy. Love begins with joy in God and flows towards seeing joy in others. Our joy and the joy of others will only come from God. Therefore, self-sacrifice or selfless deeds that are not centered on seeking delight in God and seeing others delight in God are not Christian love.

What is Christian Worship?

In his book, Desiring God, John Piper describes worship as, "A way of gladly reflecting back to God the radiance of His worth" (84). Worship is not about adding anything to God, but is rather a reflecting of something he already possesses - infinite worthiness, greatness, beauty, power, etc. And, our worship of him is our glad reflecting back to him how great he is. If we are just going through the motions (outward "worship" with no gladness or heart that delights in God) we are engaging in vain worship (Matthew 15:8-9). 

Earlier in Piper's chapter on worship, he gives this helpful illustration of "Fuel, Furnace, and Heat" (82).

Perhaps we can tie things together with this picture: The fuel of worship is the truth of God; the furnace of worship is the spirit of man; and the heat of worship is the vital affections of reverence, contrition, trust, gratitude, and joy.  

But there is something missing from this picture. There is furnace, fuel, and heat, but no fire. The fuel of truth in the furnace of our spirit does not automatically produce the heat of worship. There must be ignition and fire. This is the Holy Spirit.
... 

Now we can complete our picture. The fuel of worship is a true vision of the greatness of God; the fire that makes the fuel burn white hot is the quickening of the Holy Spirit; the furnace made alive and warm by the flame of truth is our renewed spirit; and the resulting heat of our affections is powerful worship, pushing its way out in confessions, longings, acclamations, tears, songs, shouts, bowed heads, lifted hands, and obedient lives.

How Should We Respond to the Bathroom Controversies?

I never thought I'd title a blog post using toilet language, but such is the world we live in. With news swirling about Target stores allowing people to use whichever restroom fits their "gender identity" and President Obama's administration issuing a letter to all public schools requiring the same thing, we must think biblically.

First, we must remind ourselves that our God is on his throne. Early Christians lived in a world of confusion, sin, and a government which allowed all sorts of terrible things. We find ourselves in a similar situation. And the most important thing that is the same is that our God still reigns. Nations may rage against him but he is still building his kingdom. So, let's not lose hope. The power of the gospel transformed lives then and it does today.

Second, in light of that truth, we must not give in to rage and bitterness. Those argue with bitterness and rage are like caught animals that are backed into a corner. We, however, are under the sovereign reign of our God. And we know how the story ends. Also, we know that we too were once enslaved to our own fallen minds, flesh, and even the Devil. Therefore, we, as recipients of grace, must be full of grace as we argue for what is good and right (Titus 3:1-8).

Third, we ought to know the facts of what is going on and be thoughtful about how to bring the gospel to bear on the situation. Out of our love for God and neighbor, we must see the significance of these cultural developments. More and more we are seeing the idolatry of self. The demand to be able to define one's own self contrary to the Creator's design. Out of love for God, and his glory, and out of love for those blinded by Satan and sin, we must lovingly speak truth and the gospel message. We must be prepared to suffer for doing good. We should argue for what is true and right, even if we are misunderstood and condemned by those we are seeking to love. Below are a few good resources to help in this.

• Albert Mohler's podcast from May 16, 2016 on the issue is helpful in getting an understanding of what is happening and how we might think about it.
• John Piper's podcast on May 16, 2016 on whether or not he would use the restroom at Target.
• A copy of the letter from the Department of Education and Justice. 
• Here are  few excerpts. 
• Regarding locker rooms: "A school may provide separate facilities on the basis of sex, but must allow transgender students access to such facilities consistent with their gender identity. A school may not require transgender students to use facilities inconsistent with their gender identity or to use individual-user facilities when other students are not required to do so."
• Regarding overnight accommodations (ie. hotels on trips):  "Title IX allows a school to provide separate housing on the basis of sex.22 But a school must allow transgender students to access housing consistent with their gender identity and may not require transgender students to stay in single-occupancy accommodations or to disclose personal information when not required of other students."

• Joe Carter's "Explainer" regarding what the Obama Administration has done with this letter it issued (he explains what the letter is, how it functions in government, what penalties will be imposed on non-compliant school districts, etc.). 
• This video (see below) from the Family Policy of Washington State which highlights the foolishness of current cultural thinking. If we can self-determine our gender, why not our age? I would wonder if a high school student self-identified as a 21 year old if they could skip school and, when brought in on truancy charges claim their new self-identity as a defense. And could they legally drink and when arrested again claim their new self-identity of 21 years old? 

You might also be interested in this video: 

What is Christian Conversion?

John Piper's description of how one becomes a Christian (conversion) in his book Desiring God (pg. 71-72).

Once we had no delight in God, and Christ was just a vague historical figure. What we enjoyed was food and friendships and productivity and investments and vacations and hobbies and games and reading and shopping and sex and sports and art and TV and travel…but not God. He was an idea—even a good one—and a topic for discussion; but He was not a treasure of delight. 

Then something miraculous happened. It was like the opening of the eyes of the blind during the golden dawn. First the stunned silence before the unspeakable beauty of holiness. Then the shock and terror that we had actually loved the darkness [ie. sin]. Then the settling stillness of joy that this is the soul’s end. The quest is over. We would give anything if we might be granted to live in the presence of this glory forever and ever.
And then, faith—the confidence that Christ has made a way for me, a sinner, to live in His glorious fellowship forever, the confidence that if I come to God through Christ, He will give me the desire of my heart to share His holiness and behold His glory.  

But before the confidence comes the craving. Before the decision comes the delight. Before trust comes the discovery of Treasure.

In other words, God must give us new life (regenerate us) to awaken us to his glory. In response to that, we are in awe and delight in how great he is. But, we also are in fear because of our great sin against this great God. So we respond with a turning away from our sin (it's lesser pleasures) to trust in Jesus as our Savior and great treasure!

Regeneration comes from God, and so does our faith. We must believe, but we won't unless God graciously opens our eyes to see what is truly valuable.

Here are some verses that highlight this truth:

John 3:18-20 

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.

2 Cor. 4:6

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Use Your Summer Well

Tim Challies has a good article by Peter Krol  entitled "3 Ways College Students Can Do More Better Through Finals Week and Into the Summer." I really enjoy reading what Tim has to say about productivity (he has a book on it which I have not read, but I have read many of his blog posts that formed the backbone of that book).

In this article, Krol applies his wisdom in this area to college students and young adults. Here are his three main points:

1. Make a List and Stick to It
2. Set Goals for the Summer
3. Create a Productivity System for Next School Year

My favorite part is in the set goals for the summer. His list several questions to ask yourself as you set goals:

• What parts of the Bible do you want to read for the first time or study more deeply?
• What books would you like to read? [Ben's note: Desiring God by John Piper. See you Thursday at our house for book club]
• What people would you like to meet with for outreach, encouragement, or discipleship?
• What would you like to learn, and from whom? How can you get yourself around people who live the kind of life you would like to live before Christ, so they can rub off on you?
• Where can you volunteer your time?
• How can you get more involved in your church?
• What other projects would encourage you?

I pray this summer would be one that serves to make you more like Christ. It won't happen without effort on your part though. 

"Isolation from the Church is Dangerous"

Here is a good article by Josh Buice on the dangers of becoming isolated from your church family. I know (most) of you reading this are involved in a local church and see it important. But, as he points out, we often don't go looking to isolate ourselves. It can often happen slowly, over time.

Here is one good quote,

We must learn to see the church as a blessing from God rather than an inconvenience.  We must never look at the church as a violation to our spiritual privacy fence.  We were never called to walk the journey of the Christian life alone.  Surround yourself with gospel preaching, gospel singing, and gospel friends who will be honest with you.  When the church is honest with you, receive it.  Take heed so that you will not fall (1 Cor. 10:12).  We all need the church. 

"Four Warnings for Your Twenties"

There is a good article at Desiring God by Marshall Segal entitled "Four Warnings for Your Twenties." He looks at 1 Corinthians 10:7-14 and notes what 20 somethings should learn from Israel's experiences in the Old Testament.

He writes,

"The same temptations that were murdering the believers under Moses are waging a spiritual war against believers today: entertainment, sexual immorality, impatience, and contentment. Paul finishes the paragraph by saying, “Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come” (1 Corinthians 10:11)."

Here are the four main headings of temptation he goes on to address from Israel's history:

1. Do you distract yourself with entertainment?
2. Are you experimenting with sexual sin?
3. Do you refuse to wait?
4. Are you always unhappy?

Take some time to read the article and learn from Israel.

For Those Discouraged in Evangelism, Jesus Saves (Not You)

Is there a friend or family member that you fear is beyond the gospel of salvation? Perhaps they are hostile towards Jesus or maybe they have made up a Jesus they are comfortable with (but one who cannot save them). Maybe they are so enslaved to their own passions and desires that it seems impossible that they will ever walk in the freedom of loving God.

It is easy to slip into this sort of thinking. For me it usually isn't an outright thought of giving up on them. But it often creeps in and then manifests itself in a weakening of my resolve to proclaim Christ, crucified and risen for sinners, to them.

Recently I found myself rebuked by Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones on this issue.  Here is what I read,

We tend to regard certain people as beyond hope, and assume that they must of necessity continue in their grooves as they are and die unrepentant and unredeemed. We just shake our heads over them and express our sorrow. We have talked to them and tried to persuade them. We have appealed to them and preached to them. Everything that human agency can possibly do has been tried and has failed. We cannot get them to come our way, so we feel that their case is hopeless and desperate. Ah! what a lack of faith all that reveals! How different from what we find here in the New Testament and always in the church during days of revival and true faith! If you and I are to save men and women, then indeed the case is hopeless. All our efforts will most certainly fail. But that is not our gospel. It is Jesus Christ who saves! There is no limit to what He can do! His methods are not confined as ours are.

Ian Murray's Biography of Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones, Volume 1, page 226.

Handling Criticism

Receiving criticism can be a painful thing in life. How might we receive criticism in a way that honors God?  To help us in this, I quote from Vaughn Roberts book True Friendship: Walking Shoulder to Shoulder:

• Expect it: given our sins and weaknesses, we should be surprised we receive so little criticism.
• Examine it: we should resist the instinctive temptation to defend ourselves or attack the critic, but rather consider whether there is truth in what is being said.
• Endure it: even when we feel it is unfair we must not be resentful.

How we handle criticism is a good barometer of our humility and wisdom. May God help us not be characterized by a fear others and their correction or a love of being in a state of perpetual anger.

"Why It Is Imperative That Presidents Be Pro-life"

Joe Carter has a helpful article on this issue at the Gospel Coalition.

1. Preserving the Pro-Life Riders 
2. Filing of Amicus Briefs in Cases Before the Judiciary 
3. Defending Pro-Life Laws in Federal Courts 
4. Issuance of Executive Orders 
5. Selection of Political Appointments
6. Using the ‘Bully Pulpit'

In the article he elaborates on each of those points. 

He concludes with these words

If we choose to vote, we Christians have an obligation to the most vulnerable members of our society to elect politicians who have both a robust view of human dignity and the temerity to govern accordingly. We betray this duty when we downplay the role the executive branch in advancing the pro-life cause.

While on the subject of presidents, it is time to vote if you are in Florida. Take time to know where the candidates stand on the issue of the value of life and then look at their positions on other issues.

"How to Slay the Dragon of Pornography"

Ed Welch has a good little article at the Gospel Coalition by this title. It is a good place to start if you or someone you know is tempted or sinning in the area of pornography. The article is also good in that it deals with how to battle temptation and sin in general.

Here is one great paragraph from the article,

When our temptations are especially strong, no rationale for those boundaries will be enough. For example, God has his reasons for limiting sexual expression to heterosexual covenant union, but those reasons won’t give us power to fight temptations. Power doesn’t come from mere knowledge; it comes as we grow in the knowledge of God and respond to him with obedient trust. It comes only as we discover that in God’s presence—not from what the world or fleshly pleasure can offer—do we find fullness of joy and pleasures that never lose their capacity to satisfy (Ps. 16:11).

For a more comprehensive resource on battling pornography I suggest Heath Lambert's book Finally Free: Fighting for Purity with the Power of Grace.

"Is Religion the Cause of Most Wars?"

You've probably heard the claim that most wars have been caused by religion. I found this short article over at the Stand to Reason Blog to be helpful in responding to that claim.

One helpful thing to ask of the person who brings this or any other major claim is, "How did you come to that conclusion?" In otherwords, if they make a big claim, the burden of proof is on them. So let them bring evidence and don't immediately take the role of defending against an unsubstantiated claim. Of course, it is helpful to do your research and have a ready defense.

"Your 7 Job Responsibilities as a Church Member"

Did you know that you, as an ordinary church member (assuming you are a member), have responsibilities to your church body? I assume you do since Rod has just been preaching on how we, as members of Grace Church, agree to live out our commitments to Christ and his body. Here is a list of several responsibilities from Jonathan Leeman I found at the gospel coalition blog.

1. Attend church regularly (Hebrews 10:24-25)
2. Help preserve the gospel (Galatians 1:6)
3. Help affirm gospel citizens (ie. participating in affirming new member's profession of faith and exercising church discipline) (2 Cor. 2:6-8)
4. Attend member's meetings (this one really ties into points 1-3, read his article for more details)
5. Disciple other church members (Eph. 4:15-16)
6. Share the gospel with outsiders (2 Cor. 5:19b-20)
7. Follow your leaders (Eph. 4:12)

Leeman ends by writing what he says to those who are going to become a member of the church he is an elder at. It is helpful to remind us, who are so prone to individualism, of the collective responsibility we have for our local church family. Here is what he says,

Friend, by joining this church, you will become jointly responsible for whether or not this congregation continues to faithfully proclaim the gospel. That means you will become jointly responsible both for what this church teaches, as well as whether or not its members’ lives remain faithful. And one day you will stand before God and give an account for how you used this authority. Will you sit back and stay anonymous, doing little more than passively showing up for 75 minutes on Sundays? Or will you jump in with the hard and rewarding work of studying the gospel, building relationships, and making disciples? We need more hands for the harvest, so we hope you’ll join us in that work.

Life together is a serious, hard, and joyful thing. May God give us more of a vision for the calling we have within the church.

Are You a One Issue Voter?

I am a single issue voter. By that I do not mean that a single issue qualifies a person for a particular office. I don't mean that I do not care about a multitude of policies and positions. I care about government debt, about health care, and a host of other issues. What I mean is that there are positions that, if a candidate holds them, disqualifies him or her from office.  That might be a bit shocking, but it shouldn't be.

It shouldn't be shocking because you are a one-issue voter too. Everyone is. There are certain issues that would automatically disqualify someone from public office in your view too (assuming you are really a thinking person). If you don't think so, read how John Piper puts it in his 1995 article "One Issue Politics, One-Issue Marriage, and the Humane Society" (I saw this on Denny Burk's blog).

No endorsement of any single issue qualifies a person to hold public office. Being pro-life does not make a person a good governor, mayor, or president. But there are numerous single issues that disqualify a person from public office. For example, any candidate who endorsed bribery as a form of government efficiency would be disqualified, no matter what his party or platform was. Or a person who endorsed corporate fraud (say under $50 million) would be disqualified no matter what else he endorsed. Or a person who said that no black people could hold office—on that single issue alone he would be unfit for office. Or a person who said that rape is only a misdemeanor—that single issue would end his political career. These examples could go on and on. Everybody knows a single issue that for them would disqualify a candidate for office. 

It’s the same with marriage. No one quality makes a good wife or husband, but some qualities would make a person unacceptable. For example, back when I was thinking about getting married, not liking cats would not have disqualified a woman as my wife, but not liking people would. Drinking coffee would not, but drinking whiskey would. Kissing dogs wouldn’t, but kissing the mailman would. And so on. Being a single-issue fiancé does not mean that only one issue matters. It means that some issues may matter enough to break off the relationship. 

So it is with politics. You have to decide what those issues are for you. What do you think disqualifies a person from holding public office? I believe that the endorsement of the right to kill unborn children disqualifies a person from any position of public office. It’s simply the same as saying that the endorsement of racism, fraud, or bribery would disqualify him—except that child-killing is more serious than those.

As a Christian voter, I realize that being pro-life does not qualify a person for office, but being pro-abortion automatically disqualifies a person. 

I don't claim that this points exactly to who we should vote for. There may be several options. There may be an election where every candidate is "disqualified." I would not say that means we don't vote. We do have to make tough choices, but we ought to give weight to the things God says are most important. Government sanctioned killing of unborn humans is too serious to overlook in a leader.

Ultimately we don't trust in politics. We trust in the Lord, but the Lord does require us to think as Christians in every act we undertake, even voting.

HT: Denny Burk for pointing to the Piper article.

One-to-One Bible Reading Evangelism

At the very beginning of last semester, we went on a beach retreat and I gave out the book One to One Bible Reading by David Helm. This short book is a helpful resource and example of how to do
evangelism and discipleship one to one (or in a small group) just going through a book of the Bible together. I highly recommend that book (a few are available in the fellowship hall).

I want to bring the idea back up because I don't want it to slip out of our view. It is so easy to get busy (especially as mid-terms approach) and to assume we "don't have time" to approach a classmate or coworker about whether they would be interested in meeting up to read and talk about the Bible. While we are all busy, I don't think we are too busy to do this. We can't be. The gospel is of first importance (1 Corinthians 15).

So, let me encourage you to learn how to study the bible with another person (maybe practice with a friend from church - it will be an edifying and equipping time). Then ask God to give you one friend to invite to meet up with you to read and learn about God from the Bible. I think you will be surprised that many of them know little about the Bible and will want to at least look into it.

Here is an article about a young woman who has been doing this type evangelism. Also, I would be glad to meet up with you and help you think about how to be grow in this area.

Facing Anxiety about the Future and Decision Making?

All young adults have to work through how to make decisions that will affect their lives. The question, "What is God's will for my life?," seems to surface routinely.

Recently, there was a two part (short) series, by Pat Quinn, about this topic over at the Biblical Counseling Coalition blog. I recommend them to you.

1. Wisdom for the young part 1 - This one briefly discusses the fact that on the most important things, God's will is clearly spelled out in his Word.
2. Wisdom for the young part 2 - This article then talks about the areas of life where Scripture doesn't function as a road map but more of a compass (ex. where should I go to school? What should I major in?). 

A short quote from the second article

Use the gospel to motivate them to give themselves to God, refuse worldly values, and renew their minds continually... A heart motivated by mercy, a body committed to God, and a mind transformed by the Word will ultimately be a life without deep regrets. This is truly the “good life.”

He references Kevin DeYoung's short book Just Do Something,  and I whole-heartedly recommend that book to you as well.

"Answering the Abortion Question that is Sure to Come"

Here is an article from Kevin DeYoung answering the question that a pro-life presidential candidate would most likely face during the general election. The question is

Would you really tell a rape victim that she must carry to term a child that was forced upon her by an act of such cruelty?

Click here to read his good and thoughtful answer.

Salvation is Secured by The Object of Our Faith, Not the Intensity of Our Faith

If you have ever been discouraged over how weak your faith seems at times (who hasn't) then check out this video clip from DA Carson (3 min 30 sec). A great illustration.

Why I Wrote a Book on Singleness & What it's About

If you've been reading the blog for the past several months, you saw the posts (numerous ones) on singleness. Those were from a book I wrote entitled, God, Singleness, & Marriage: How the Bible gives purpose and direction to singles. Well, it wasn't actually a book, but now it is.  You can order copies at amazon.com.

Why I wrote this book

The Bible has such a grand perspective on singleness, but it has often been overlooked, and I wanted to lay out what the Bible said in order to:

1. Encourage single men and women who were content in singleness, 
2. Provide a vision of God-glorifying singleness, and
3. Encourage married men and women to appreciate, love and serve singles as full members of the body of Christ.

I didn't start out planning to write on the subject. I began by looking for a book that I could use to encourage single men and women. As I read books on the topic, I found a bunch of really good ones but none that covered all of what I thought was important. Some focused on the practical (how to) type stuff and others were a bit academic. I wanted to see something that started with theology (it is rich on this topic) and dealt with the practical issues.  Also, I noticed that almost every book I could find on singleness was directed towards women, and I wanted one that would apply equally well to men and women. So I started writing, and, before I knew it, it was the length of a short book.

What the Book is about

It is about singleness and marriage, under the rule of God, and in service of his purposes. And, as the subtitle states, it is about how the Bible gives hope and direction to single Christians.

Its content is divided into three parts:

First, Singleness Redeemed- How the Bible gives purpose and hope to singles.

In this section, I trace Singleness through the Biblical storyline to see how singleness is redeemed; made useful for the Kingdom of God. Then, I give a Biblical vision for God-glorifying singleness in order to show how singleness serves the Kingdom now that it has been redeemed. The section closes with a look at how a right view of God gives hope to us all (single and married)

Second, Dangers of the Single Season- Keeping watch on your soul

This section contains 3 chapters that discuss some common dangers or temptations for single men and women (discontentment, fear, etc.).

Third, Living in the Single Season- Honoring God as a single person

The first chapter here is for all singles regardless of desire to get married or not. It discusses maturing as a Christian man or woman. The next two chapters are more specifically for singles desiring marriage: Honoring God as You Look for a Spouse and Biblical Principles for Finding a Spouse .                                   

I then conclude with a look at where marriage and singleness are ultimately going and how that gives us direction now - namely to glorify God through Jesus Christ.

I hope you can read it, benefit from it, and pass it on to others. 

Take Note of 43 Years of Carnage

Today marks 43 years since the Roe v. Wade judicial overstep of the supreme court, and in that time over 57 million human babies have been killed. One writer notes that if you put their names (if they had them) on a memorial like the Vietnam Memorial in DC, it would have to stretch for 50 miles.

We must continue to shine the light of the gospel into the darkness that ruins so many babies, mothers, fathers, and even abortion workers.

To help you reflect on this issue (which would be a good thing to do on this anniversary), I recommend one article and one podcast.

The article is from Frederica Matthewes-Green at the National Review and is entitled "When Abortion Suddenly Stopped Making Sense."  She makes a stunningly clear case for the fact that abortion is not about women's rights. In fact, it harms women. It makes like easier for everyone around her, but it leaves her (and the baby) in ruins. Along the way, the author also brilliantly dismantles many pro-choice arguments. Here is the next to last paragraph (read the whole article though, it is great):

In time, it’s going to be impossible to deny that abortion is violence against children. Future generations, as they look back, are not necessarily going to go easy on ours. Our bland acceptance of abortion is not going to look like an understandable goof. In fact, the kind of hatred that people now level at Nazis and slave-owners may well fall upon our era. Future generations can accurately say, “It’s not like they didn’t know.” They can say, “After all, they had sonograms.” They may consider this bloodshed to be a form of genocide. They might judge our generation to be monsters.

The podcast episode is The Briefing's January 21, 2016 edition. Dr. Albert Mohler is, as usual, insightful, clear-minded, and very  helpful. Take a listen.

Persecution Index: A Reminder to Pray for the Persecuted Church

Christianity Today has an article reporting on the annual persecution statistics put out by Open Door. We ought to remember to pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world.

Here are some of the excerpts  from Christianity Today's report:

More than 7,000 Christians were killed for their faith last year, up drastically from 4,344 in 2014 and 2,123 in 2013. Those numbers don’t include North Korea or parts of Iraq and Syria, where accurate numbers are hard to obtain... 

Violent Islamic extremism was the main culprit, "with its rise being the lead generator of persecution for 35 out of the 50 nations on the list," stated Open Doors. "Its two hubs are in the Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa, regions where persecution has risen to a level akin to ethnic cleansing." ... 

In addition to death and destruction, Islamic extremists caused the displacement of thousands of Christians. Syria’s largest Christian city, Aleppo, saw its Christian population shrink from 400,000 to 60,000, while more than 1 million refugees fled from the Horn of Africa and the Middle East to Europe, Open Doors said. ... 

North Korea remained the No. 1 perpetrator of persecution in 2015, as it has since the WWL [World Watch List] began 14 years ago. Up to 70,000 Christians are in labor camps there, Open Doors said. ... 

The authoritarian Eritrean regime "has consistently supported the rise and spread of radical Islam in the Horn of Africa," Open Doors said. Of the 15,000 Eritrean refugees resettled in the US in the past 12 years, 85 percent were Christians.
"Evangelical and Pentecostal Protestants routinely are tortured and pressed to recant their faith," wrote Robert George and Thomas Reese, members of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), for the Christian Science Monitor.

You can (and should) read the article or at least take a look at the chart Open Door put out to see where most of the persecution is happening so you can pray more intelligently for our brothers and sisters as well as their persecutors.