As we are on the brink of a new year, there is a phrase that that is often mentioned.  Whether it is on the radio or in print, I never fail to see or hear a  promise of increase in the New Year;  ”Just sow a seed at our New Years Eve Service and you are guaranteed prosperity in the year to come.”

Words cannot express how harmful this is to the body of Christ and I would warn you to steer clear of churches who make you this promise.

Now; if you desire increase in 2009, I pray that your desire would be far beyond the temporal monetary comforts of this world.  Those who desire increase of substance will find themselves at the cross.  They will find themselves returning again and again to the death, burial and resurrection of our Savior.  And as they contemplate, weep, and reflect; increase will soon follow.  For when we behold the cross;  humility will increase, service will increase, love will increase, worship will increase, prayer will increase, godliness will increase, passion will increase, trials will increase, evangelism will increase and most of all Christ will increase and you will decrease.

Are you looking for increase in 2009?  Go to the Cross my friend, run to Christ and find your  increase.

 He must increase but I must decrease.  John 3:30

On Sunday I was in the Trauma Unit at Grady Hospital. A friend had just been a car accident. To God’s praise she was well. However, I could not help but look around and see so many suffering from various wounds and afflictions. I was reminded how in the midst of a world so full of tragedy, God is good and gracious to us in ways we don’t deserve. Some people look at the pain and suffering in the world and wonder where is God and how can God allow this to happen. Yet, I am convinced that a more appropriate question is how come everyone is not in the Trauma Unit this evening? Why did God spare me or you from the pain and suffering we so deserve for our rebellion and sin?

Where was God in the midst of all that hurt? He was there reminding me how gracious He has been to all and that except for the grace of God, there I would be also. In fact, there I could be today.

I was reminded of a verse in Philippians which as we studied it convicted us all. Phil. 2:14: Do all things without grumbling or questioning. Complaining and murmuring is the overlooked and dismissed sin of Christians today. We have it much better than we deserve, yet we always seem to think we should have it even better than that. I am reminded of a poem I came across in some recent studies. It is sure to remind you that we have far less to complain about than we do:               

Forgive Me When I Whine

Today upon a bus, I saw a lovely maid with golden hair;

I envied her — she seemed so gay, and how, I wished I were so fair;

When suddenly she rose to leave, I saw her hobble down the aisle;

she had one foot and wore a crutch, but as she passed, a smile

Oh God, forgive me when I whine,

I have two feet — the world is mine.

And when I stopped to buy some sweets, the lad who served me had such charm;

he seemed to radiate good cheer, his manner was so kind and warm;

I said, “It’s nice to deal with you, such courtesy I seldom find”;

he turned and said, “Oh, thank you sir.” And then I saw that he was blind.

Oh, God, forgive me when I whine,

I have two eyes, the world is mine.

Then, when walking down the street, I saw a child with eyes of blue;

he stood and watched the others play, it seemed he knew not what to do;

I stopped a moment, then I said, “Why don’t you join the others, dear?”

He looked ahead without a word, and then I knew he could not hear.

Oh God, forgive me when I whine,

I have two ears, the world is mine.

With feet to take me where I’d go;

with eyes to see the sunsets glow,

with ears to hear what I would know.

I am blessed indeed. The world is mine;

oh, God, forgive me when I whine.

- Author Unknown

A recent study was done by SmartMoney in which they sought to ascertain The Best Colleges for Making Money.  The goal was to find out which schools had the best payback in comparison to the tuition cost.  It is an interesting study, and if you care to see the results you can find them here. 

What I find interesting is that people spend countless hours and energy trying to get into high priced institutions when most of the public institutions give them an even greater rate of return on their investment.  And since this is what most of them want, why would you spend huge money and incur huge debt at a high priced out-of-state college or university when you can receive a quality education and likely obtain the same job after graduation as you would from a lower costing in-state institution?  For example, right here in Georgia, the University of Georgia and Georgia Tech out distanced Harvard and Yale in this study. 

However, here is a more crucial question I wish more Christians were asking,  yet unfortunately I seldom hear.  When you go off to college, where are you going to go to church?  I can not tell you how many times people ask me to recommend a church after their son or daughter is already off at school.  My immediate thought was why did not the church decision play a larger role in the initial selection process.  Could it be that we place such a higher premium on education than we do on spiritual growth and vitality.  No wonder so many college students seem to lose their faith and spiritual balance.  In the decision for college attendance church appears to be an afterthought in our priorities and thus we pass it along to our children. 

Here is a suggestion, the next time your child tells you they want to attend a certain school, ask them which church they are going to attend while there.  If they don’t have an answer tell them that selecting a church is just as important as selecting a college (if not more so).  Just as they collected info on the college and the subjects they want to study, so too must they collect info on the church they want to attend.  There are too many good schools to choose from for us to send our kids to one where we don’t know where and when they will attend church. 

Where to go to school is an important decision.  Where to go to church is even more so.

“Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?”  Charlie Brown asked the question and Linus gave the best answer ever heard on broadcast television.  Once again we celebrate Christmas.  And with all the yearly hubbub and marketing and merriment, one is left to wonder if the world has ever listened to Linus these past 40 plus years.  Yet, those who love the Christ who was born into the world to save sinners (Matt. 1:21), have not only heard Linus but we have believed on the One of whom Linus spoke.  We have believed unto the saving of our souls.  This Christmas, I am praying for the time of merriment to be a time of remembering – remembering  that I am saved and all that Christ did to accomplish my salvation.  The Christ who was born is the Christ that gave his life as a ransom for me (Mk. 10:45).   Therefore, Christmas is about the gospel.  It is about Christ coming into the world to redeem the world and reconcile the world unto God (2Cor. 5:19).  It is about peace on earth for those with whom God is pleased (Lk. 2:14).  Yes Charlie Brown, there is someone who knows what Christmas is all about.  And let not only Linus, but all the redeemed say so!

As you may know, we have been studying Paul’s Letter to the Philippians.  It is has been an encouraging and challenging study, to say the least.  It seems that with every word of encouragement, Paul offers a word of challenge.  The encouragement he offers over and over again is the gospel.  Likewise, the challenge he offers over and over again is the gospel.  Through the gospel we are saved, and by the gospel we are transformed.  One aspect of that transformation is that we have been enlisted in to the Army of Christ, and are called to be, as the song writer put it, “Soldiers of the Cross.”  In fact, Paul refers to this calling in commending Epaphroditus to the church in Philippi.  He calls Epaphroditus a “fellow soldier” (2:25). 

While some lament the use of militaristic language in describing the Christian life, Paul does not shy away from it (see 2Cor. 10:3-4; Eph. 6:12; 2Tim. 2:3-4; 4:7).

What does the use of militaristic language tell us about the Christian and gospel ministry? It says that there is far more to living faithfully than most of us are ready to know.

Most of us want no part of the true warfare that is Christianity. We want no part of the war within that we are called to fight everyday. We don’t mind fighting what we think are our foes outside of us, but we want little to do with the foe that is most destructive and dangerous, namely our sin within. There is an old African proverb that says it best: If there is no enemy within, the enemy outside can do us no harm.

The true fight is with ourselves. Yet, I find we want nothing to do with fighting our anger, gossip, resentments, jealousies, and selfish attitudes. Here’s a challenge, the next time you are tempted to be angry with someone, try being angry at your anger. Try being angry at your sin, and fight that. The next time you are tempted to talk down or talk about someone, resist that temptation and talk about your own lack of faith, your own disobedience and sin.

This past Thanksgiving the Spirit of God convicted me of my need to pray for the salvation of my brothers and sisters. They are not saved, and naturally demonstrate it. Rather than decrying their lack of spiritual understanding and moral judgment, I need to repent of my own lack of diligence in praying for their souls.  Instead warring with them in my heart, I should war against the sin of my heart for not mentioning them more often in prayer.   

Paul says “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds” (2Cor 10:3-4);

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places”(Eph. 6:12).

This put me in remembrance of John Piper saying that Christians need to “Make war!”  Are you a soldier of the cross, fighting not against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces and fighting to bring your own heart, lust, and desires into subjection (1Cor. 9:27)? If you are a fellow soldier, a soldier of the cross, then you must make war.

I had a great conversation the other day with a good friend I had not connected with in some time.  As we talked and laughed we did so (like we have done many times in the past)over a cup of coffee.  Later on in the day I could not help but reflect on what a rich time we enjoyed and got to thinking about not wasting a cup of coffee.

So here are a couple of ways to redeem your time while enjoying a cup o joe.

1. When drinking a cup of coffee make sure you have your Bible open or a book that is edifying to your soul.
2. Invite those you are disciplining to enjoy a cup with you as you serve one another in gospel fellowship
3. Frequent the same coffee shops and get to know the employees as well as the other regular patrons.  Pray that God would open up  opportunities for you to share the Gospel with them.
4. Use the time to meditate on a portion of scripture or jot down something in your journal.

Are you a coffee drinker?  Are there other things that could be added to this list?

The Christmas season is in full swing and we are finding ourselves busy with parties, programs, shopping, cooking, and a host of other trappings that accompany this time of the year. Yet, I am so grateful that we were able to begin looking at Phil. 3 this past weekend because it reminded us that even though we busy ourselves with this time of the year, we must not – we can not put any confidence in the flesh. Christmas is a time of the year where confidence in the flesh can be at its highest and most dangerous. We run around trying to please everyone, trying to find the perfect gift or make the perfect dish, and finding too much worthy in our ability to do so. If this is you, I have the perfect solution. I know how you can please everyone on your list, and still put no confidence in the flesh.

Recently I was asked if my marriage was as good today as it was when we first started 15 years ago.  My reply was that it is better. It is better because I am a better person, a better Christian. It is not as good as it should be, nor as good as it could be, or by God’s grace, will be. However, it is better because I am a better, more mature Christian. I have learned that the best gift I can give my wife is to be a better Christian. The best gift you can give your husband is to be a better Christian. The best gift you can give your family, friends, church members, and the world is to be a better Christian. Being a better Christian is being a more mature Christian. It is growing in the knowledge of Christ with wisdom and spiritual discernment (Col. 1:9-10). It is understanding that learning contentment (Phil. 4:11) and not complaining (Phil. 2:14) blesses everyone (especially your spouse, parents, and pastors . Being a better Christian is simply trusting Christ more and living by faith and putting no confidence in flesh (Phil. 3:3).

As we saw this past weekend, none of us are as mature as we think we are. And so we need these spiritual reminders and safeguards that keep us from getting too easily in the flesh, and thereby demonstrating confidence in the flesh and not Christ. So here is the gift that keeps on giving – become a better, more mature Christian and see how it impacts all of your relationships and life. Not only will you be more happy, but those around you will be more happy as well.

I guarantee it!

The latest issue of Ministry and Leadership from Reformed Theological Seminary has an article entitled Historical Achievements, dealing with the rise of Reformed ministries on historically black college campuses.  The article is quite encouraging.  We can only pray that God will raise up some reformed men and women to begin ministering the gospel on the campuses of the HBCUs in the Atlanta area.  Check out the article (p. 16-17).   There is also a brief mention of East Point Church and the work we are seeking to establish here in the city.  I am praising God for the work of those who are desiring to see reformed theology take hold where it unfortunately has been conspicuously absent.  May God continue to challenge us and raise up many more for his glory and the good of the church and the nations.

Rap music at its best!

Are you familiar with Shai Linne? You should be. Shai Linne does with rap what Christians should do with rap – use it for the proclamation of the Gospel and the glory of Christ. Rap at its best takes the language and truths of Scripture and the theology of the Church and puts it in lyrical form. It should seek to communicate truth without overshadowing it with frivolity. Shai Linne accomplishes this well. And no where does he do it any better than in the song Mission Accomplished. Shai takes the biblical, historical, and unfortunately sometimes controversial doctrine of Particular Redemption and sets it in our ears with such clarity and creativity that one is hard pressed to disagree. If you never understood this glorious truth, here is a marvelous encouragement.

If you have not heard it before, listen to it now. If you have heard it, then do what I do and listen again.

The best freshmen college basketball player I ever saw was Wayman Tisdale.  He is still the only player in Div-1 college history to be a consensus All-American as a freshmen, sophomore, and junior.  I remember watching him play as a freshmen at Oklahoma University and marveling at how unstoppable he was.  Yet, even more than that, we seemed to always have a good time – full of smiles and energy.  It must have been a joy to play with him.  Wayman went on to play in the NBA and though he never really became a basketball superstar, he never lost his infectious attitude and love for life.  Wayman was not only a talented basketball player, but he was equally as talented as a musician.  He has always loved playing the bass guitar and today has produced several critically acclaimed jazz cds.  Yesterday, however, I discovered that not only has Wayman been producing great music, but he also battled with cancer and eventually lost his right leg.  Today he is an amputee.  Yet, you wouldn’t know it from his attitude.  Wayman has beaten cancer with faith and a smile.  As he said in the piece below, “Cancer got my leg, but it can’t get my smile.”  Watch and be encouraged.