"Don't let worry kill you - let the church help!"

For Your Friday!

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Happy Birthday to my second daughter, Sonja A. Abramson of Milwaukie, OR! Happy Birthday SAM2!

The All Sufficient Scripture

Verbatim

• You have Scripture for a master instead of me; from there you can learn whatever you would know.” -John Chrysostom
  

• “Among those things which are said openly in Scripture are to be found all those teachings which involve faith, the mores of living, and that hope and charity which we have discussed.” -Augustine, On Christian Doctrine trans. by D.W. Roberston, Jr. (New York: Liberal Arts Press, 1958) 11:9.
  

• “The Church is to be judged by the Scriptures, not the Scriptures by the Church.” - John Wesley
  

• “Let God-inspired Scripture decide between us; and on whichever side be found doctrines in harmony with the word of God, in favor of that side will be cast the vote of truth.” - Basil of Caesarea (c. 330 - 379 A.D.)
  

• “The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man’s salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men. Nevertheless, we acknowledge the inward illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the Word: and that there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God, and government of the Church, common to human actions and societies, which are to be ordered by the light of nature, and Christian prudence, according to the general rules of the Word, which are always to be observed.” Westminster Confession of Faith
  
  “The fanaticism which discards the Scripture, under the pretense of resorting to immediate revelations is subversive of every principle of Christianity. For when they boast extravagantly of the Spirit, the tendency is always to bury the Word of God so they may make room for their own falsehoods.” - John Calvin
  
   “I have convenanted with my Lord that he should not send me visions or dreams or even angels. I am content with this gift of the Scriptures, which teaches and supplies all that is necessary, both for this life and that which is to come.” - Martin Luther
  
  

You Can't Take It With You (When You Go)

You Can’t Take With You (When You Go)

Gregg Metcalf

February 14, 2012

Now and then I look out my window

at the guy who lives across the street

he is never home he’s always on the go

he doesn’t know the meaning of retreat

Evidence of his dedication sits in his drive

All the trappings of his wealth is on display

he has never learned the meaning of deprive

he has all the latest toys so he can play

But there is one thing he’s never thought of…

Chorus:

While my little boat is in the water

His big boat sets there in the drive

While I am fishing with my daughter

He is still trying hard to arrive

My old Ford needs a little tender lovin’ care

It is no secret that our house is old I know

He doesn’t understand or seems to be aware

That you can’t take it with you when you go

we don’t have much- money is in short supply

our things are old- heck most are second hand

fact is we use up all we ever get or buy

we know that all these things don’t make a man

there are a lot of lessons that folks never learn

after all has been said or done,  I still know

when you are done livin’ there’s one thing to discern

that you can’t take it with you when you go

Chorus:

While my little boat is in the water

His big boat sets there in the drive

While I am fishing with my daughter

He is still trying hard to arrive

My old Ford needs a little tender lovin’ care

It is no secret that our house is old I know

He doesn’t understand or seems to be aware

That you can’t take it with you when you go 

Bridge:

When you drive your self to work each day

Keep in mind the end of time be sure to play, or...

Chorus:

While my little boat is in the water

Your big boat sets there in the drive

While I am fishing with my daughter

You are still trying hard to arrive

My old Ford needs a little tender lovin’ care

It is no secret that our house is old I know

You don't understand or seem to be aware

That you can’t take it with you when you go

Why Won't Johnny Preach?

I am completely appalled, angry, apprehensive, and anxious right now. My bewilderment and bombastic rhetoric is directed at both congregant and pastor of the local churches in this area. I am still retching and reeling from Sunday’s so called worship service. I have recently moved to Kelso and I thought I would take some time and check out the churches in this community. The last few weeks we have been visiting around the local churches of Kelso.

Kelso is a neighboring city of Longview. West Kelso and Longview nuzzle up together at Cowlitz Way and Washington Way. West Kelso and main Kelso are separated by the Cowlitz River which can be crossed by the Allen Street Bridge or the Cowlitz Way Bridge. Kelso is a small city of approximately 12,000 residents. Kelso has some 30 places or so that call themselves “Churches.” Of course only about a dozen of those 30 some organizations can even be considered close to being a representative of the bride of Christ.

My frustration and frankness stems from this sincere question: doesn’t anybody preach the bible anymore? Does anyone know how to pick up the scripture and from a literal, historical, grammatical, and contextual set of hermeneutical rules exegete a passage of Scripture? By this I mean explain and expound what the original author had in mind and what the original audience understood and make relevant application of the ancient text.

All that was offered at (imagine that the name of the church is here but obscured by a blue-dot) was a topical lesson on forgiveness. The pastor apparently found a verse that had the word “forgiveness” in it and placed that short verse on the bulletin cover. We did not have to open our bibles because no text was explained. As a matter of fact we were never referenced to the bible. A few scriptures were “yanked” out of context. By the way, because only a certain portion of the “proof-text” verse touched on the topic, the entire verse was not quoted nor appeared on the transparency.

I am appalled at how the bible is actually being handled, or really mishandled. I am anxious for the congregation that sits under such “tofu” week after week after week. How can one grow strong if the beef is never served during a meal? This wasn’t even milk. When Paul spoke of milk he meant the milk of scripture. Listen to him, “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. (Note: the milk is not topical porridge; it is the word of God, simple basic principles of God’s word) You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk (basic principles of God’s word) is unskilled in the word of righteousness (emphasis mine), since he is a child.” (Hebrews 5:12-13, ESV)

A 20 minute sermonette of a topical idea precariously supported by strings of verses “ripped” out of context is not strong meat. No wonder that most of these believers never cash a check out of the rich account of their inheritance in Christ. No wonder the community remains unreached. Of course 30 minutes of 7-11 music was on the menu. What is that? You don’t know what 7-11 music is? That is music where the same seven words are sung 11 times.

Why won’t Johnny preach? Why won’t Johnny wrestle with at text until he knows the mind of the author and has a word from God? Church members and officers need to take great care that their pastor “works at preaching” and that preaching is the main point of his ministry.

 John MacArthur made this point with eloquent force during his sermon to the 1990 Southern Baptist Pastors' Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana. How can church members encourage their pastor to make preaching his priority? Here are MacArthur's suggestions:

Fling him into his office, then tear the "Office" sign from the door, and replace it with a sign that says, "Study."

Take him off the mailing list. Lock him up with his books and his typewriter and his Bible. Slam him down on his knees before texts and broken hearts and the flick of lives of a superficial flock and a holy God.

Force him to be the one man in the community who knows about God. Throw him into the ring to box with God until he learns how short his arms are. Engage him to wrestle with God all the night through, and let him come out only when he's bruised and beaten into being a blessing.

Shut his mouth from forever spouting remarks and stop his tongue from forever tripping lightly over every non-essential. Require him to have something to say before he breaks the silence.

Burn his eyes with weary study. Wreck his emotional poise with worry for the things of God. Make him exchange his pious stance for a humble walk with God and man. Make him spend and be spent for the glory of God.

Rip out his telephone. Burn up his success sheets. Put water in his gas tank. Give him a Bible and tie him to the pulpit. Test him, quiz him, examine him. Humiliate him for his ignorance of things divine.

Shame him for his good comprehension of finance, batting averages and political party issues. Laugh at his frustrated effort to play psychiatrist. Form a choir, raise a chant and haunt him night and day with, "Sir, we would know God."

When at long last he does assay the pulpit, ask him if he has a word from God. If he doesn't, then dismiss him. Tell him you can read the paper. You can digest the television commentary. You can think through the day's superficial problems and manage the weary drives of the community and bless the assorted baked potatoes and green beans better than he can.

And when he does speak God's Word, listen. And when he's burned out finally by the flaming Word, consumed by the fiery grace blazing through him, and when he's privileged to translate the truth of God to man and finally is himself transferred from earth to heaven, bear him away gently. Blow a muted trumpet. Lay him down softly and place a two-edged sword on his coffin and raise the tune triumphant, for ere he died he had become a Man of God.

Title:  Tyndale: The Man Who God an English Voice

Author:  David Teems
First Copy Right:  2012
Type of Book:  Paperback
General Subject:  Biographical
Price:  $15.99
ISBN:  978-1-5955-5221-1

The author’s purpose in writing this book is found in the prologue, p. xv; it is written in contrast to his book Majestie. Teems states that “Majestie laughs where Tyndale must grit its teeth. Teems states that this book will inform, amuse, and even entertain. He claims his book will even bewilder the reader. Teems explores the man William Tyndale in an age where Henry VIII, Anne Boylen, Mary I, Martin Luther, and the Roman Catholic church create what he calls “a rather humorless age.”

Theme: The effects of Roman Catholic domination on dissenters.

Thesis:  Roman Catholic dogma protected and promoted by persecution of any considered as dissenters nearly prevented the translation of the bible into the English language.

Teems uses narration as his means to tell the story of who William Tyndale was, who he became, how his translation came about, and how the Roman Catholic church used its power to kill and destroy all those who opposed their doctrine and organizational structure.

With very little information available and known about William Tyndale, Teems does an excellent job on describing the times, the players, and the overall atmosphere that was present as William Tyndale became the first to translate the bible into the English language. Tyndale’s life was brief, just 42 years, but his legacy is undeniably the most important gift to the world since the giving of Jesus Christ by God the Father as a sacrifice for his people.

Teems goes into great detail about the age in which Tyndale was born and lived in order to give us an idea of what made this man what he was. Tyndale had a great passion for placing the Scriptures in the hands of the common man. He was uniquely gifted for languages and is credited with introducing extraordinary words and phrases into the English language. It is often reported that he was responded to a critic with this famous quote, “If God spares my life, ere many years, I will cause the boy that driveth the plow to know more the Scriptures than thou dost!”

With narration Teems weaves the information that we can verify concerning Tyndale’s life with the philosophical, intellectual, spiritual, religious, and practical dimensions leading up to is birth, his life, his monumental work, and his eventual death. Teems uses this information to demonstrate why it was so necessary to translate the Scripture into English and why the Roman Catholic hierarchy fought it so strenuously.

Teems traces Tyndale’s youth, education and his life. He gives us insight into the exile that Tyndale faced and his subsequent execution.

Tyndale is an extremely interesting book to read. It held my attention all the way through. Teems has done an excellent job on research of the people and events surrounding Tyndale and his translation. The reader will find a wealth of historical information. There is a complete section of end notes, appendix, and a bibliography.

David Teems is an accomplished writer having written To Love Is Christ, And Thereby Hangs a Tale, Majestie:The King behind the King James Bible, and Discovering Your Spiritual Center.

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I received a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes from BookSneeze.

Overcoming the Dunghills

Election having once pitched upon a man, it will find him out and call him home, wherever he be. It called Zaccheus out of accursed Jericho; Abraham out of idolatrous Ur of the Chaldees; Nicodemus and Paul, from the College of the Pharisees, Christ’s sworn enemies; Dionysius and Damaris, out of superstitious Athens. In whatsoever dunghills God’s elect are hid, election will find them out and bring them home.

John Arrowsmith (1602-1659)