My brother and I recently went out to the family farm and dug up some field tile. These were lines that had been in the ground for many years. We were amazed to find that the cement tile looked like they had just been installed. We found something even more amazing as we were digging on the other end of the field. There was a hole in the ground that looked like it had been caused by a tile washout (often when there is a large break in the tile it will wash away the dirt above it causing a small sink hole). What puzzled us was that we did not even know there was a tile in that spot.
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As my brother ran the backhoe, I probed the ground to show him how much farther he had to dig before reaching what we thought was the tile. As I watched for little pieces of cement that might indicate he had hit the tile, instead I saw pieces of wood. Soon the digging revealed whole timbers. As he maneuvered the backhoe and moved one of the timbers, we found a hollow cavity below them.
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Suddenly we had a mystery on our hands. I do not recall any trees being buried in this area during my lifetime and in the year 1900 that area was actually the bottom of what was then called Crooked Lake. It was not until 1915 when a floating dredge dug a ditch that the area was drained.
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We took a flashlight and shined it into the open area below the timbers and were able to make out tree trunks, large slabs of bark and twisted branches. It was hard to imagine that these trees had been buried for nearly a century and had only rotted as if it had been a few years. Then we remembered that this was a low area with a typically high water table. Was it possible that the water table had stayed as high as their three foot burying depth for much of that time period, thus keeping out the air that would allow for rot?
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What makes this story so interesting is that we expect things to rot away. We do not expect them to stay intact. Though the trees were largely unchanged, they had begun to rot some, and I do not expect the drain tile to last forever either. I think of the old chicken house at the farm site. The sill has rotted off the north wall and it is only being held up by plywood sheeting and the roof is being propped up by old wooden fence posts.
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I think of my own body as I age. Some people age at a slower rate than others. They may be more like the trees in the lake bottom than like the chicken house. Others age quickly. Regardless aging and death are inevitable.
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Consider as well, so much of what you have thrown away recently because it had worn out. Christ showed His followers that because of the decaying process and the uncertainty of being able to keep what we have in this life, we need to be focused on the next life instead. “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21)
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It is so easy to focus on the things of this life that seem so exciting now, but will soon end up in the trash heap. Instead, let us focus on God and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, trusting Him so that we can spend our eternity where nothing will rot away.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Friday, October 14, 2011
Are You Known as a Hater?
I recently watched multiple interviews with members of the Westboro Baptist Church. This is the group that goes around to protest military funerals. I was struck with the hatred that those being interviewed had for others. Since we both share the title “Baptist”, I felt it was important to respond.
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Though First Baptist in Bancroft, and Westboro Baptist, both have “Baptist” in our names we have no common affiliations. In order to call itself a Baptist church, an organization does not have to join any other group, conference, synod, or association. In other words, just because Westboro calls itself a Baptist Church, does not mean they are representative of Baptist beliefs.
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Rather than being identified with traditional Baptist doctrine, Westboro has become identified with hate. Their focus is on God‘s hatred, but let us not forget that “God so LOVED the world that He gave His only begotten son.” It is true that there are things that God hates: “These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.” (Proverbs 6:16-19) I do not believe it is a stretch to suggest that multiple things on that list characterize Westboro.
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It would be easy to focus this article on the sins of Westboro, but instead let us look at the scripture and see if Christians should really be focused on hate, and then examine our own hearts to see if we really have the fruits of the Spirit.
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“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matthew 5:44-45)
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“But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.” (Luke 6:35)
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“Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.” (1 Peter 3:8-9)
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“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:19-23)
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The works of the flesh involve hate and other such things, while the fruit of the Spirit involves love. No doubt a Christian’s life is to be characterized by love rather than hate. What characterizes your life?
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Though First Baptist in Bancroft, and Westboro Baptist, both have “Baptist” in our names we have no common affiliations. In order to call itself a Baptist church, an organization does not have to join any other group, conference, synod, or association. In other words, just because Westboro calls itself a Baptist Church, does not mean they are representative of Baptist beliefs.
-
Rather than being identified with traditional Baptist doctrine, Westboro has become identified with hate. Their focus is on God‘s hatred, but let us not forget that “God so LOVED the world that He gave His only begotten son.” It is true that there are things that God hates: “These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.” (Proverbs 6:16-19) I do not believe it is a stretch to suggest that multiple things on that list characterize Westboro.
-
It would be easy to focus this article on the sins of Westboro, but instead let us look at the scripture and see if Christians should really be focused on hate, and then examine our own hearts to see if we really have the fruits of the Spirit.
-
“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matthew 5:44-45)
-
“But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.” (Luke 6:35)
-
“Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.” (1 Peter 3:8-9)
-
“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:19-23)
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The works of the flesh involve hate and other such things, while the fruit of the Spirit involves love. No doubt a Christian’s life is to be characterized by love rather than hate. What characterizes your life?
Saturday, October 1, 2011
A New Outlook on Revival
I decided to write this article because I have some concerns about revival. Now before I go farther, please let me state that I am not opposed to revival. In fact, I am praying that this country would have a revival. When I say that, I mean a REAL revival, not just worldly sorrow over the consequences of sin.
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My thoughts about revival have changed somewhat since preaching through the Old Testament books of Exodus, Numbers, Joshua, and then Judges. As the children of Israel were led out of the promised land, they needed to learn much about God. God had revealed Himself to them in supernatural ways, but they still did not have the proper relationship with Him.
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Even after the plagues in Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, the manna from heaven, and the water from the rock, they still did not believe God enough to enter the promised land and were cursed to wander the wilderness for 40 years. That brings us to the book of Numbers. To a large extent, it is a book about a backslidden people in need of revival.
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Then we get to the book of Joshua. The unbelievers who would not enter the promised land have passed away and the book of Joshua is characterized by an obedient people who are serving the Lord.
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Next is the book of Judges. There is a major contrast between Judges and Joshua. Whereas Joshua was characterized by “we will serve the Lord“, Judges is characterized by the backsliding of Israel as, “every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”
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As I preached through the book of Judges I was also struck by another depiction- revival. Essentially the book is a repeating cycle of backsliding and revival. Things would get really bad, God would chasten, and then there would be a revival, but what stuck out was that the revivals did not last.
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I believe much of the reason that the revivals did not last is because of the depravity of man, but I think there is another important reason. During the time of Judges, the backslidden people turned to God when they wanted something from Him. During the time of Joshua they were actually walking close to Him.
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Revivalism is generally directed at a backslidden people and calls for them to make huge changes. I would rather see people consistently walking with God so that those HUGE changes are not needed. For example in the book of Judges, Gideon did a good thing and tore down an idol on his father’s property, but wouldn’t it have been better if that idol had never been built?
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One of the characteristics of revival is big changes instead of consistent incremental growth. As pastors we need to be training our people about who God is and what it means to walk with Him so that the incremental growth is occurring so that we do not have to call on a Gideon to tear down the idol.
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I do not want to live in the book of Judges, even with all it’s revivals. I’d rather live in the book of Joshua, and consistently walk with God in a way where sin is regularly recognized and corrected rather than waiting for the backsliding to get so bad that a major revival is needed.
-
My thoughts about revival have changed somewhat since preaching through the Old Testament books of Exodus, Numbers, Joshua, and then Judges. As the children of Israel were led out of the promised land, they needed to learn much about God. God had revealed Himself to them in supernatural ways, but they still did not have the proper relationship with Him.
-
Even after the plagues in Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, the manna from heaven, and the water from the rock, they still did not believe God enough to enter the promised land and were cursed to wander the wilderness for 40 years. That brings us to the book of Numbers. To a large extent, it is a book about a backslidden people in need of revival.
-
Then we get to the book of Joshua. The unbelievers who would not enter the promised land have passed away and the book of Joshua is characterized by an obedient people who are serving the Lord.
-
Next is the book of Judges. There is a major contrast between Judges and Joshua. Whereas Joshua was characterized by “we will serve the Lord“, Judges is characterized by the backsliding of Israel as, “every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”
-
As I preached through the book of Judges I was also struck by another depiction- revival. Essentially the book is a repeating cycle of backsliding and revival. Things would get really bad, God would chasten, and then there would be a revival, but what stuck out was that the revivals did not last.
-
I believe much of the reason that the revivals did not last is because of the depravity of man, but I think there is another important reason. During the time of Judges, the backslidden people turned to God when they wanted something from Him. During the time of Joshua they were actually walking close to Him.
-
Revivalism is generally directed at a backslidden people and calls for them to make huge changes. I would rather see people consistently walking with God so that those HUGE changes are not needed. For example in the book of Judges, Gideon did a good thing and tore down an idol on his father’s property, but wouldn’t it have been better if that idol had never been built?
-
One of the characteristics of revival is big changes instead of consistent incremental growth. As pastors we need to be training our people about who God is and what it means to walk with Him so that the incremental growth is occurring so that we do not have to call on a Gideon to tear down the idol.
-
I do not want to live in the book of Judges, even with all it’s revivals. I’d rather live in the book of Joshua, and consistently walk with God in a way where sin is regularly recognized and corrected rather than waiting for the backsliding to get so bad that a major revival is needed.
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