Frank Caliendo & God

Ephesians 5:1 calls all believers to follow or imitate God.  The Greek word behind follow or imitate is mimetes.  It is the word from which our English word mimic is derived.  To me a mimic is someone like Frank Caliendo, or for us older folks, Rich Little.  These men mimic the voices and mannerisms of famous people.  However, their mimicry is in part, for they only mimic the outward acts - the voice and recognized movements of the person.  God calls us to mimic Him both in action and in attitude. Here are two examples from the passage.

In Ephesians 4:32 we are told to mimic God in the action and attitude of forgiveness.  Like God, we are to forgive those who sin against us, and we are to forgive them fully and completely as He forgave us.  A great passage, a parable of Christ that teaches this is found in Matthew 18:23-35.  Read this passage and think of those who have wronged you.  Have you fully forgiven them or are you like the wicked servant?

The second example of how we are to mimic God is found in Ephesians 5:2.  We are told to walk in love, to live our lives out in love.  And of course the example given is that of Jesus, who walked in love all the way to the cross.  Other verses that speak to this are Romans 5:8 and Hebrews 12:2.  Jesus loved us and loves us even when we are unlovable.  We then are to mimic God in this way.  We are to fully live our self-sacrificial love to all others, even when they are unlovable.

So where do we begin?  A day does not go by when we are not in the presence of people, people that we must love sacrificially, people that often are unlovable.  They might be your spouse, your boss, your neighbor, your child.  Along with this love, forgiveness must be granted.  Why should we love and forgive? Because God did so for us and because He has told us to mimic Him in this way.

-Mark

One, Two, and Three

Often preachers use Scripture to beat down members of the congregation. They hope that because of the weight of their words conviction will fall upon the listeners and change will be wrought. No doubt there is a time for such a message. However, I am convinced that the good news of God's message can have the same impact.
Last Sunday we looked at Ephesians 1:18-19. In this passage Paul is praying that believers would have their understanding opened to see three things God has already accomplished in their lives. Paul is not praying that they will gain these three items. Why? Because all believers already posses them. Rather, he longed that they know them and that they live up to them.

The first item in verse 18 is, "...that you may know what is the hope of His calling..." The fact that God chose us makes us special, unique, set apart from the many. Most people long to be special. They assert their personality to gain attention; they attend schools to set themselves apart; they even dress to draw people toward them. So the desire to be special is understood. For some reason believers are unaware, or dimly aware, that God chose them; and they are unaware of how special that makes them. In Sunday's message we learned that God did this for His own purpose (Romans 8:28); He did it to conform us into the image of His Son (Romans 8:29); and that He will never take away this choice (Romans 11:29), making the believer eternally special.

Next we see that God desires that we fully understand that we are His heirs, "..what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.." To be an heir of God is to be eternally secure because you are a child of the King - and not just any king, but God. In Ephesians 1:5 we learned that because of this choice we were adopted into God's family. This relationship is eternal and it contains the eternal benefit of security. The fact that we are a child of the King should cause us to live differently. Let me quickly add that I stand against the perverse teaching known as the prosperity gospel. The hymn writer once penned, "A tent or a cottage, why should I care? They're building a palace for me over there..." Being a child of the King does not mean we must buy the $40,000 BMW or the $5,000 suit. It means that we are forever secure in this eternal relationship.

The final point to understand is the knowledge that God has given us His power to overcome life and sin. 2 Peter 1:3-4 teaches this as well. If you look closely at the passage you will see that God has given us the power over life. Sometime life stinks. I'm not talking about sin, although that does affect life. Rather, I'm talking about everyday life, the hard decisions we must make. This power also addresses the godly life to which we are called. Living like a child of the King can seem difficult. However, God has empowered us to live up to that standard. Finally, in 2 Peter 1:4, we find that we have the power over sin. It says "partakers of the divine nature." This does not mean we will create our own planets and live like a god. Rather, Peter points out that like God we will have power over sin, "having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."

So believer be encouraged. God has made you eternally special. He has made you His child. And, He has given you His power to live a life unhindered. Hold your head up. And when you are confronted by what seems overwhelming, say, "I am a child of the King and God has given me the power to see even this through."

-Mark

The Wonder and ZZZ of Doctrine

A problem has arisen as I prepare for this Sunday's message - How do I honorably preach the doctrine of Ephesians 1:3-6 without making it an academic exercise? Bible churches in the Maryland/Pennsylvania area have a culture centered around the expository preaching of God's Word - line by line, verse, by verse, word by word. I agree with this, but have found that if poorly preached it accomplishes the same as that of poorly preached topical messages. It becomes an academic message, a seminary lesson, that soars above the average listener. The sad result is that the doctrine of say Ephesians 1:3-6 becomes tedious and boring. The listener can find no reason to listen. Their minds wander and little is accomplished. (Now I understand that I am not including in these thoughts the role of the Holy Spirit and His use of God's Word.)

That said, when I read this passage I am filled with wonder and joy. God chose me before the foundation of the world! He adopted me as a son! And He did all this, and more, to the praise of His glory! If this fills me with wonder and joy, why does it not so move the average listener? Because it is poorly communicated. We take this profound truth and boil it down the war between Calvin and Arminius; and the response is ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!

Pray for me this week as I try and find the way to best present this wonderful verse without killing the wonder and joy.

-Mark

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Remember, Repent, and Return

Revelation 2:1-7 records the first of seven letters to seven churches. In each letter, Jesus addresses the pastors of the church, called "angel" or "messenger" in each letter, and holds them accountable. The church at Ephesus was commended for many things: their labor, patience, stance against evil, and their ability to expose false apostles. However, Jesus pointed out one glaring weakness, their lack of heart.



Of the seven churches addressed in Revelation, Ephesus would be the most prominent. Ephesus was a key city in the Roman empire and a thriving port city. Jesus, though, was willing to remove that church if they did not bring the heart back into the work. It was not enough for Christ that they were getting it done; no He demanded that they balance that with passion. He does give a remedy for this problem. In Revelation 2:5 He tells them to 1) Remember from where they had fallen; 2) to Repent; and 3) to Return ("to the first works return").



This past Sunday we went to the early days of the church in Ephesus found in Acts 19:17-21. There we examined three things that this new church was doing and applied these three actions to the above instruction "to remember." First the church magnified the name of Jesus. That simply means they made Jesus number one in all they did. His name took the preeminence. Sadly, there is much that can be accomplished in a church without magnifying the name of Jesus. Second they confessed their sins and testified to God's deliverance. In short, they were transparent one with another. Imagine the dynamic that would be created if all church members were just honest with each other. And finally, they put away all sins that were causing them to stumble and stray from a godly life. This reminds me of Hebrews 12:1.

It is my prayer that the members of Wakefield will begin to do the actions the early Ephesians: magnify Christ, become transparent one with another, and put away our sinful behavior. I feel that by just focusing on these three actions we can begin to recapture the passion that Christ demands for His church.



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Would-ah, Could-ah, Should-ah

For the rest of his days, Tom Watson will remember with regret the eight-foot putt that cost him The Open Championship. Along with that miss, he will think of the bogey here and a missed approach there that factored in. And many will not let him forget because they will lament, "What could've been?!"

Often we attempt to treat life like that of a sporting event - you either win or lose. However for many reasons, life is not that way. Although life has its limits, there are far more opportunities than 72 holes, nine innings, or four quarters. There are many opportunities to turn it around, to make a change and to finish as God would have you finish.

Yesterday, we looked at Lois and Eunice found in 2 Timothy 1:5. Specifically we studied what I called Parenting with Purpose not Guilt. Like Tom Watson, I have regrets - moments I could have handled differently, words I should have used as opposed to the words I did use, lessons I should have taught.....on and on and on. However, I still have a chance to parent, and I hope someday, grandparent with godly purpose.

Parenting with purpose can be summarized in the two actions these women took in the raising of Timothy: 1) They lived out their faith without hypocrisy. 2) They taught Timothy the Scriptures.

But what about the guilt often associated with falling short? What about the regrets? Should I live with regret and guilt at having missed parenting opportunities. Maybe. Maybe I did not live out with sincerity the faith that I expected of my kids. You were one person at church and another person at home. Maybe I did not take every opportunity to teach the Scripture and point my children toward Christ. There is much that competes with our teaching. However, I think that long-term guilt should not be a part of parenting because all people are held accountable for their own actions. Therefore if your kids did not grow up to make the right choices, they will be held accountable, not you.

Ultimately kids will grow up and become what they are going to become. They will do what they decide to do. And they will be held accountable for their actions, not your parenting. The book of Proverbs gives general truths on parenting. These Proverbs are not absolute promises. For instance Proverbs 22:6 is not guaranteed. Rather, it is generally true. Godly parents often raise godly kids. But sometimes they raise wicked ones and wicked parents raise godly. Thus the maxims found in Proverbs are just that, generally true.

One Proverb I would like to share in light of this discussion is Proverbs 1:30-33. Here we find that children who reject the training of the parent will be held accountable for their actions. Their decisions are on them, not on you the parent.

So parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles, there is still time to parent with purpose. Sincerely live out your faith and teach your children the Scripture; always pointing to Jesus. And remember to leave your regrets on the playing field; for ultimately the child will be held accountable for their own actions; not your misses.

-Mark
Please visit our church at http://wakefieldbible.org/templates/System/default.asp?id=40157

Two Lessons on Samson

This coming Sunday we will look at the life of Samson. After reading the story a few times I have decided that there are a few reasons for God to include it. Samson's life provides for us a some lessons worth considering. But which lesson is the primary for us to learn? Let's look at the first two.

Lesson one could be titled "What Could Have Been." God had a great purpose for Samson, but because of his sin, he failed to reach it. There are elements of this in the story. Samson was ordained prior to conception to accomplish a task for God. God gave his parents details concerning his upbringing and what he was expected to accomplish. Judges 13:1-5

Another lesson is related to the first - "Sin Destroys." Again this is true. Samson seems to be a man driven by his passions, especially for the opposite sex. These desires ultimately lead to his downfall. His great physical strength is taken away and he is blinded by his captures. Interestingly, he often "saw" his desire. Thus, the removal of his eyes is a telling punishment.

So which is it - lesson number one or lesson number two? Neither. I think the Bible is teaching an entirely different message with Samson. What then is that? Come back next week. I am up at Camp Tohiglo, where it is impossible to get a connection. Next Sunday I will teach on Samson and post the better understanding of this man's life. In the mean time let's follow the two lesser lessons - live up to your potential and don't sin. Good luck!

-Mark

Please visit our church at http://www.wakefieldbible.org/

Turn from Michael and Look to Jesus

If the news is any indication, we are obsessed with the lives and deaths of others. Michael Jackson, Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, David Carradine, and now the pitch man Billy Mays - the TV flashes with a constant stream of information on their last years and even minutes. The shame of this obsession is that it takes our focus off of the one that matters - Jesus Christ.

At Wakefield we are in the midst of a series of character studies. We have looked at Peter, Andrew, Esther, and Rahab. Each character, each life, has given us valuable information on how and how not to live. However, even in this series, to focus on these four and the others yet to come, would be a distraction. Rather, the intent of each study is to quickly shift the focus back toward Christ. For it is only Christ that saves us and changes us.

An example of all this is in our most recent study of Rahab. The only thing in her character that seems to have merit is her faith in God. Now of all the character traits to have, faith in God is the most important. Faith is the only character trait that without it is impossible to please God. Hebrews 11:6 And who is the author and finisher of our faith? Jesus Christ. (Hebrews 12:1-2) So instead of looking long at Rahab, we must quickly turn our attention to Jesus.

So reader, shift your focus from others to the one that saves - Jesus Christ.

-Mark


Please visit our church at http://wakefieldbible.org/templates/System/default.asp?id=40157

From Instability to Stability - The Life of Peter

This past Sunday we began a series of Character Studies. The first character studied was Peter. With Peter there is so much information that as a preacher I had to throw much out. (In fact, looking back over the message, I was probably one point too many.) Because of the wealth of material some great things were not shared. I would like to point you to one section of Scripture that I could not include, but is a blessing to me.

2 Peter 1:3-11 is a wonderful section that moves my heart when I read it. This morning I used a prayer tool to study this passage. I'll share more about this tool in a later post this week. So if you struggle in your prayer and devotional life, check back later this week to learn of a great resource that will help.

Let's take 2 Peter 1:3-11 and ask some basic questions: 1) Who is God in this passage? He is the giver of life and godliness, the giver of exceedingly great and precious promises, the giver of His divine nature. He is the one who has rescued us from the corruption of this world. 2) How shall I respond? With diligence. We are to strive to add one thing upon another. Those items are listed in 2 Peter 1:5-7. 3) So what should I pray about? For me it is "God increase my faith ... add to my faith virtue..and so forth through the list. Why pray for it if I am to strive for it? Because on my own I am unable to do such a work, but with the Holy Spirit I am able. 4) Finally, where do I go from here? Well the above acts of diligence will ultimately lead to a fruitful life; to a life where one has a clear vision of from whence he came and where he is going, and for complete understanding of one's calling and election.

Our character Peter came to such an understanding after Christ's ascension. The words he offers in his two epistles are not the words of the unstable man so demonstrated throughout the Gospels. Rather these are the words of one who has moved on from instability to that of stability because of the work God was doing in his life. If you long to move from a life of instability to stability take Peter's example. Use 2 Peter 1:3-11 as a starting place. If you have already trusted in Christ then understand all that God has already given you. Then build one thing upon the next with, of course, the Holy Spirit's help.

However, if you have not trusted in Christ then you must begin there. Your life will always be unstable because sin rules you. Christ died for this sin. You need to turn from it and turn to Christ, acknowledging that He is God and that He died for that very sin. Put your trust in Him and what He did to save you, not on your own strength.

Next week we will have a guest speaker at Wakefield. The following week we will return with our next character study, this time a female, Hadassah.

-Mark

Please visit our church at www.wakefieldbible.org

Spiritual Walking

This past Sunday, we studied the idea of walking in the Spirit. Romans 8:1 tells us that the believer is one who is without condemnation and one who walks in the Spirit. Galatians 5:16-17 also addresses walking in the Spirit. What then does it mean to walk in the Spirit? For me, it means going to where the Holy Spirit is working and join Him in His present ministry. It is there that He will have an immediate and transforming impact on your life.

Where can you find the Holy Spirit at work? There are many places, some of which involve the moment of salvation or life in general. However for our study I want to find places where He ministers directly to the believer. Look first at John 14:26 and Ephesians 3:16-18. Here we find that the Holy Spirit teaches and gives understanding to the Bible. I have always felt that the John passage is more Apostle-specific, but I do not so limit the Ephesians passage. Here we see the Holy Spirit giving comprehension to the infinite dimensions of God. This comprehension comes primarily through the reading and understanding of the Word.

Some other places where we find the Holy Spirit working is in our prayer life and in our worship. I link these together because prayer is an important aspect of worship. The Holy Spirit empowers our prayers. Jude 20 and Romans 8:26-27 teach this fact. Philippians 3:3 and John 4:23 tell us that the Holy Spirit gives meaning to our worship. If we could get on a plane and fly to a tribal community and there meet with a group of believers, we would find their church to be most primitive. Where we have padded pews and stained glass windows, they sit on crude wooden benches placed out in the open. Where we have grand instruments, like the piano or organ, they may have an out-of-tune guitar. However, our grandeur does not give meaning to worship. What does? It is the Holy Spirit. For that reason, believers can worship in any setting and find that the worship is full and complete because of the presence and ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Two additional areas where we find the ministry of the Holy Spirit is in witnessing and in the use of our spiritual gifts. Acts 1:8 and 1 Peter 4:10 teach this. Without the Holy Spirit we would not have the ability, the burden, nor the direction for our witnessing. To see the local church and the worldwide body of Christ grow, it is essential that we use the gifts given to us by God.

Finally, walking in the Spirit involves a transformation that begins on the inside and resonates outwardly for all to see. Galatians 4:19 says, "My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you...". The Greek word for "formed" is morpho-o. It carries with it the idea of an outward transformation realized by an inward change. God desires that our character be Christ-like. For this to be, we must meet the Holy Spirit where He is working and submit to Him in faith. Then He will begin to transform us into the likeness of Christ. Of course if we elect to not do those things - read the Bible, pray, worship, witness, serve - then we should not expect God to change us.

So lace up your walking shoes. Go to where we find the Holy Spirit at work and join Him in His ministry. Then you will begin to see God change you into the likeness of His Son.

-Mark

Please visit our church at http://wakefieldbible.org/templates/System/default.asp?id=40157

Dancing with God

In Matthew 6:24 we find these words, "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." One word jumps out to me, and that word is "hold." "Hold" in the text is antechomai, which means to keep one's self directly opposite to any one.

Jesus has been speaking of treasure. He has been teaching that your treasure is a direct indicator of where your heart is. Now you may be wondering where is your heart? What does your treasure indicate? Four questions given below may help you determine this.
1. What do you value the most?
2. What would you most hate to lose?
3. What do you thoughts turn to most frequently when you are free to think of what you will?
4. What brings you the most pleasure?
By answering these questions honestly, you can determine where your treasure is and what it says about your heart (inner man).

Now back to antechomai. In a sense, we hold our treasure just in front of ourselves. It is ultimately where we put our focus. This idea reminds me of ballroom dancing. You stand facing your partner, and as you move your focus is only on them. If, as you dance, you begin to focus on another, one other than your partner, then you will stumble, or get kicked in the shin! You cannot serve two masters any more than you can simultaneously dance with two partners.

Where then should our focus be? Our treasure and our heart should be focused strictly on the Lord and His kingdom. Next Sunday we will explore what it means to invest in eternity. Until then, look back at the four questions above. Ask God to show you where your treasure is and what that means in regard to your heart. It is my hope that God is front and center in your life. If not, its time to switch partners and begin to dance with God.

-Mark
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Living Life In Front of God

There is a idea that we considered Sunday, and which was repeated tonight in The Truth Project, that the believer lives his life before God. "Of course" you say, "for God is omnipresent." Well we are quick to acknowledge this truth, but slow to live our lives as if we believe it.

How is it that we believe one thing but live another? Is it a purposeful choice or just forgetfulness? "Yes" would be the answer. We choose to rebel, and we live a life so consumed with self that God is often forgotten. Is there is a way to correct this, at least to keep God in the forefront of our minds?

We need to do the simple things: 1) We must make make worship a daily experience. 2) We must seek every opportunity to study God's Word. 3) We must use our spiritual gifts in service to God in the local church. 4) We need to take every opportunity to share Christ with our unsaved friends, family members, and associates.

If we do these simple things we will be reminded of who God is and keep Him in mind.

-Mark
Please visit our church at http://wakefieldbible.org/templates/System/default.asp?id=40157

I Demand My Rights!

What happens when God asks you to face yourself, to look at yourself and make an honest evaluation? In Matthew 5:38-42, He does just that. Our response? Often it is to explain it away; to come up with another understanding that makes God's Word palatable.

The above passage is very familiar with both Christians and non-Christians. Everyone can recite, "turn the other cheek." Often they understand these words to teach pacifism. However, they miss the point of Jesus' words. God gives permission to fight crime and wage war. (See Genesis 9:6 & Romans 13 as examples.) Also, self-defense is not rebuked.

What then does the passage teach? It teaches us to examine our personal rights, our responses to those that ask of us. In the United States, rights are everything, and with good reason. However, when a culture is created around personal rights, in time these rights trump all others, and any sense of humility and submission is lost. Humility and submission must be taught alongside of personal rights to keep a culture in balance.

Jesus taught these concepts and did so in a way that made the listener consider self and selfishness. He asks us to walk the second mile. A Roman soldier could rightly demand of anyone to carry his baggage for one mile. Jesus tells us to go two. Why? When we go the "extra mile" we are doing that which is not rightly demanded of us. We gain freedom from the moment by going beyond the required. The soldier then must ask us to not do so or accept our gift. The second mile becomes an act of grace. And it gives us, the one carrying the burden, freedom that we did not have during the first mile.
I'll expand this in the weeks to come.
-Mark

What Trumps Grace?

We closed our short series on Marriage and Divorce with this verse, "The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more." (Romans 5:20) This amazing verse teaches this amazing fact, that whatever sin you bring to Christ, regardless of how base and perverse it may be, God's grace is greater.
I know that some of our divorcees struggled with this series. Although they learned of two valid reasons for divorce, many came to their divorce by other routes. However, what was stressed in this message was the power of grace. God's grace is always greater than our sin.
-Mark

God is a Divorcee

This past Sunday we took our second look at Marriage and Divorce. Two weeks back (we were interrupted by the Missions Conference) we examined marriage. Yesterday we looked specifically at divorce. We examined Deuteronomy 24:1-4; Matthew 5:31-32, 19:1-10, Leviticus 20:10; 1 Corinthians 6:15-16; and Jeremiah 3:6-8.

In the end these conclusions were reached:

1. Marriage was designed to be a life-long relationship between a man and a woman.

2. Sin perverted marriage

3. The Bible protects marriage

4. Jesus confirms the original design of marriage and limited the reasons for divorce.

5. Divorce for any reason other than adultery is illegitimate

6. If someone divorces for a reason other than adultery it can lead to further adultery.

7. If someone marries a divorcee that participated in an illegitimate divorce, then they too are committing adultery.

8. Although God hates divorce, He loves the divorcee. Why? Because God himself is a divorcee.

In two weeks we will continue our study on divorce. We will examine 1 Corinthians 7. This will allow us to add to the idea of legitimate divorce. Adultery allows for a legitimate divorce. 1 Corinthians 7 teaches that abandonment on the part of an unbelieving spouse is also grounds for a legitimate divorce. We will also determine what to do if you are in an illegitimate second marriage.

The above notes are greatly abbreviated and may lead you to even more questions. Feel free to ask them and I will attempt to answer. Those that have known me for a number of years realize that the above teaching is a change in my position on divorce. Coming out of seminary I held to a No Divorce, No Remarriage position. However, now that I have had time to further study the topic and have had time to develop an understanding apart from the views of others, I have changed my position.

Pray for our Family Weekend that is coming. On Saturday we will have a Men's Steak cookout. Ralph Rice will challenge the men. Ralph will be with us Sunday as we focus on family. Thanks for your prayers.

-Mark

I delight in your deliverance

Well we have finished chapter one of The Song of Songs. I can tell a few things as I look out at the group: They are not a group who easily understands poetry. They are uncomfortable with all this sensual language. They would like a bit more spiritual application. This week I thought I would share some of the applications that we gleaned from the first chapter of the Song.

In 1:2-4 we found that the young woman desired the man physically. This kind of raw attraction is somewhat troubling to some of us because we are aware of Christ's words in Matthew 5:27-30. From those verses we assume that all desire toward physical romance is sin. I feel this would be a wrong assumption. God has placed in us a natural desire toward the opposite sex. Our lack of discipline in the matter leads us into sin, both in the mind and in our actions. Where God-created natural instinct turns into sin is more difficult for me to determine. Where is the line we cross? I will give it some thought and comment later in a future post. However, since the Song makes no moral statements, I too will avoid in so doing.

In addition to her physical attraction, she is attracted to his good character. This can be understood in verse 3 where she praises his name. Like many a smitten person, she probably repeated his name over and over. But it is more that just the sound of his name that moved upon her. In oriental thought, the name of a person speaks of his character. She then is attracted to his character, the person he is on the inside.

Another application we arrived at is found in verses 5-17. Initially we find that the young woman is confident in her physical form. In verse five she refers to herself as "comely" or "desirable." Desirability needs more than self - or to be desirable, you need to be appealing to others. She is confident that her lover will find her physically desirable. We, the reader should be drawn to her confidence. However, this confidence begins to waver as she compares herself to the women of the court. They are probably pale and soft. She is dark and hardened. She begins to lose her confidence when she says in the end of verse 6, "my own vineyard have I not kept." For the remainder of the chapter, as she dialogues with her lover, he focuses his words on her beauty, restoring her confidence. This is a great lesson - A lover should build the other person up. A lover should focus his efforts on lifting his beloved up. The young man in the song does just that.

Craving for spiritual application we took this last idea, of the lover who purposes to build the other up, and applied it to our Savior. When we find ourselves in the presence of our God, we quickly realize that we are not as appealing as first thought. We quickly see our spiritual "figure flaws." However, our Savior is not one to attack and degrade. He does not point at our faults in order to demean and diminish. Rather He lifts us up. As we find ourselves more in His presence we find words of praise similar to the prayer in 1 Samuel 2, where Hannah praises her Lord. Like Hannah we should find our delight and purpose in the fact that God delivers us and raises us up.

-Mark

Watch Yourself

The last two Sunday mornings we have taken a slight turn to the south in order to examine the sinfulness of sin. I believe it has been a productive study, for we are often unaware of the depth of our sin and the height of God's Grace. As we examined the Scripture yesterday, I asked the church to keep focused on God, His Grace, and His Love. In the end I feel we did so.
If there is one thing I thought I would share from the message in this post, it is the idea of how man was originally tempted and how today we are tempted in the same way. I must confess that this teaching comes from a former professor, Dr. Fowler. A few months back, he went to be with Christ. His enthusiasm is missed on this side of heaven.

Mankind was tempted in three areas:
1. Self-Preservation. When Eve (and Adam) looked at the fruit, she first saw that it was good for food(Genesis 3:6). Man has built into him a desire to survive. Like all desires, this can take a person beyond the norm and into sin. Although Adam and Eve had all of the garden in which to eat, they now felt that this plant was necessary for survival. Satan is a creature of habit, or one that returns to what has worked in the past. For that reason we see over in Luke 4:2-4, Satan attempting to tempt Christ in the same manner. Satan appeals to the hunger that Christ must have been suffering and the desire for survival, self-preservation. Jesus did not bite but stated that man's survival is due to every word of God, not just food. Today, we too are tempted in the same manner. You can see this taught in 1 John 2:16 where we see that the world tempts us with the lust of the flesh.
2. Self-Gratification. Returning to Genesis 3:6, Adam and Eve are next tempted with self-gratification. This is broader than self-preservation, for it speaks to the idea of satisfying your own desires, whatever they may be. Satan returned to this approach with Jesus in Luke 4:5-8 when he showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world. In so many words, Satan was saying, "worship me and I will give you the desires of your heart." Again Christ rebukes him by using Scripture. Jesus reminds Satan that only God is worthy of worship and it is Him we should serve. Look at 1 John 2:16 and you will see the world tempting you in the same way by offering you "the lust of the eyes."
3. Self-Exaltation. Finally Adam and Eve bought into the idea that the tree would make them wise. In Genesis 3:5 Satan told Eve that the fruit of the tree would make her "like God." She fell for it. Satan in Luke 4:9-12 makes the same pass at Jesus. He wants Christ to demonstrate His deity. Again Jesus refuses and responds to Satan's temptation with Scripture. Look over at 1 John 2:16 and you will see the world following the same pattern of temptation where it says, "the pride of life."
So the world tempts us just like Adam and Eve were tempted and just like the temptation of Jesus. Now that we are aware of such, we need to daily evaluate what is placed before us. Is it appealing to my desires of self-preservation, self-gratification, and self-exaltation? If so, there is only one response, obey the Word of God. When Jesus was tempted in the same three areas he rebuked Satan (the temptation) with Scripture and obedience. Let us do the same.
-Mark

I am my beloveds, and my beloved is mine...

I have enjoyed preparing for our evening series on the Song of Songs. I must admit that although I have read through the book, I never engaged my mind in the text and attempted to understand what this love poem is about. I thought in this post that I would tell you about three sources that I am using for preparation.

First, I am reading Tommy Nelson's The Book of Romance. This book does not attempt to be a line-by-line verse-by-verse analysis of the poem, however, it does develop good applications for the reader. I use Pastor Nelson's applications to help the members of the congregation move the text into their daily lives. I would recommend this book for high school or better yet adult singles. There are great insights into dating, courtship and early marriage.

The second text that I use is Solomon's Song of Love by Dr. Craig Glickman. It is like that of Nelson's, in that it works in the land of application. However, I would say its purpose is different. Whereas Nelson has great application for the adult single, Glickman appears to target the married couple that has lost the spark of romance. Married adults could use this book for devotions or joint study. (Hmmm, Maybe I should suggest such to Debbie?)

Finally I am using Song of Songs by Richard Hess. This is a part of the Baker Commentary on the Old Testament. This book dives into the language and meaning of the Song. I have truly benefited from Dr. Hess' work. It keeps the study honest.

In the weeks to come, I will give you some of my thoughts concerning the Song. However, as I close I will offer this teaser. I do not think Solomon wrote the Song. I think that it was written by a woman.

-Mark

The Power Over "I Will..."

D. Martin Lloyd-Jones, in his book Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, used Matthew 5:27-30 to address the "exceeding sinfulness of sin." We too at Wakefield Valley Bible Church, have taken this opportunity to study the depth of sin. Yesterday we dived into a study on the depth of sin. This study began with the angelic origin of sin, namely the fall of Lucifer.
In that study I asked the body if they saw themselves in the person and sin of Lucifer? Many commented that they did, especially in the area of pride. A telling moment came when we looked at John 8:44. In John 8:44 Christ is talking to the Jews and the conversation has grown heated. They continue to claim, that first Abraham is their father, and then God is their father. Christ says "no" to both claims, and in verse 44 He points out who is their real father. He tells them that Satan is their father and because of this, they do what comes natural, what their father does.
This is a disturbing commentary on the state of unsaved man. Unsaved man, like his father the devil, makes the same claims found in Isaiah 14:12-14. Unsaved man moment by moment says, "I will ..."
Take some time this week and read through the "I will" statements of Lucifer. Lucifer longed to take over the highest heavenly position. He desired to rule over the angelic kingdom and over all the earth. Lucifer wanted all the glory of heaven. And finally he wanted to be like God, a lie he later told Eve in Genesis 3:5.
For unsaved man the "I will" statements are part of daily life. However, what about the believer? Next Sunday we will study the advent of sin in the human race and further understand the exceeding sinfulness of sin.
-Mark

Grace Upon Grace

I'm sorry for not posting these many months. Life has been busy. However, I should be able keep up with my future postings.

While reading John 1, I was struck by one certain verse, verse 16. It reads, "And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace."

The believer then wakes up everyday to receive another wave of God's grace. The grace a believer received is replaced with even more grace. Robertson pointed out that the Greek is like that of Luke 11:11 where a serpent is given for fish and in Hebrews 12:2 where joy replaces the cross. The image that comes to my mind is that of someone standing on the beach, knee deep in the tide, with wave after wave striking his legs. God's grace is endless and the believer never lacks with what God provides.

The first part of the verse speaks of "His fullness." I looked at Ephesians 4:13. There we find that the gifted people given to the church are being used by God to lead the body to a fullness of Christ. We are becoming more like Christ each and every day!

It seems though that John 1:16 is much different from Ephesians 4:13. In Ephesians the promise is for the believer. In John, I feel that the fullness of Christ is the Incarnate God, who walked among men. The only begotten, He in His fullness, came to man; and those that believe receive His grace forever more each and every day.

-Mark

Looking upon God's Face

For several months I have been preparing for the 2008 AM message series. The goal of this series can be found in Psalm 27:8, "When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek." For much of the prep time I have had in my mind the pattern of preaching/studying The Parables, The Sermon on the Mount, and The Gospel of John. However, now I sense that God would want me to change that order, to begin with John.

The Parables are found in the synoptic Gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Their focus is predominantly on the Kingdom of God. John on the other hand has no parables, unless you consider the shepherd & vine passages as parables. Also the focus of John is not so much on kingdom but on new life. As I have prayed and talked to some others, I now believe that we should begin with John to have a greater chance of realizing Psalm 27:8

Please join us starting January 6th as we begin to walk with Christ through John's eyes.

-Mark