God's Wrath

Nahum 1:2-6
The Lord is a jealous and avenging God;
the Lord is avenging and wrathful;
the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries
and keeps wrath for his enemies.
The Lord is slow to anger and great in power,
and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty.
His way is in whirlwind and storm,
and the clouds are the dust of his feet.
He rebukes the sea and makes it dry;
he dries up all the rivers;
Bashan and Carmel wither;
the bloom of Lebanon withers.
The mountains quake before him;
the hills melt;
the earth heaves before him,
the world and all who dwell in it.
Who can stand before his indignation?
Who can endure the heat of his anger?
His wrath is poured out like fire,
and the rocks are broken into pieces by him.
The Holy Bible : English standard version.

Most people don’t want to acknowledge, think about, or believe that God is a God of wrath. A preacher bringing up this subject is categorized as one of those “hell-fire-brimstone” preachers from days of old.

Well, here I am bringing it up. First of all, I am not one of those old timey “hell-fire-brimstone” preachers. I am too young to fit into that category. I do believe, preach and advocate the grace and mercy of God. I do not always try to “scare” people to faith.(although there is a need for more reverence of the Lord God, I’ll save that for another blog).

But, I do believe the Bible. God has revealed Himself to us through His Word. And time and again we see the mention of His wrath. From beginning to end God is a God of Wrath just as He is a God of Grace. To ignore this truth is to make a god of our imagination, who is no god but a false idol.

So, how do we understand God’s Wrath? How can we make sense out of this truth? J.I. Packer has a great chapter in his classic book Knowing God. I am going to reproduce a couple of paragraphs that I think are excellent.


The root cause of our unhappiness seems to be a disquieting suspicion that ideas of wrath are in one way or another unworthy of God.

To some, for instance, wrath suggests a loss of self-control, an outburst of seeing red which is partly if not wholly irrational. To others it suggests the rage of conscious impotence, or wounded pride or plain bad temper. Surely, it is said, it would be wrong to ascribe to God such attitudes as these?

God’s wrath in the Bible is never capricious, self-indulgent, irritable, morally ignoble thing that human anger so often is. It is instead, a right and necessary reaction to objective moral evil. God is only angry when anger is called for. Even among humans, there is such a thing as righteous indignation, though it is, perhaps, rarely found. But all God’s indignation is righteous. Would a God who took as much pleasure in evil as he did in good be a good God? Would a God who did not react adversely to evil in his world be morally perfect? Surely not. But it is precisely this adverse reaction to evil, which is a necessary part of moral perfection, that is what the Bible has in view when it speaks of God’s wrath.

Then to others the thought of God’s wrath suggests cruelty….Does this follow? Two biblical considerations show that it does not.

In the first place, God’s wrath in the Bible is always judicial-that is, it is the wrath of the Judge, administering justice. Cruelty is always immoral, but the explicit presupposition of all that we find in the Bible on the torments of those who experience the fullness of God’s wrath is that each receives precisely what he deserves.

My note: the mistake most people make when trying to understand God’s wrath is they overestimate their own goodness and underestimate their own badness. We are not good, we have sinned and offended the holiness of God Almighty that brings on us exactly what we deserve for such sin—His punishment and wrath.

Romans 2:5-6 says that God will give to each person according to what he has done.

In the second place, God’s wrath in the Bible is something which people choose for themselves. Before hell is an experience inflicted by God, it is a state for which a person himself opts by retreating from the light which God shines in his heart to lead him to Himself.

From Knowing God by J.I. Packer pages 150-156.

Next post: Being delivered from God’s Wrath; propitiation

Love of My Life

The wonderful, the matchless grace of Jesus...

That is a line from a great hymn about God's grace. When I stop and recount how God has been so gracious to me it is absolutely stunning. And the more the years roll on the more it seems to unfold.

Today is a milestone for me in the experience of God's grace. Today Michelle and I celebrate our 13th wedding anniversary. Michelle is proof of God's grace. That the Lord would put us together is a gift that I could never imaging or ask for. I am truly blessed to be united as one in Christ with my best friend, companion, helper, and lover.

It is hard to believe that it has been thirteen years! I look forward to the future, but relish the present with the one the Lord has so graciously put in my life.

Thoughts on Luke 16:14-16

Luke 16:14-16
The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him. And he said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God. "The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone forces his way into it."


The Pharisees had major problems. Jesus never shied away from confronting them with the error of their ways. In this little discussion he has with them many things jumped out at me today.

Here are some of my thoughts:

#1 - “What is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.”
What they prided themselves on and was applauded by men was actually offensive to God. And these men were seen as the cream of the religious crop. Empty religious acts may fool many people, but not God.

I should not seek to be put on the proverbial pedestal. My name may never be known among the “who’s who” lists. But, am I loving the Lord my God with all my heart, soul, and mind? That is what truly matters.

#2 – "The Law and the Prophets were until John, since then the good news is preached.”
The Law and the Prophets bear witness of the coming Messiah. The one whom John the Baptist said, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” And he also said, "I am unworthy to even untie his sandals.”“

#3 – “Everyone forces his way into it.”
The Pharisees and many others believed that you could force yourself into God’s kingdom. They had more laws, stipulations, and requirements than the Texas Penal Code Book. And they prided themselves on keeping every single one. Why? They thought it earned them a special place with God. The truth was quite the opposite.

That same idea is prevalent today. I talk to so many lost, churched people who still believe in some type of works based salvation. You cannot force your way into the kingdom of God.

#4 – Not one iota of the law has passed away.
An iota is a Hebrew vowel point. It was literally a tiny dot that was added to the root consonants of a Hebrew word. It was small and seemingly insignificant.
Jesus says that not one iota will pass away.
Here is the point that jumped out at me. The context is crucial. He is conversing with the Pharisees who prided themselves on keeping the law. Jesus demonstrates that they have not and this is what judges them. There are two ways they have not kept the law.
First, by their additions and subtractions they have elevated their own opinions above the law of God. They have created stipulations that allow them to get away with things that are contrary to the law. Jesus gives them an example in the following verses.
Secondly, the major purpose of the Law and Prophets was it pointed to the coming Christ. Here He is, Jesus, and they have rejected Him, and thus rejected the law.

I am thankful that God's grace is not something that I can earn. I pray that all my service will be more than a religious act, but an act of true devotion, love, and worship of the Messiah who died for my sins.

Forgiven Much

Luke 7:47
“He who is forgiven little, loves little.”

I have been thinking a lot lately about the ten commandments. Specifically, I have been thinking about the use of the law in evangelism. This is not new, but it is new to me. I have always made a point to highlight the concept of sin with anyone I witnessed to. This is a must. In fact, evangelism without any mention of sin is not biblical evangelism.

But, recently I have been more intentional in using the ten commandments to confront people with their specific sins. This is biblical and serves a great purpose.

If people are unaware that they have broken the law and deserve the full punishment for their iniquity they will be unlikely to see the need for a Savior.

Luke 7:47 takes place as Jesus is eating dinner at a self-righteous Pharisees house. While eating, a known sinful women comes in and anoints Jesus’ feet with her tears and expensive perfume. The Pharisee objects because Jesus allowed a sinner to touch him.

At this moment Jesus turns to Simon Peter to make a point using an illustration. There are two men who owe money. One owes fifty bucks(denarii) the other owes 500. The owner of the money cancels the debt of each man. Who would be more grateful? Obviously the one who owed more. The one with the greater debt.

The Pharisee didn’t see himself as a sinner, and therefore saw no need for a Savior. The woman understood the depth of her iniquity and responded with gratitude and sacrificial love.

The Pharisee was just as much a sinner as the woman, he just refused to see it. Therefore, he did not respond to Christ in the same way the woman did.

There are many people who come to Jesus as an insurance policy or because they want a better life. They love God very little. It is different when someone comes to Jesus because they are confronted by the magnitude of their lawlessness. They are painfully aware that they have broken God’s law and stand in the path of facing the full judgment for their sin. The run to a Savior and stay with that Savior who rescues them from the depth of their iniquity. They love much!

I am beginning to see the need to confront people with the ten commandments to make it clear the reality and severity of sin. Hopefully, this will produce believers who love Jesus much!

Too Important To Miss

Take from the Baptist Press:

Flood of pornography breaching the church
Posted on Jul 6, 2007 by Jerry Pierce/Southern Baptist TEXAN
GRAPEVINE, Texas (BP)--

Divorce lawyers are noting its increasing influence.In Great Britain, it's blamed for a 20 percent jump in sexual assaults perpetrated by kids as young as 11.In the United States, the adult film industry sees it as a $13 billion a year business -- more money than mainstream Hollywood generates.

The numbers are staggering: up to 45 million "unique" users visited adult websites in a recent month, as tracked by Nielsen Net Ratings.With the advent of wireless handheld devices, porn is accessible via mobile phones and similar devices."Certainly, this is going to make it easier to view porn in more places than ever," Pamela Paul, author of "Pornified: How Pornography Is Transforming Our Lives, Our Relationships and Our Families," told USA Today."The flood of pornography in our culture has desensitized society and has contributed to the fact that our nation is wandering aimlessly in dangerous, uncharted territory," Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, said in a statement e-mailed to the Southern Baptist TEXAN.

That flood has entered the church doors, leaving anecdotal and documented evidence that families and churches are being damaged, mostly by Christian men -– some of whom are ministers -- who succumb to what Land calls a cheap imitation of God-designed sex."Sexuality is a far bigger and more troubling issue in the church than any other moral issue," Land said.The National Council on Sexual Addiction and Compulsivity reports that an estimated 2 million

Internet users are addicted to pornography. Christian men are among them.In an August 2000 survey of its readership by Christianity Today magazine, 36 percent of laymen who responded had visited a sexually explicit Internet site, of which 44 percent visited such sites "a few times" in the past year.Additionally, the six-year-old research showed that 51 percent of pastors admitted pornography was a possible temptation, 37 percent said porn is a struggle and 33 percent had viewed Internet pornography at least once a year.

A PASTOR'S REPORT

One pastor who spoke to the TEXAN about the problem said the incidence of sexual immorality in the church, with pornography as the culprit, has increased in the last five years.The pastor, speaking on condition of anonymity, said he has counseled two fellow ministry leaders regularly over the last year who have lost their ministries because of porn and related problems. One lost his marriage and the other is fighting to keep his, the pastor said.One was a para-church leader whose wife discovered his addiction. "He's doing treatment, he's doing counseling, he's doing accountability," the pastor said. "He's doing everything he can do."The man did not have extramarital intercourse, but "he was doing the pornography, topless bars.... He spent thousands of dollars on this type of stuff. This guy was in ministry."

The pastor estimated that "80 percent of all young ministers have at some point struggled with this on some level. Now, that may be as simple as he got sent a naked picture and he looked at it and that was the end of it. But on some level, I would say virtually every minister under the age of 30 has had some kind of experience with it in their adult lifetime."He added: "If you're talking about just men in general under the age of 40, I'll tell you it's well above 50 percent that at least occasionally use pornography. I'm saying Christian men. Statistics show that as well."

Henry Rogers, corporate chaplain at Dallas-based Interstate Batteries and author of the book "The Silent War: Ministering to Those Trapped in the Deception of Pornography," told the radio audience of "For Faith & Family" that porn's proliferation is "ripping the soul out of the American male."Rogers said the problem is "within the church walls and not only in the pews but in the pulpit as well."The mind is the battlefield, Rogers said, noting the crucial Christian discipline of taking thoughts captive."We have an adversary who wants to take us out," Rogers said. "He may wait 10, 15, 20 years. There is no age at which we can relax, thinking we are immune to sexual temptation."Rogers added: "Confession is a powerful deterrent to temptation."

HOPE FOUND IN A BOOK

Stephen Lawhon, 32, a member of Central Baptist Church in College Station, Texas, and a longtime Christian believer, said he attempted to fight the temptation of pornography for years until he found hope in the simple warnings of Scripture.Lawhon said that even though he grew up in a Christian family, his occasional encounters with porn as a kid led to a problem that he recognized as early as age 15."I started seeing porn at 11 or 12 years old. There would be a dirty magazine outside somebody's house. It just escalated from there. I always had an unquenchable thirst for it."All the while, he was a leader in his youth group. He even recalled talking to his youth minister once about it."He prayed with me and patted me on the back and said, 'Hey, it's going to be alright.' That was it. And that's not a slam on him. We just didn't know what to do with this back then. We just didn't talk about that stuff," Lawhon said.

In college at Texas A&M, Lawhon said he joined Central Baptist and was in college ministry leadership there, though he still battled pornography."I was leading this double life. I had this secret compartment tucked away. When it really took off for me was when it became available online. I would never get caught dead buying pornography. But I would download it in my room. It scares me to think where I'd be now if I had the access that kids and men have today," he said.He once got rid of his external computer modem, then he got rid of his computer altogether. But his compulsion led him to the school computer lab, where he'd download porn on floppy disks, he said.After meeting his future wife, he told her he had struggled with pornography, but he said she underestimated the problem.

He thought that once he was married he would no longer desire pornography, but he was wrong."The pastor who married us told us whatever problems we bring into our marriage would be magnified in the marriage. He was right, and I nearly lost my marriage over it."Lawhon said he bought book after book on the subject, but, "It wasn't until I picked up the Bible that [God] really showed me He wrote the book thousands of years ago on this subject. It wasn't until I was truly broken that I started climbing out of it."

Lawhon said he has found hope and strength from his church family, his wife and, more than any other resource, the Bible, particularly Proverbs 7 and the warning about the harlot who lurks on every corner.He said King David was in the wrong place when he lusted after Bathsheba and committed adultery with her, while Joseph faced his temptation with Potiphar's wife while tending to his responsibilities. Lawhon said that through the lens of Proverbs 7, one can see that Joseph had an advantage because he was where he was supposed to be while David, who should have been at war, wasn't."The Bible talks about how we will not be tempted beyond what we are able to endure, and when we're tempted God will provide a way out. What does that mean? What does that look like in real life? The Holy Spirit is huge in overcoming this. The Holy Spirit will bring accountability in my life.

When I feel temptation coming on, I start to drift where I'm not supposed to drift ... and the phone will ring and it's a friend from church," Lawhon said."My point is, the Holy Spirit brings accountability into our lives. And when that way out presents itself, I have to make a choice to walk that way out."Instead of offering "burnt offerings" by going to Promise Keepers or reading a book or attending another conference, Lawhon said he realized "I was choosing pornography over what God had for my life. I wasn't living in the grace of Jesus Christ."

Lawhon spends much of his time working with college students, many of whom are struggling through many of the battles he went through. He advises them to continually renew their minds by memorizing Scripture and dealing with only one day at a time, because overcoming sexual temptation is fought one battle at a time."I used to rationalize my discouragement by saying, 'I'm gonna mess up tomorrow. I might as well mess up today.' The Lord told me, 'No, you deal with today, Stephen. I'll deal with tomorrow.'"Also, the stigma of pornography is greater than alcohol or drug abuse, Lawhon said, which makes coming forward more difficult.

The SBC's Land said in a 2002 radio interview: "You can go to your Sunday School class and say you have a real problem with alcohol and ask the class to pray for you, but if you go to your Sunday School class and say you need prayer for a problem with pornography, it would be like you set off a stink bomb in the room."

RIPPLES IN THE KINGDOM

The pastor the TEXAN interviewed said one of the ministers he is counseling is "going to do everything he can to recover. He turned himself in [to his ministry], started the counseling process, started the accountability, did a contract with his wife and with me and with some other guys."But even with accountability, vital as it is, "both you and I know that people can lie," the pastor said. "In fact, one of these guys I used to meet with, he did lie to me for a while. When all this started, when he actually was doing some of this stuff, he was lying to me."The man later initiated a meeting and confessed that he had lied."There's no guarantee that goes with accountability. And we're naïve to think that just because somebody sits down and asks the questions that we are always getting the truth. But at the same time, I think it's something important. I think it's something you need to do. It's a process you need to be experiencing, though it's certainly no guarantee."The pastor said it is crucial that a minister allows friends, staff and fellow church members to inspect the cache of his computer anytime to see what sites he has visited.The ravages of pornography and sexual sin among believers has a ripple effect, the pastor said."Particularly when it's someone in ministry. It affects that pastor. It affects his spouse, his family, his children if he has any. It affects his children's friends. It affects his congregation. It affects his immediate family, cousins. It affects his neighbors. It degrades the image of Christ for those who are lost and those in the community who look to that church and those who are considering the claims of the Gospel, those who have just come to know Christ."It's enormous when you stop and think about the negative consequences of falling into the trap. Quite frankly, at least half the time they end up losing their family. And nobody thinks that way. Nobody thinks when they first start looking at porn that 'I'm going to lose my family, I'm going to lose my job.'"Both of the guys I'm dealing with right now, here's what they've lost: They've lost their marriage. They've lost their job. They lost a lot of friends in the sense it will never be the same. They've lost custody of their children and now they are both doing something that they don't really want to do or feel called to do, and they're just trying to get by."--30--Jerry Pierce is managing editor of the Southern Baptist TEXAN, newsjournal of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. TEXAN correspondent Bonnie Pritchett & Dwayne Hastings of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission contributed to this report. Click here to see an earlier Baptist Press story with counsel for women who learn their husbands have a pornography addiction.

Independence Day Reading List

I have this saying that I want to share with you. "Common sense, isn't that common anymore." I see this true in so many different areas of life. Especially when comes to religion in the public square. Both sides of the debate have shown an exceptional knack for a lack of common sense.

I have read to great books on religion in America, religious freedom, the separation of church and state, and some of the historical roots of the Baptist perspective on religious freedom.

IF

IF

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you

But make allowance for their doubting too,

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,

Or being hated, don't give way to hating,

And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream--and not make dreams your master,

If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breath a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with kings--nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;

If all men count with you, but none too much,

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,

Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,

And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!

--Rudyard Kipling


This is a great poem with a poor conclusion. The last two lines need some godly modification. The only way you can do what Kipling says is by living a Holy Spirit empowered life. If you try and be all that poem indicates in your own strength and might you will fail miserably. The precedent of ages past proves that truth time and again. But, if you surrender to the Lord Jesus Christ on a daily basis – “then you’ll be a man, my son!”


Rudyard Kipling is best known at our house for writing “The Jungle Book”. Our kids, including myself, love that Disney movie and we have spent lots of time pretending to live in Kipling’s jungle.

Fathers Figure

The Statistical Effect of Children Without A Father


63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes
(source: US DHHS Bureau of Census)

90% of all homeless and runaway children
(source: Center for Disease Control)

85% of all children that exhibit behavioral disorders
(source: CDC)

80% of rapists motivated with displaced anger
(source: Criminal Justice and Behavior vol. 14)

71% of all high school dropouts
(source: National Principals Association “Report on the State of High Schools)

70% of juveniles in state operated institutions
(source: US Dept. of Justice)

85% of all youths in prison grew up in a fatherless home
(source: Texas Dept. of Corrections, 1992)

Nearly 2 of every 5 children do not live with their fathers.
(source: US News and World Report)


From www.fathersforlife.org


I have often heard statistics like this, but never seen them so well documented. They are a startling reminder of the importance of the complete family unit.

For years now the traditional family unit, a male dad, and a female mom, has been under attack. The feminist movement now has technology to make fatherhood obsolete. With the advent and use of no-fault divorce and other factors, a fatherless family is no longer atypical.

We need a revival and it needs to start in the church. A revival of committed, sold-out men. Men who are surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Men who are committed to their wives and love them the way Christ loved the church. Men who are spiritual leaders in their homes. Men who are courageous enough to do all these things regardless of the criticism received by the culture. Too much is at stake for us to ignore this issue.

This is a calling for all fathers to be all that God intends them to be. May God grant us grace, wisdom and strength to be true men in Christ.

Fishing At The SBC

No I didn’t bring my rod and reel, but I did go to a great seminar by Dr. Roy Fish. He was my evangelism professor while I was at seminary and I love to listen to him. His seminar was on the need to be more intentionally evangelistic. It was a great seminar.

He told a story about a neighbor he had named Eddy. Dr. Fish has always been an evangelist but when he moved next door to Eddy he thought he would take it slow. Eddy had a great fear of preachers anyway. He would become physically nervous every time Dr. Fish would come around to visit with him.

Over time Dr. Fish began to make some progress in getting to know Eddy. He helped him in his yard on occasion and felt like he was going to win him to Christ eventually.
On weekend Dr. Fish was out of town and his wife called him. “Eddy died of a heart attack.” That news broke Dr. Fish’s heart. He resolved not to let his neighborhood die and go to hell if he could do anything about it.

So, he moved. (At this point in the seminar uproarious laughter occurred.) Dr. Fish prayed and asked God to give him a new start in his new neighborhood. He prayed that he could develop friendships with his neighbors for the clear purpose of sharing Christ with them.

Here are some other thoughts that captured my attention from this seminar:

1. Sowing is just as important as reaping.
I may never win souls like Dr. Fish has, but Jesus says in John 4 that some sow and others reap, but that both rejoice. (See John 4:34-38)
Sowing is incredibly important. Putting the word of the gospel of Jesus Christ into the hearts and minds of others is extremely valuable. The question is, am I even doing that much?


2. We’ve got to focus on young people.
At the current rate, statistics indicate that there is a generation of young people that will be lost. That means that when the current generation of Christian older people are no longer here, there will be few to replace them.
We have to make it a priority to share the gospel with children and teens. We need to intentionally sow the seed of Christ into their lives on a consistent and regular basis.


3. The greatest motivation for being evangelistic and sharing the gospel…
The reality of HELL!

There is a movement in society, and even Christian society, that denies the reality of hell. Jesus could not be more clear about the truth that there is a hell and people do go there. No soundly saved saint should want any to perish in their sin and spend an eternity in that awful place. Hell is real, and we have a part in taking the life saving message of Christ so that some will be spared from that horrible place.

At The Southern Baptist Convention

This week I am in San Antonio Texas for the annual Southern Baptist Convention. Sunday and Monday they have what is called the “Pastor’s Conference”. At this they have several noted speakers that come and give messages and sermons. I heard two great speakers last night.

Dr. Paige Patterson gave a testimony on pressing on through suffering and opposition that was very good. The hope of the Christian life is that our temporary struggles, pain, and suffering will be far outweighed by the future glory of being with Christ in heaven.

I also heard a great sermon by Dr. Jerry Vines. He is a fantastic expository preacher. I really enjoy not only the content of his sermons but listening to the way he crafts and molds his messages. He preached out of Acts 8 about Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch. The main point, we need to be looking for God ordained opportunities to share Jesus Christ.

Additional Observations about the SBC:

1. It is huge!!!! It is being held at the convention center in downtown San Antonio and the place is enormous. I am not sure how many people were there last night, but it was thousands.

2. I like San Antonio. I went by the Alamo and the Riverwalk. Great places to see, although it would have been better if Michelle were with me.

3. It’s pretty hot.