Several years ago, our church committed to make significant changes in the way we ministered to children on Wednesday nights. STOMP, an acronym for Seek God—Trust God—Obey God—Meet with God—Praise God, was the wonderful result. The program, developed under the direction of Connie Goodson, is an energy-filled time for kids to learn biblical truths about God and participate in musical praise and worship. Kids love it!

But back to my Wednesday night visit. I have to admit that I find speaking to children a bit intimidating. I’ve preached to middle school, high school, and college students. I’ve taught in seminaries and preached hundreds of adult worship services. But nothing is like speaking to young children, and we had an awesome time!

Did you know that each Wednesday about 270 children attend STOMP (K through 5th grade) and 60 children attend Pre-Stomp (3 years through pre-K)? In addition, nearly 70 adults faithfully teach these children (thank you, volunteers!). The greatness of the ministry isn’t found in the attendance; it lies in the life of each child. A whole lifetime to learn about the Lord and serve Him lies before each one.

Children Are a Vital Part of Our Church

Some say children are the church of the future; however, they are very much a vital part of the church of the present. Children are a gift from God to their parents, families, and the church. We have the privilege of helping them come to Christ, be baptized, grow in their faith, and serve in many ways as they mature. They give us numerous opportunities to show Christ’s love and care, and they call our hearts to rise to the height of what it means to be Christians.

Jesus said, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:14 ESV). As we minister to them, we’re called to give our time, money, and service with sacrificial abandon. Furthermore, as a church we have the responsibility to protect our children because they are vulnerable, helpless, and dependent upon our support.

Growing Ministry Needs

Speaking of children, I was amazed during our last Parent Commitment services. That weekend we dedicated 58 babies and young children, including four sets of twins! Twenty-one were born to first time parents and ten to families with three or more children.  Four of those babies belonged to church staff members.

This says a lot to us. Obviously, we have a huge ministry to young married adults. HHBC is not graying with the population; the Lord is sending lots of young people to our church.  This also speaks to us about planning for the future. We have a great problem: We are running out of room quickly. Preschool, children’s, middle school, and high school ministries all need more space.

The Lord is entrusting these children and families to us, so we are creatively addressing the space issue as best we can. Many of our FLOCKs meet off campus and some actually meet as entire families—children and adults together. This is all well and good, but we need to be good stewards of these precious lives. Frankly, we need to look long and hard at the possibility of expanding our building space.

As I’ve mentioned to you a number of times before, we have a team that is surveying our space needs and researching the possibility of expansion. This is a matter of prayer for all of us. Pray that this team has wisdom to discern God’s plan for our needs, and pray for His continued favor on the staff and volunteers who minister to our children.

I love being your pastor,

Dennis

Things have changed since then. More and more Baptists and other evangelicals are integrating these days into their church calendar and personal observances. So I decided to see what they are all about. To my surprise, I have found that observing a number of these special days can enrich a believer’s spiritual life.

Remembering & Preparing
Do you do anything to prepare for Easter? I’m not talking about buying new clothing, filling Easter baskets with candy, or coloring Easter eggs. What, if anything, do you do to prepare yourself personally for the celebration of the most important day of the year?

Let’s talk about that fact first. Easter is the most important day of the year! Easter is Resurrection Sunday. It is the day we remember how Jesus came back to life after His execution, proving His claims to be the Messiah, and overcoming death. Because of Easter, we can know that Jesus received the punishment of our sins and overcame them all!

Easter is about worship, not family gatherings or chocolate bunnies. Given the great significance of this day, many Christians believe that we need to do everything we can to focus our minds and our hearts on the events that led up to the crucifixion and resurrection. We don’t want to just stumble into Easter with little thought; we want to be deliberate. We want our worship on that day to take in the fullness of the sacrifices and victory of our Lord.

The question is, how do we get our spirits and souls ready for Easter? Our preparation must be internal—the focusing of our minds and submission of our hearts to the Lord. Stray thoughts and unrepentant sin must not rob us of our worship that day. Easter is a special day of worship and celebration, so the days leading up to Easter need to be special days of preparation.

Traditional Preparation
Traditions have built up over the centuries to guide pilgrims on the journey to Easter. Some of these traditions are both healthy and helpful. Some, unfortunately, are neither. Lent, Ash Wednesday, Passion Sunday, Holy Week, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday have become the path of that pilgrimage for some. But what are these observances and should we consider them in our preparation?

I love that verse. Paul’s letter to the Philippians was one of joy, thankfulness, and encouragement. Similarly, that’s the kind of letter I think is appropriate to write to the members of Henderson Hills as I reflect some on the past and look forward to the future.

Joy
Recently I had an opportunity to lead a woman to Christ. That same day, a middle school boy told me that he led four children to Christ the previous week on a mission trip! The next Sunday, a man and his daughter approached me after church and told me they wanted to receive Christ. That afternoon I counseled with a young couple, and the young woman made application for church membership during our time together. It is a privilege and joy to experience opportunities like those, and I am equally overjoyed when I hear stories from church members who have led a family member, friend, or co-worker to know the Lord, invited someone to church, gone on their first mission trip, or begun mentoring an individual who is less mature in his or her faith.

I challenge you to look for opportunities this year to share your faith and tell others about the joy of a personal relationship with Christ. Then share your story with one of the pastors. We’d love to hear from you. There is true joy to be found in sharing the gospel and serving the Lord.

Thankfulness
I’m thankful for the hundreds of volunteers who faithfully serve in numerous positions at Henderson Hills. We simply could not do ministry without you. I’m also thankful for those of you who are prayer warriors. The pastors, elders, and staff particularly desire your prayers. Sometimes we can literally feel a satanic attack on us and our families. Pray for us to stand strong for the Lord as your church leaders.

I’m thankful for your faithful giving—not only of time but also of your money. You give money to go on mission trips, to support mission trips, to our general fund, to Ministries of Jesus, for special projects throughout the year such as the Christmas Store, to building projects, and to so much more in order to share the love of Christ with others.

Standing Firm
Believers are called to stand firm on the absolute truth of the Scriptures in a world that says there is no absolute truth. Theologically, Henderson Hills is on the conservative, evangelical, and baptistic side of Christianity.  As a church, we embrace the belief in the inerrancy of Scripture, trinity, Lordship of Christ, sacrificial substitutionary death of Christ, a literal heaven and hell, and the imminent return of Christ. If you aren’t sure why you believe as you do, then make this year the year you nail down your beliefs (your theology). Make an appointment to talk to a pastor or an elder, or start a mentoring relationship with a mature Christian who can guide you.

Striving Side by Side
I was talking with Kevin Nicolin, Administrative Pastor and elder, the other day, and he mentioned to me that “membership is up, baptisms are up, giving is up, worship attendance is up, and FLOCK attendance is up.”  Numbers represent people, and so they are important, but more important than the numbers is the fact that the church as a whole is acting faithfully to our calling. I believe increased baptisms, membership, giving, and attendance means the church as a whole is ministering to people. That’s wonderful!

Although the testimonies of faith I told you about above were ones I personally witnessed, each of these people were drawn to Christ through our members working together to provide opportunities for these folks to hear about Christ. This year make it a point to pray for the church’s unity so that we can strive side by side with one mind.

Encouragement
I encourage us to be faithful to Christ and His calling upon our lives. Remember that sometimes the Lord grows the church numerically, and sometimes He prunes the vine.  Sometimes we see exciting things happen, and sometimes we do not see results at all.  There are easy days and challenging days in the life of a church, Christian family, or individual believer.  But the way we know that we are headed in the right direction and are where we need to be is if we can honestly say that we are seeking to be more faithful to Christ.

So, how are we doing? I believe we are being faithful to our call to preach and teach the Word of God, worship, and serve Christ. We are seeking to love the Lord and love people.  The bottom line is this: Faithfulness is the key to understanding where we are and how we are doing.  God is the one who determines the results.

Next week I'll write more on what I see for the immediate future of Henderson Hills.

I love being your pastor,

Dennis

1. Stop berating yourself for past sins.
This is a serious issue for many Christians. They will endlessly rehearse their weaknesses, mistakes, and failures as they are caught in the whirlpool of morbid introspection. Yes, we must take sin seriously. I’m not talking about excusing the evil that you’ve done or ignoring your rebellion against God. However, it is no act of faith for you to keep dwelling on and punishing yourself for what God has forgotten.

Keep these points in mind about your sins and God: The Father sent the Son into the world to live a sinless life and to offer himself as a sin offering to remove your sins from you and pay for each one fully. When you are saved, you are forgiven of past, present, and future sins. That’s right, literally all your sins. If you have trouble living like you really believe that promise, I encourage you to memorize these Scriptures:

Isaiah 44:22
²²I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you.

Psalm 103:11-12
¹¹For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; ¹²as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

God has forgiven your sins, and he calls upon you to believe that. The old hymn “It is Well with My Soul” celebrates the forgiveness. Read the words and remind yourself.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!¹

2. Stop trying to compete with everyone.
From our childhood, we are taught to compete. Your little league baseball team wanted to beat the rest of the teams in the league. You wanted to do at least as well, if not better, than other kids in your class. Businesses constantly compete for the market share. I’m way too competitive. I can even remember in seminary wanting to get the best grade in the class. What was I thinking! This is so opposite of what Scripture says—in honor, preferring one another in love.

Romans 12:10
¹⁰Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

Philippians 2:3
³Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

In the end, it won’t matter if you’ve won the game, the position, or the recognition. What will matter is if you’ve loved God and loved others.

3. Stop wasting your time on email and browsing the Internet.
I used to think that email was the best invention since sliced bread. Now, I’ve come to believe that it can be one of the most time-wasting and dangerous mediums of communication. I admit that I have trouble controlling email. Email can be addictive, like the siren song distracting our concentration as we bow to the tyranny of the urgent.

Social media is another potential time-waster; it is so easy to get involved in gossip on social media. Remember, what you write or post will stand as a record of your life for decades to come.

Then there is Google. I heard a person say that “Google makes us stupid,” adding that it allows us to get quick answers without context or real understanding.

I’m not saying to swear off the Internet. What I am saying is manage it—don’t let it manage you. Imagine the number of hours you could save in a year if you didn’t waste time on the Internet. Consider the things that you could do for your family, church, work, and yourself if you set boundaries on your Internet use.

Ephesians 5:16
¹⁶making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.

Colossians 4:5
⁵Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.

I love the way that Solomon instructs us about the importance of how we use words:

Proverbs 25:11
¹¹A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.

Are there some things you need to stop doing as you start off the year? Give some thought to how you can best spend your time.

I love being your pastor,

Dennis

Notes:

¹ Horatio Spafford, 1871.

Scripture taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright © 2000; 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

2. Stop spending time with the wrong people. 
Listen to the Apostle Paul’s teaching, “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company ruins good morals’” (1 Corinthians 15:33, ESV). I’ve watched in amazement as good people have been corrupted by spending time with the wrong people. For example, you might be perfectly happy with your job, church, or school, but then you start hanging out with disgruntled people. Their complaining is contagious, and soon your satisfaction has turned to discontent. Your circumstances have not changed, but your mind has been “infected” by their negative attitudes. And it all started with a single carrier of dissatisfaction.

Consider a different type of example. If your good friends curse, lie, or use drugs, you’ll find yourself being led astray. Spending time with immoral people will impact your morality.

Ask yourself who you should stop spending time with this year.

3. Stop trying to cling to the past.
We’ve probably all heard the adage, “Yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never come.” This statement is actually an encouragement live today fully. Jesus said we should do that very thing. He said, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:33-34, ESV).

One of the most dangerous things that can happen to a person is to decide to oppose change. When we long for the good ol’ days, we are wasting our lives. The good ol’ days are gone, and you can’t bring them back. Worrying about tomorrow won’t help either. Jesus says that we must learn to focus on Christ and living fully for him right now. Paul once wrote, “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14, ESV).

Do you need to stop wishing your life away longing for the good ol’ days? That will do nothing other than make you unhappy, grumpy, and a negative influence. When remembering becomes nostalgia, its redemptive value morphs into enslaving shackles.

In closing, consider these two quotes, the first from John Stott and the second from Billy Graham, about the power of Scripture:

“...not only has God spoken; not only does God continue to speak through what he has spoken; but when God speaks he acts. His Word does more than explain his action; it is active in itself.”²

“And I have found that when I present the simple message of the gospel of Jesus Christ, with authority, quoting from the very Word of God—he takes that message and drives it supernaturally into the human heart.”³

I love being your pastor,

Dennis

_______________

¹ Edward Bulwer-Llytton, Richelieu.
² John Stott, Between Two Worlds, p. 103.
³ Billy Graham, Quotes, p. 279.

At times, Scripture may bring us to tears and fill us with joy. Those kinds of emotions are wonderful. However, if we try to subjectively assess God’s leadership or presence based upon an emotion that isn’t coming from the recognition of biblical truth, we will be led astray.

Objective Truth of Scripture

Let’s turn our attention now to objective truth. Objective truth is based on the statements of Scripture, not on personal opinion or perception. We must build our lives on it. That means that we need to be committed to reading, studying, learning, and applying what it clearly says and not depending on some independent impression that God may be speaking to us.

The writers of Scripture tell us that the words recorded are not their own but instead are divinely inspired. They simply wrote exactly what God wanted said (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21). It might be profitable for me to write about the objective reasons why we can believe in the origin and authority of Scripture apart from the fact that it claims to be divinely inspired. However, for the purpose of this brief blog, let’s leave it at this simple statement: The Bible is our authority because God has given it to us. It says so and there are many outside proofs that substantiate that claim.

Imagine that you lived in a country that had a king and that king commanded you to do something specific. Let’s say he tells you to allow a traveler to spend the night in your home. Rather than inviting that traveler in for a good meal and a comfortable place to rest, however, you refuse to even let him into your home. Would that not be arrogant and even dangerous for you to do? The Bible is the sovereign God’s instructions to us. We are His creation, His people. He is our King, so we must learn what He says to do and then do it. Because the Bible has divine origin, there is no greater authority by which to live. It is completely true and without error. In other words, because the Bible is the Word of God, then it has right to establish truth and set our values and priorities.

Luther’s Stand for Truth

Martin Luther, the 16th-century reformer who started the Reformation by nailing his theses against Roman Catholic indulgences on the door of the Wittenberg church, was called before one of the church’s highest councils. He was, indeed, standing trial for his life. The questioner demanded that Luther recant his attacks against the pope and the church. Luther responded to that demand by saying,

“Since your most serene majesty and your high mightinesses require from me a clear, simple, and precise answer, I will give you one, and it is this: I cannot submit my faith either to the pope or to the councils, because it is clear as the day that they have frequently erred and contradicted each other. Unless therefore I am convinced by the testimony of Scripture, or by the clearest reasoning, — unless I am persuaded by means of the passages I have quoted, — and unless they thus render my conscience bound by the Word of God, I cannot and I will not retract, for it is unsafe for a Christian to speak against his conscience.” And then, looking round on this assembly before which he stood, and which held his life in its hands, he said: “Here I stand, I can do no other; may God help me? Amen!”¹

This powerful statement has echoed through the centuries as a testimony to what it means to believe in the authority of Scripture. Luther staked his life on it.

Practical Application of Objective Truth

The Bible is timeless, always relevant. So what does this mean, in practical terms, for our lives today?

1. We must judge all of our thoughts and assumptions by Scripture; we all have blind spots—beliefs that we assume to be true or feel are true but when exposed to God’s Word, they will be proven wrong. We must not trust our logic or feelings; our trust must be in God’s Word. 

2. Don’t settle for anything less than understanding God’s Word. Never stop studying it, listening to it being taught, or meditating on it. The greatest knowledge we will ever learn in life is what God is saying in the Bible. 

3. Value systematic and careful teaching and preaching of God’s Word. Seize opportunities to hear the Bible explained.

I love being your pastor,

Dennis

¹D’Aubigne, Merle, History of the Reformation, p. 631.

The Influence of Feelings

The desire for emotional highs thrives in Christian circles as well, and, unfortunately, it leads to an ever-increasing subjectivity when it comes to church and worship. This emotional dependency used to be somewhat confined to Pentecostal and charismatic churches, but it now has made inroads to many other corners of evangelical life. As this happens, rather than taking the Bible and judging experiences and feelings by what it says, some Christians are reversing that order—taking the experiences and trying to couple them with some Scripture.

I Feel the Spirit
Let’s take the Christian who comes to worship and says, “I just feel like the Holy Spirit is really moving in this church!” In reality, that statement makes little sense biblically. Romans 8:9 and many other passages clearly say that the Holy Spirit lives in every Christian and that the Spirit is our Helper and constantly at work. While it is true that David asked God not to take the Spirit from him (Psalm 51), we must remember that was before the ministry of Jesus, the indwelling of the Spirit, and Christ’s fulfillment of the Law. Now the Holy Spirit indwells every Christian and is always praying for us and working in our lives. Of course the Spirit is at work in the church! That’s what He does.

During a sermon have you felt convicted to change a behavior or confess a sin? Did the passage of Scripture or words of a song seem especially appropriate to your circumstances? Did you receive new insight about familiar verses? That was the Spirit working.

But usually when people make statements about feeling the Holy Spirit in church, they mean they’ve been moved by some song to feel elation. I like a lot of songs, and there are even some songs that lead me to tears. But I don’t like some other songs, and many don’t lead me to tears. God created us with the wonderful capacity to feel emotion, but my emotional reaction to a song simply has nothing to do with the work of the Holy Spirit in either my life or the life of the church. The issue is whether or not that song is biblically true.

I want to affirm Micah Kersh, our worship and arts associate pastor. Micah has a passion for the Gospel and also sound biblical knowledge. When he chooses a song for our worship service, the first consideration is not the melody or style. The song is biblically accurate, and oftentimes it directly speaks to the subject of the sermon. I’m sure Micah could play on our emotions and try to evoke a tear in our eye or goose bumps on our backs, but he doesn't, and I love that about our music.

Colossians 3:16 says we are to teach one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. They are to point us to God and to be about God. That is the real test of good church music. If the song provokes emotion it is fine, and if it doesn’t, it is equally fine. The non-negotiable part is that it must be true and instructive.

The Danger of Subjectivity
Subjectivity is a dangerous thing in many of life’s pursuits, but it is a terrible standard for conducting the Christian life. Many things affect our feelings. Lack of sleep, stress, illness, and Satan can impact our feelings negatively. Your football team’s win, your favorite music, and a particularly inspiring sermon can impact your feelings positively. Unfortunately, excitement and elation are often followed by boredom and depression. We are called to be faithful to Christ and His church, regardless of whether we “feel” like it or not.

Objective Truth Liberates Us
We must liberate the church from Emotional Captivity by remembering that the Bible is objective truth. The Bible speaks to those who will listen, and it is the will of God no matter what we feel. The bottom line: The way we should judge the movement of the Spirit, the will of God, and the leadership of God is to measure them against the clear teaching of the Bible—not our elation level. We must prize accurate teaching, preaching, and singing of Scripture in church.

Coming Up in the Next Blog
What is objective truth? Is the Christian life only about thinking and absent of emotion or application? Next we’ll look at what the Bible teaches about how Christianity merges knowledge and emotions.

I love being your pastor,

Dennis

A very common question related to the Lord’s Supper is how frequently the church should observe the ordinance. Some churches believe that communion should be observed each week. Many Baptist churches take the Lord’s Supper once each quarter. Henderson Hills does not have a strict schedule, but, genuinely speaking, we observe the ordinance at least once per month.

So, what is the correct frequency? The Bible gives us no specific instructions on the subject. Jesus said only “as often as you eat it” we are to remember Him. Church history suggests that the early church ate together essentially every night, and they recognized the elements of the Lord’s Supper during each meal. Therefore, we are given freedom to decide when we take the Lord’s Supper together.

One word of clarification may be helpful regarding when the ordinance should be observed. Taking communion is not a private or even small group observance. Both Scripture and church history teach us that the ordinance is for the church and to be observed at church gatherings. So, whenever the church gathers for worship and it is decided that the Lord’s Supper should be taken, it is the appropriate frequency for the ordinance.

Centerpiece of Christian Worship
We’ve considered many aspects of the Lord’s Supper in these recent blogs. While knowing this information is important and must guide our worship, let’s not forget the big picture. The Lord’s Supper (Communion) is a centerpiece of Christian worship. When we eat the bread and drink the cup we are remembering Christ’s death and the plan of redemption. We celebrate the benefits that we enjoy because of His death on our behalf, and we declare our unity with each other.

I encourage you to come to the services this weekend with your sins confessed and hearts ready to participate in what Christ has ordered and the church, through the centuries, has loved. Eat the bread and drink the cup while you worship our Savior and Lord.  

I love being your pastor,

Dennis

View Part 1   |   View Part 2   |   View Part 3

Now we come to the question, who is eligible to take the Lord’s Supper? The question seems to be self-evident. It only applies to Christians and, therefore, should only be observed by Christians. However, it’s more complicated than that. According to 1 Corinthians 11:27, Christians should examine their lives and are warned not to take the Lord’s Supper “in an unworthy manner.” This is so severely enjoined that every Christian today should be careful to examine and take the Lord’s Supper appropriately.

What are we to look for as we examine our lives, and what is an “unworthy manner”? It is clear from the context that to take the elements unworthily is to take them without regard to one’s relationship with others in the church. The Lord’s Supper is to portray unity. When it is taken with enmity existing between fellow Christians, the act desecrates one of the very purposes of the ordinance. Thus, we must confess our sins and lay down our anger before we dare take the Supper.

There are other questions about who should take the Lord’s Supper. Some churches believe that only Christians who are members of the same denomination are qualified to partake of the supper together. Since there was no denominationalism in the first century, it is very unlikely that that is a biblical requirement. Other churches believe that only members of the same church should take the Lord’s Supper together, thus showing the unity that exists within the body. There is a better argument for this regulation than there is for the denominational prerequisite. However, there are strong arguments that suggest that this is not what is required by Scripture either. The only thing Scripture leaves no doubt about is that those who participate must be believers.

All Christians are to consider their lives, set right their relationships with other believers, and only then eat the bread and drink the wine. This is a command not a suggestion. Don’t treat participation in the Lord’s Supper in laissez-faire way. It is serious because Christ commands it.

Before this weekend, examine your heart and come prepared to partake in Communion—our commemoration and celebration of Christ’s redemption of our lives. Tomorrow, I’ll discuss the question of how often we should observe the Lord’s Supper in the final blog on this topic.  

I love being your pastor,

Dennis

View Part 1   |   View Part 2

I mentioned the elements of the Lord’s Supper briefly in my last blog, but let me be a bit more specific. Jesus chose two elements of the Passover meal, unleavened bread and wine, and said that they would stand as memorials to His broken body and shed blood.

Occasionally I’m asked why we sometimes use leavened bread in our observance of the ordinance instead of only unleavened bread. The concern is that the bread should be unleavened for it to be the “right” kind to use. It is interesting, however, that these same people often voice no concern about grape juice being an inappropriate substitute for wine, even though Jesus did indeed use wine at the meal. So, the objection is only to changing one of the elements.

Jesus used Passover elements in the first Lord’s Supper, so, yes, it is true that the wine was actual wine and the bread was unleavened. However, this practice seems to have changed in the early church, where we observe believers eating a common meal and then using ordinary bread to symbolize the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:17-34). This precedence seems to indicate then that we have the liberty to use grape juice and leavened bread, or wine and unleavened bread, or any combination of those elements.

Sometimes we will use leavened bread, and each person who takes the Supper must tear off a small piece of bread from the loaf. This action reminds us of our place in the crucifixion of Christ; our sins sent Him to the cross and inflicted great pain on His body. (I might mention that if you have a conviction about using only unleavened bread, you will find it offered on the tables at the sides of the worship center.) And at times, we will pass a plate that only contains unleavened bread and a small cup.

How is Jesus present in the Lord’s Supper?
We believe that Jesus is present in the Lord’s Supper because the elements represent Him and call us to remember Him. The bread and juice do not actually become the literal body and blood of Jesus. Even though Jesus held the elements at the first Lord’s Supper and said, “this is my body” (Luke 22:19), we must remember that He was standing there in the midst of the disciples. His literal, physical presence was with them, so obviously Jesus was using the elements as symbols of his body and blood.

Tomorrow, join me for Part 3, as I continue this discussion on the Lord’s Supper and answer the question, who should observe the Lord’s Supper?  

I love being your pastor,

Dennis

View Part 1

This weekend, we will worship by partaking of the Lord’s Supper together. This is one of the most important ways in which we worship God. It is also, however, one of the most depreciated, misunderstood, and mistreated aspects of our worship. Entire books have been written on the subject of the Lord’s Supper, and there is no way for me to adequately explore the topic in a few brief blogs. Nevertheless, I would like to consider some of the most important issues surrounding it so that we may be better prepared to take part in it this weekend.

Jesus Established the Lord’s Supper
On the final night before His crucifixion, Jesus ate the Passover meal with His disciples. During that meal, He established a new way of worship and assigned new meaning to the elements of the meal. He took one act that celebrated redemption and transformed it into a celebration of another redemptive act. Then He commanded His disciples from that point on to remember Him by drinking the wine of the meal and eating the bread. (See Matthew 26:26-29.)

As disciples of Christ, we continue to celebrate the Lord’s Supper today. Just as participants of the Passover Feast commemorated the way God redeemed the Jews from slavery in Egypt, we participate in the Lord’s Supper to commemorate the death of Jesus, which released us from our slavery to sin.

It is important to note that Jesus ordered His Church to take part in two activities as special forms of worship: baptism and the Lord’s Supper (also called Communion). We call these “ordinances” because we have been ordered by Christ to conduct both of them. All believers are to be baptized and partake of the elements of the Lord’s Supper within the boundaries of their local churches. We should never consider these ordinances as optional or treat them as inconsequential.

The Significance of the Lord’s Supper
I believe the Lord’s Supper may be the most complex and meaningful of all Christian acts of worship. There is so much more to it than simply eating a small amount of bread and drinking a sip of grape juice. The most obvious purpose of taking the Lord’s Supper is—by Jesus’ own instructions—that it is a way we symbolically participate in Christ’s death for our sins. The bread symbolizes His broken body on the cross, and the cup represents His blood that was poured out as He died. When we eat and drink those elements, we are actually proclaiming the Lord’s death until He returns (1 Corinthians 11:26).

Therefore, partaking in the Lord’s Supper is not only a way of remembering His death, but it is a crucial way in which we affirm that we are true believers in Christ and have been saved through His sacrifice. Such declarations are of utmost importance for all believers, and when we participate in this ordinance with other church members, we are saying to each other that we take our stand with Christ.

Closely associated with those two meanings, taking the Lord’s Supper is also our way of stating that we are participating in the blessings of the Lord’s death. In other words, we affirm that we have been forgiven, have been adopted into God’s family, and are bound for heaven.

There are a number of other meanings of the Lord’s Supper, but because of the confines of space, let me mention just one more. The Lord’s Supper also is a way we signify our unity (1 Corinthians 10:17). That is why that the early church would restrict those members who were not in good standing from taking the Lord’s Supper.

Tomorrow, in Part 2, I’ll discuss the elements of the Lord’s Supper.

I love being your pastor,

Dennis

I've already written on why a discussion on cults is important. While I couldn't disagree more with the practice of a pastor giving a political endorsement, I believe he is right in his assessment of the cult. (See Cult Part 1 blog.)

What Makes a Cult?

Now, let's turn to the identification of cults. When I was a college student majoring in zoology, I found how important it is to classify animal life. The animal kingdom is divided into those animals with vertebra and those without. Then other more specific characteristics come into play. Does the animal have hair or scales? Give live birth or lay eggs? Have two, six, or eight legs? These are just a few of the characteristics that are considered by scientists in studying the animals.

Cults are also recognized by their characteristics. Here are a few of them.

1. A cult often focuses on a living leader in whom they put unusual trust and unquestioned commitment. Sometimes these people are referred to as "prophets."

2. Questioning and dissent are strongly discouraged; complete loyalty and submission is often demanded.

3. The leaders of the cult have little or no real accountability to the members.

4. "Christian cults" are deceptive because they claim to accept the authority of the Bible, but they also rely on extra-biblical writings. They consider these extra texts, which are created by men, as being given by God and having the same or greater sacredness as the Bible.

5. These cults sometimes adopt Christian words―such as baptism, angels, death, Jesus, salvation but give them very different meanings.

6. In pseudo-Christian cults, salvation is a product of religious involvements and deeds. They reject the idea of justification by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, which is a core biblical principle.

7. The life and ministry of Jesus is significantly distorted in these cults. For example, in Mormonism, Jesus is the brother of the devil and was conceived through sexual intercourse from a god who came from a distant planet. The Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jesus is actually the archangel Michael.

8. The Trinity is often misrepresented in the cults that call themselves Christian. They do not believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God and equal in power and authority with the Father and Holy Spirit.

That Mormon missionary or Jehovah's Witness who comes to your door is probably well-intentioned but is definitely deceived. They have been taught techniques that are meant to create doubt and draw you away from orthodox Christianity. I encourage you to read books about the cults that explain them fully and teach you how to be a good witness for Christ. The Kingdom of the Cults by Walter Martin, which has been revised and updated by Ravi Zacharias, is an excellent place to start your study.

Dan Story, in Christianity on the Offense, writes, "A religion may appear to work because it meets the spiritual needs of its constituents, yet this does not automatically mean it reflects divine truth. [Then he quotes Norman Geisler.] 'Of course all truth must work, but not everything that works is necessarily true.' A counterfeit twenty dollar bill may buy a new hat, but possessing the hat doesn't make the twenty dollar bill real. It's still bogus, and eventually this will be discovered no matter how many people spend it. "¹

Be discerning. Be informed. And teach your kids to be the same before you send them off to college, because college campuses are prime grounds for the recruiting efforts of cults.

I love being your pastor!

Dennis

¹Dan Story, Christianity on the Offense: Responding to the Beliefs and Assumptions of Spiritual Seekers, 56 (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1998), and quoting Norman Geisler from Christian Apologetics (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1987), chap. 6.

Dr. Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Church, Dallas, found himself in the middle of a firestorm last week. He said that Mitt Romney, a Republican presidential candidate, is a member of a cult. Both William Bennett and Governor Rick Perry disavowed Jeffress' comment.¹ Was the pastor making a valid point, or is he just another muckraker stirring up trouble? Was this needless vitriol or an important point?

Answering those questions is both challenging and important for many reasons. Let's first consider the definition of a cult. The popular definition is benign and uncontroversial. According to Merriam-Webster, a cult is "a system of religious beliefs and ritual." It simply is a word that conveys the idea of a "formal religious veneration."² By that definition, Christianity could be considered a cult.

Jeffress was obviously not using the word that way. The theological definition of a cult is quite different than the popular one above. The Dictionary of Christianity in America says, "Evangelical Christians tend to define cults as religious groups which deviate significantly from orthodox Christianity. This theological focus emphasizes analysis of the truth claims of any given group in light of traditional Christianity and its historic interpretation of the Bible."³

Biblical Warnings about Cults

Actually, there is more to it than that. The Bible is replete with warnings about cults. We are told to avoid wrong teaching (Romans 16:17), that false disciples dilute the Gospel (Galatians 2:4-5), and that false teaching causes controversy (1 Timothy 1:3-4). The Galatian Christians were deceived by a cult (Galatians 3:1), and we too need to be careful about being fooled by evil spirits (1 Timothy 4:1) and strange teachings (Hebrews 13:9). It’s important for every Christian to have discernment about the cult issue. Just because a group calls themselves a church doesn't mean that they are a biblical one. We must keep our eyes open and our ears tuned to the truth so we aren’t deceived.

They Are Not Our Own

Is the clamor about cults just another example of nitpicking and petty infighting among Christians? Are we just shooting our own when we draw attention to the beliefs of Mormonism, Jehovah Witnesses, the Philadelphia Church of God, and other such groups? No. That's the point. They are not our own. I'm not saying that Mormons are immoral people. Many are committed to their families. However, we must be discerning.

Since the focus is on Mormonism right now, let's consider their doctrine. Dr. Wayne Grudem writes that the Mormon Church "does not hold to any major Christian doctrines concerning salvation or the person of God or the person and work of Christ."⁴ Mormonism teaches that the Bible is only correct when it is translated correctly, and they are the ones who translate it correctly. They believe that the Book of Mormon is the "most correct book" on earth. They teach that as we are, God once was; as God is, we can become. Mormons believe that Jesus and Satan are spirit brothers and that Jesus' incarnation happened through a physical relationship between God the Father and Mary.

What a Pastor's Job Is & Is Not

As a pastor watching over his flock, my God-ordained duty is to educate you so that you're not deceived. That's why I want you to understand that the differences between orthodox Christianity and Mormonism are vast, just as they are between Christianity and Jehovah Witnesses, Christian Scientists, the Philadelphia Church of God (which is based here in Edmond), and Islam.

A friend and fellow pastor recently wrote a blog on this same subject. He spoke boldly and clearly. One of the things that most captured my attention in his writings was not just his remarks about Mormonism but those about why a pastor would be involved in endorsing a political candidate or using that endorsement as a platform for classifying Mormonism.⁵ I join him in his concern about pastors grandstanding and sacrificing the Gospel to anything else, certainly politics. As your pastor, what I won't do is join in trying to influence you about what party or candidate to support.

I want to continue this blog next week by addressing questions such as, how can we recognize a cult? Are there any distinctive marks or telltale signs that alert us to presence of a cult? And how are cults different from authentic Christianity?

Let's keep our eye on Jesus, mind on the Bible, and efforts on preaching the Gospel. Things work out a lot better that way.

I love being your pastor,

Dennis

1 http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/10/09/baptist-pastor-defends-cult-description-mormonism-still-backs-romney-over-obama/
2 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cult
3 Daniel G. Reid, Robert Dean Linder, Bruce L. Shelley, Harry S. Stout, Dictionary of Christianity in America, (Downers Grove, Ill. : InterVarsity Press, 1990).
4 Grudem Wayne. Systematic Theology (Leicester, Great Britian : InterVarsity Press and Grand Rapids, Mich. : Zondervan, 1994), 865.
5 http://chrisfreeland.blogspot.com/2011/10/dr.html

No one can question Jobs' business acumen. He created and led a multibillion-dollar company that has changed the way we look at technology. Yet, I'd like to step off into a minefield and dare to ask the question, was Steve Jobs a success in life?

There is no doubt that our society considers him a huge success. Watching the national news, we get the impression that he is being crowned king--maybe even beatified--by his adoring fans. But from a Christian point of view, was he someone we should admire and emulate? I know that this a cultural sacrilege, but I think someone has to stand up and say, "NO!" And it is important for Christians to understand this fact and not try to follow the pattern of his personal life.

Jobs said in a recent book interview that his experimentation with LSD was "one of the two or three most important things I've done in my life." It helped him develop the "think different" approach in his business. He even went so far as to suggest that Bill Gates was a good man, but he should have dropped acid too.[1]

Consider also Jobs' commitment to his family. According to the AppleInsider, a few weeks before his death Jobs said that he agreed to an authorized biography "so that his children could know why he wasn’t always there for them."[2] He told his biographer that he wanted his kids "to get to know me."[3]

I find these two aspects of his life very sad.

How Do You Define Success?

How would you answer the question, what are the top two or three things you've done in your life? Do you hope your answer will be different ten years from now? How would you describe your relationship with your family? With God? Do you make these relationships a priority? Are your measurements of success based upon your notoriety, accumulation of wealth, popularity, or business accomplishments? If so, you may be climbing the ladder of success, but you've leaned it against the wrong wall.

The Old Testament prophet Micah wrote, "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:8[4]). That is a goal worth setting: do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God. If you do what He says, you might not get the corner office or your name up in lights. And when you die, you probably won't be the lead story on the evening news. However, much more importantly, angels in heaven will rejoice and God will say, "Well done" (Matthew 25:23).

My mother used to say that we should never speak ill of the dead. Perhaps she was right. However, this time, in this circumstance, I think that we need to be honest about success and failure in life. The world considers Steve Jobs a great success. I'm afraid that Jesus would have thought differently.

I love being your pastor,

Dennis

[1]http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/technology-blog/8-things-didn-t-know-life-steve-jobs-172130955.html
[2]http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/11/10/07/steve_jobs_agreed_to_biography_so_his_children_could_know_him_better.html
[3]http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2046367/Steve-Jobs-biography-Apple-boss-authorised-book-children.html
[4]Scripture references in the English Standard Version

There are a variety of reasons. Seminaries focus on academics but not the practical issues of actually serving in a church, so graduates are ill-prepared for the demands placed on them. Others serve in small churches that cannot pay them a living wage. Still others become overwhelmed by strife within the church or from caring for others and neglecting their own spiritual and physical health. There are dozens of reasons why pastors leave or are forced out.

Then it dawned on me. I may have spoken so much about wanting to help pastors who are in trouble that I've given the impression that being a pastor is a bad thing. I'm in my 36th year of vocational ministry, and from my perspective there is nothing more fulfilling to do with your life than pastoring God's people! I love my job. If a person is indeed called to this kind of service, the rewards are great. If the Lord is calling you, don't hesitate to commit your life to vocational ministry. In fact, tell us about it so we can help you as you take your first steps.

Nearly Two Decades at HHBC

In the nearly two decades that we've been together, I've ministered to people from birth to death. Teenagers have grown up, gotten married, and are now raising their own families. I've preached thousands of sermons, and I never cease to be amazed at the fact God called me to be used in this way. He affirms this call by graciously giving me messages week after week for our church.

Marcia and I have had the amazing joy of being present as people have been saved, baptized, and experienced God's great power to change lives. And through each of these years, my family and I have been loved and supported by our congregation. It doesn't get better than that.

Excited about the Next Decade

God has given both Marcia and me a passion for the ministry, and we're excited about our next decade at Henderson Hills. Yes, Lord willing, we will have many more years of service together, since God is still giving me messages and a vision for this church. I am as passionate as ever to see the unsaved come to Christ and for believers to mature spiritually. More than ever I am burdened for you to experience closer fellowship with Christ and to catch the vision of what personal spiritual revival in each of your lives could mean to our church.

John MacArthur wrote, "The world needs to see that the church is not just another social club, but an institution of God, supernaturally born, supernaturally sustained, with a supernatural destiny."* I'm committed to making sure Henderson Hills doesn't lose sight of our God-given purpose. Our supernatural destiny is sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and we will continue to equip and challenge our members to do that. We are called to make a difference in the world for Christ.

We're a large church and with that comes more opportunity--but also more responsibility to lead, mentor, and support others. For example, we want to continue to expand our missions ministry--internationally and domestically, invite young pastors to our church to be mentored, host pastors' conferences, and minister to hurting pastors.

Also, some of you have asked us to offer classes focused on deeper study of the Word and discussion of world views affecting Christians. Therefore, someday we plan to offer a series of more in-depth learning courses for those of you who desiring that type of study.

I'm more excited about the decade to come than any other time in our church's history. Let's catch and build on the vision together. I challenge you to grow spiritually, be faithful, attend a FLOCK, volunteer your time, and sacrifice. Brothers and sisters, live expectantly for what God is going to do!

I love being your pastor,

Dennis

*John MacArthur, Strength for Today, (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 1997), January 25.

Do you believe that sometimes God will actually lead you to speak up and say certain things to others? Or believe He sometimes leads others to do so? If so, you are a continuationist. While you may not have used the word "prophecy" to describe those times of sweet communion with the Lord, that is what you are actually talking about. Theologian Wayne Grudem tells us that "a fresh examination of the New Testament teaching on this gift will show that it should be defined not as 'predicting the future,' nor as 'proclaiming a word from the Lord,' nor as 'powerful preaching' but rather as 'telling something that God has spontaneously brought to mind.'"* The gift of prophecy is simply a special God-given ability to recognize the voice of Christ as He is leading you to speak an immediate message from Him and to do it with relative ease and effectiveness.

Here's another example of continuationism. It is not at all unusual for church members to come to the elders and ask them to anoint them with oil and pray a prayer of faith (James 5:14) for their healing. Sometimes we see things happen from those prayers that can only be attributed to a miraculous act of God. When these people ask for prayer and when the elders pray, they are expressing continuationism. "Those people who find that their prayers for healing are answered more frequently and more thoroughly than others"** may exhibit the gift of healing.

Continuationists are Christians who believe God is still very much involved in the lives of believers today, providing leadership, calling thoughts to mind, and intervening as we pray. In other words, they believe the miraculous works of the Spirit have continued through the New Testament period, down through the centuries of the Church’s history, and are still continuing today.

Cessationism is the opposite view. Cessationists believe God speaks today through Scripture and Scripture alone. They believe there is no need for speaking in tongues and prophecy today because we have God's complete guidance in the Bible. Furthermore, there is no need for miracles and healings because they were used to verify the validity of God's Word and the person of Christ. Cessationists conclude that the Spirit has seceded, removing those miraculous works. Why do cessationists believe this? I think they are either reacting to the fanatical extremes of continuationism or they are trying to protect the authority and supremacy of Scripture.

Earlier I described myself as both convinced and cautious about continuationism. I'm convinced, because I see no place in the Bible that substantiates the belief that the miraculous gifts and works of the Holy Spirit have been removed from the Church. Furthermore, I don't believe having faith that God still brings thoughts to our minds or gives us clear personal leadership takes anything away from the authority of the Bible.

Yet, I'm cautious. Why? Because some continuationists, including radical Pentecostal groups, believe their perception of God's leadership is fully authoritative, with which I disagree. Statements such as, "thus saith the Lord" or "the Lord told me" are misleading. Instead, I believe ones such as, "it seems like the Lord is saying" or "the Lord impressed on me" are more accurate. The Bible is our full and final authority, and everything we think we are hearing from God must be verified through Scripture. In other words, God is not going to lead you to do something that contradicts the Bible.

There's one thing I know for sure, though. I want a continuationist praying for me when I get sick! How about you? For a more in-depth look at this issue, I encourage you to read the elder position paper posted on our website.

I love being your pastor,

Dennis Newkirk

*Wayne, Grudem, Systematic Theology (Zondervan, 1994), 1049-50.
**Grudem, 1067.

I recently heard from a friend who shared this story with me, and I thought it was one of many good examples of why we need to read good Christian books. She told me she was meeting with a non-Christian woman in a mentoring situation who just couldn’t believe in God. The woman had been raised in a different culture and in a home that didn’t believe in God. She had been taught Eastern religions and believed in evolution. Needless to say, Genesis and God presented huge obstacles for her. Although they had been studying the Bible, my friend struggled with what to say that might persuade this woman to open her heart to God. I recommended she read Tim Keller’s book, The Reason for God. Perhaps it would offer some insights for her.

It’s a rather challenging book, but my friend read it and found one particular chapter especially appropriate for sharing with her friend. Together they read through the chapter a few pages at a time and discussed each of his arguments. Although her friend hasn’t made a profession of faith yet, that chapter and Keller’s reasoning resonated with her to the point that now she is considering that there just might be something to God after all. It exposed her to lines of reasoning my friend had been unable to offer before.

Good Christian books can offer helpful insights for sharing your faith. They can also educate, inspire, strengthen your faith, teach new skills, and minister to you. But one caveat, Christian book reading is not to be a substitute for Bible reading, only supplemental to it. Books about the Bible and Christian faith can never replace Bible reading.

Here is a list of seven other books I think every Christian should read. We’ve ordered a supply for our bookstore. You can also buy them at a local Christian bookstore or order them on line.

1. According to Plan: The Unfolding Revelation of God in the Bible by Graeme Goldsworthy (InterVarsity, 2002)
2. Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands: People in Need of Change Helping People in Need of Change by Paul David Tripp (P & R Publishing, 2002)
3. Living the Cross Centered Life: Keeping the Gospel the Main Thing by C. J. Mahaney (Multnomah, 2006)
4. A Gospel Primer for Christians: Learning to See the Glories of God's Love by Milton Vincent (Focus Publishing, 2008)
5. The Holiness of God by R. C. Sproul (Tyndale House, 2000)
6. Don’t Waste Your Life by John Piper (Crossway, 2003)
7. Knowing God by J. I. Packer (InterVarsity, 1993)

I love being your pastor,
Dennis Newkirk

Part of the Elder Council’s duty is to protect the church against heresy and false teachers. Much harm has been inflicted to the church due to the influence of these men and women. You will remember that the Apostle Paul warned the Ephesians elders that savage wolves would enter into the leadership of the church seeking whom they may devour (Acts 20). Unfortunately, false teachers are not only a first-century phenomenon; there are many preaching and writing today. Some have gained significant notoriety among undiscerning and naive believers. 

Rob Bell, the author of Velvet Elvis and a number of other books, exemplifies the modern false teacher. In his recently published book, Love Wins, Bell reveals the dark underside of his flawed theology. If you read the book, do so with caution. Tim Challies, Kevin Deyoung, and Al Mohler have provided excellent reviews of Bell’s book, and I urge you to pay close attention to the warnings of these three men.

http://www.challies.com/book-reviews/love-wins-a-review-of-rob-bells-new-book

http://www.albertmohler.com/2011/03/16/we-have-seen-all-this-before-rob-bell-and-the-reemergence-of-liberal-theology/

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/files/2011/03/LoveWinsReview.pdf

Dennis Newkirk, Sr. Pastor October 30-31, 2010

RUTH
An Amazing Demonstration of God’s Sovereign Grace
Ruth 4

In the first chapter of Ruth we were introduced to a Jewish family – Elimelech, Naomi and their two boys – who had moved to Moab to escape a famine in their country. While living there, tragedy befell them. Naomi’s husband died, and her boys, who had grown up and married Moabite women, also died.

With no men to provide for her, Naomi decided to return home to Bethlehem Judah. One of her daughters-in-law, Ruth, committed to go with her and vowed to make Naomi’s people and God hers.

In chapter 2, Ruth went into the harvest fields to glean grain – a practice for widows and the poor to gather grain for food. In God’s providence, Ruth “happened” to glean in a field owned by Boaz, a wealthy relative of Naomi’s deceased husband. Boaz looked on Ruth favorably and ensured her protection and gleaning success.

Chapter 3 begins at the end of the harvest season. It was apparent that Boaz and Ruth had grown attracted to each other, and Naomi counseled Ruth to solicit a marriage proposal from the eligible bachelor, Boaz. Although Old Testament law stated that if a man died one of his closest relatives was obligated to marry the widow and provide for her, Boaz was a distant relative and was not obligated to fulfill that role.

Ruth came to Boaz one night and proposed that he become her husband and redeemer. This was not an immoral encounter, and Scripture clearly records Boaz’s godly example, self-control, and strong character. Boaz readily agreed to make Ruth his wife, but there was a problem. There existed a closer relative than him who had the first right of redemption.

I. Through Many Dangers, Toils, and Snares (4:1-6)
(Ruth 4:1-6 ESV) 1Now Boaz had gone up to the gate and sat down there. And behold, the redeemer, of whom Boaz had spoken, came by. So Boaz said, "Turn aside, friend; sit down here." And he turned aside and sat down. 2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city and said, "Sit down here." So they sat down. 3 Then he said to the redeemer, "Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land that belonged to our relative Elimelech. 4 So I thought I would tell you of it and say, 'Buy it in the presence of those sitting here and in the presence of the elders of my people.' If you will redeem it, redeem it. But if you will not, tell me, that I may know, for there is no one besides you to redeem it, and I come after you." And he said, "I will redeem it." 5 Then Boaz said, "The day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the widow of the dead, in order to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance." 6 Then Boaz said, "The day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the widow of the dead, in order to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance."

II. A Demonstration of God’s Sovereign Grace (4:7-12; Rom 8:28-29)
(Ruth 4:7-12 ESV) 7 Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging: to confirm a transaction, the one drew off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was the manner of attesting in Israel. 8 So when the redeemer said to Boaz, "Buy it for yourself," he drew off his sandal. 9 Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, "You are witnesses this day that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and to Mahlon. 10 Also Ruth the Moabite, the widow of Mahlon, I have bought to be my wife, to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brothers and from the gate of his native place. You are witnesses this day." 11 Then all the people who were at the gate and the elders said, "We are witnesses. May the LORD make the woman, who is coming into your house, like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you act worthily in Ephrathah and be renowned in Bethlehem, 12 and may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, because of the offspring that the LORD will give you by this young woman."
(Rom 8:28-29 ESV) 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

III. Naomi’s Full Hands (4:13-17)

(Ruth 4:13-17 ESV) 13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and the LORD gave her conception, and she bore a son. 14 Then the women said to Naomi, "Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you this day without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel! 15 He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him." 16 Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became his nurse. 17 And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, "A son has been born to Naomi." They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.
IV. Our Amazing Family Tree (4:18-22)
(Ruth 4:18-19 ESV) 18 Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez fathered Hezron, 19 Hezron fathered Ram, Ram fathered Amminadab, 20 Amminadab fathered Nahshon, Nahshon fathered Salmon, 21 Salmon fathered Boaz, Boaz fathered Obed, 22 Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David.

Application of the Book of Ruth:

Henderson Hills is an incredibly wonderful place to learn, grow, and share life together. One of the most exciting things is how God is working and revealing His Word and His Way. In the next few weeks we will learn about the Passover, the Day of Atonement, the Crucifixion, and the Glorious Day of Resurrection. Each year I marvel at the gift of salvation that God planned and carried out for me personally. I can't get over the cross. Due to the upcoming series, spring break, Easter, Missions Month, and other various activities, I will not be posting a daily post each and every day. As my schedule permits and God allows me to share insights, I will continue to share truths and words of encouragement on these pages. Watch for new posts and thoughts in the days ahead.

Lamentations 3:22-24
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.  “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “ therefore I will hope in him.”

May our hope be in Him and Him alone.

Dennis

The Bible says,

Psalm 119:9-11(ESV)
How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.  With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!  I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

Romans 12:1-2(ESV)
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Philippians 4:8(ESV)
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

After digging deep into the sin of idolatry, allow God’s Word to continue to grow and teach you. Keep on keeping on. Here is a list of questions to pursue. Allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you about what motivates you, what drives you, what tempts you, and what areas of weakness you need to avoid.

1. What do you dream about?
2. What are you afraid of?
3. What do you not want to happen?
4. What do you worry about?
5. What are your goals for life?
6. What do you hope to happen?
7. What do you want more than anything else in the world?
8. What desires do you serve?
9. What do you hate?
10. What do you love?
11. What brings you joy?
12. What do you find refuge in, safety in, comfort in, escape in, security in?
13. Whom do you trust?
14. Whom do you seek to please?
15. Whom do you respect, look up to, admire?
16. How would you define success?
17. What gives you great pleasure?
18. What grieves you?
19. What do you pray for?
20. What is really important to you?
21. When you are stressed, where do you turn?
22. What would you say you cannot live without?

Life is full of questions. Each and every day we face small and great decisions. The Israelites didn’t wander away from recognizing the One True God in one day. They did it step by step, gradually forgetting what was most important. God’s Word is alive. It is active, it is able to judge our very thoughts and motives. Feed on His Word daily. If you don’t consider not eating a meal, how can we consider then to not take in the nourishment of our souls from the living Bread, the life quenching Water of God? Abide in the Vine and He will keep your heart pure and your motives holy. As we celebrate the tearing down of idols in our lives, may we commit to keeping our thoughts wholly on Him.

Acts 17:28a(ESV)
  for “ ‘In him we live and move and have our being’”

Expectantly,

Dennis

When Josiah understood what God had commanded he went to work on doing what His Word said.

2 Kings 23:1-5(ESV)
Then the king sent, and all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem were gathered to him.  And the king went up to the house of the LORD, and with him all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the priests and the prophets, all the people, both small and great. And he read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant that had been found in the house of the LORD.  And the king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people joined in the covenant.  And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest and the priests of the second order and the keepers of the threshold to bring out of the temple of the LORD all the vessels made for Baal, for Asherah, and for all the host of heaven. He burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron and carried their ashes to Bethel.  And he deposed the priests whom the kings of Judah had ordained to make offerings in the high places at the cities of Judah and around Jerusalem; those also who burned incense to Baal, to the sun and the moon and the constellations and all the host of the heavens.

When Josiah read the Word of God it changed his life. He believed it, he took it to heart, and he obeyed it. When was the last time you allowed God’s Word to do that in your life? What have you read recently that compelled you to stop doing something or drove you to start doing something? Have you heard God’s Word spoken lately and refused to obey it? God’s Word is alive; He still speaks to us today through it.

Josiah was willing to take radical steps against idolatry. Are you? Is it worth it to you? When we hear God’s command and refuse to make changes, we are demonstrating where our authority lies. We should be quick to obey when God reveals His will to us.

Recognize that even though it had been years since God’s people had read His Word, He did not give up on Israel. He continued to speak through His written Word. God is relentless in His love for His children. He is faithful even when we are faithless. He is strong even when we are weak. He is the answer to every need we have. Submit to His authority today and your life will truly be blessed. You and those around you will be encouraged as you tear down the idols, clean out the garbage, and seek to read and obey His Word. Don’t let your Bible gather dust on the bookshelf or in the back seat of your car. Get it out, dust it off, and take each word to heart. Tear down the idols you have built and replace them with God’s ways. You will never regret such a commitment as this.

Sincerely,

Dennis

One of the great examples of the destruction of idols is a king named Josiah. Josiah was unique in the history of kings.

2 Kings 23:25(ESV)
Before him there was no king like him, who turned to the LORD with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses, nor did any like him arise after him.
What an incredible description of a man. He turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might. He followed the greatest commandment Jesus told even in the New Testament. Why did Josiah tear down the idols? Grab a cup of coffee and sit back, read this narrative and let’s explore it more deeply.

2 Kings 22:1-13(ESV)
Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath.  And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in all the way of David his father, and he did not turn aside to the right or to the left.  In the eighteenth year of King Josiah, the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, son of Meshullam, the secretary, to the house of the LORD, saying,  “Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may count the money that has been brought into the house of the LORD, which the keepers of the threshold have collected from the people. And let it be given into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of the LORD, and let them give it to the workmen who are at the house of the LORD, repairing the house (that is, to the carpenters, and to the builders, and to the masons), and let them use it for buying timber and quarried stone to repair the house.  But no accounting shall be asked from them for the money that is delivered into their hand, for they deal honestly.”  And Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD.” And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.  And Shaphan the secretary came to the king, and reported to the king, “Your servants have emptied out the money that was found in the house and have delivered it into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of the LORD.”  Then Shaphan the secretary told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it before the king.  When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes.  And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Micaiah, and Shaphan the secretary, and Asaiah the king’s servant, saying, “Go, inquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.”

Josiah became king at a very young age of 8. When he was 26 he made a crucial decision to repair the temple. During the reconstruction phase, as workers were cleaning out the debris of misuse, they came upon a scroll. The high priest, Hilkiah, knew that this was a special copy of Scripture. He took it to the king’s secretary, Shaphan to read. Shaphan then took it before King Josiah and began to read it. When King Josiah heard the words written from long ago, it cut him to the quick. He grieved over the words from God because he knew his people had disobeyed and done exactly what God warned against. The people were living in idolatry. They had turned their backs upon God and His Word. It probably was not intentional at first. Life just crowded out the priority of God. Their needs were met so they didn’t seek him. Parents stopped instructing their children in the ways of the Lord, so as that child grew into adulthood, he never learned the foundational truths to live by. Generation after generation came and went. Now the setting is such that Josiah at 26 heard the words of the Lord for this first time ever. Picture this in your mind.

How much do you value the Word of God? You probably have a copy of Scripture, probably more than one. Do you regularly spend time reading it? Do you realize that to read and obey it will keep your life free from idol worship?

Hebrews 4:12(ESV)
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

God’s Word is living and active. Read it, study it, memorize it, apply it to your life, take it to heart, obey it, learn who God is in it, meditate on its principles, and never ever neglect it. It is God breathed. It is His very Words, His love letter, written directly to you.
Tomorrow we will look specifically at how Josiah used God’s teaching to tear down the idols in Judah. We, too, can use God’s Word to direct our very lives today.

Humbly,

Dennis

Idolatry is not just a failure to obey God. It is instead a setting of our hearts on something other than God. It is sin. We cannot cure ourselves of idols just by turning our backs on them. We cannot use just willpower and it will all be better. Turning from idols involves so much more. We must learn to recognize, diagnose, and tear down all our idols. We need to ask God today to create in us a new heart, a pure heart, and a heart that is longing for Him and Him alone. How about you? Are you ready for a heart transplant? It is painful, but oh so needed.

Ezekiel 36:24-32(ESV)
I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land.  I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you.  And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.  You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.  And I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. And I will summon the grain and make it abundant and lay no famine upon you.  I will make the fruit of the tree and the increase of the field abundant, that you may never again suffer the disgrace of famine among the nations.  Then you will remember your evil ways, and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves for your iniquities and your abominations.  It is not for your sake that I will act, declares the Lord GOD; let that be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel.

What an incredible passage before us today. God was calling the people of God back to Himself through the prophet Ezekiel. Ezekiel’s message throughout this long book is relentless. His words appear harsh. Yet, the truth remains, God’s people were worshipping idols. He warned of God’s judgment yet also included His restoration. Ezekiel was writing to the Israelites after they had been deported to Babylon. They had been warned to return to God and worship Him alone, however, they did not heed that warning. God had allowed their enemy to overtake them. They exchanged the glory of the Creator for the desire of their own hearts. Israel was in a time of crisis. Ezekiel himself had probably been deported to Babylon. God gave him this message to declare to the people where they had gone wrong. Ezekiel was deeply trouble by the sin of his peers against the holiness of God. God is promising in this passage to cleanse the nation of Israel from her sins. Then, if that is not enough, He would give her a new heart. You see it is not enough to recognize our idols and do nothing about them. We too must in fact, tear down those idols and replace the desire for other things with a one true desire for God. We should not tear down the idol just for the sake of tearing down the idol. We want instead to be righteous and holy, set apart to God not just from sin. We have the gift of the Holy Spirit living in us today as believers. He promises to guide, comfort, teach, convict, and speak to us. Are you listening?

Reflect today on God’s goodness, His character, His love, His ways. Recall what He has done for you in the past. Confess the sin of idolatry to Him today and ask Him to replace that driving force with His desires, His goals, His ways. He will extend to you that same graciousness He extended to the nation of Israel. You are His chosen one. You will be His people and He will be your God. We will then magnify and glorify the Lord with our very lives.

Humbly,

Dennis

Idolatry is the most discussed problem in the Bible. It has been around as long as man has. Yet, we somehow believe we are either immune to it, or it just doesn’t matter because truthfully, “everyone is doing it”. We must first understand that idolatry is sin. It is more than just a bad habit or a weakness on our part. It is sin. If I seek anything more than I seek God, I am sinning.

Romans 1:18-25(ESV)
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.  For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.  For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.  For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

Read this passage slowly and carefully. God has shown us Who He is. It is clear. His eternal power and divine nature have been understood. Yet, just as the Romans did, we too have not honored God or given Him thanks. Our thinking is futile. Our hearts are wicked, desperately wicked. We have exchanged the glory of God for images, idols. We have exchanged the truth about God for a lie and have worshipped and served what He created rather than the Creator.

In our time together this week, join me as we seek to recognize, diagnose, and tear down any remaining idols in our lives. And in fact, seek to build our relationship with the Lord so that we don’t once again return to our folly and build idols back up.

For today, spend some time reading and praying. Ask God to reveal anything in your life that separates you from Him. Don’t argue with Him when He speaks. Agree with Him. Write down what you learn. Matthew 6:21 says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Where is your treasure? Look at your calendar. Where do you invest the most time? Look at your checkbook. Where are you investing your money? Watch what you think about. What do you dream about? What do you feel like you cannot live without? Lift up these thoughts and ask God to dismantle these idols this week. What an incredible season to put God back on the throne in your life. Let’s tear down the idols in our lives together this week, just as the Israelites did in the Old Testament. Let’s individually and corporately worship and praise the Creator rather than the created.

Prayerfully,

Dennis

John told the readers of the book of Revelation that the church in Ephesus had abandoned their first love, the Lord Jesus Christ. Abandoned is a strong word. It means forsaken or deserted. The individuals, leaders, and church as a whole in Ephesus had forsaken the Lord. They had chosen to walk away in their priorities and values from keeping Christ on the throne of their hearts. They had chosen to leave their passion and commitment to keep the Lord first by the choices they made. We too can do this very same thing. We can start out going to church for the right reason, to grow in our relationship with God and each other. Was there a time when you too loved Him more, wanted to obey Him more, followed Him more, and wanted to know Him more? You can be just like the Ephesians.

Look once again with me at what we should do if we face this idol square on. We must remember from where we have fallen. Go back to the time when He was first. Did He ask you to do something that you chose not to obey? Then, obey Him today. Did the busyness of life crowd out your daily prayer time? Then, clear your calendar and make a fresh commitment to talk with Him each day. Has success and pride taken over your heart? Then, humble yourself and acknowledge your need and dependence upon God. Repent of what He reveals to you. Do what He tells you to do. Obey His commands, read His Words, pray without ceasing, serve Him wholeheartedly, forsake not the meeting together with your brothers and sisters in Christ. Realize that He is the focus not what we do for Him, but Him. Ask Him to remind you each day of your need for Him. Tear down the idol of religion and focus your love on Christ.

Joyfully,

Dennis

Luke 18:10-14(NASB95)
“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. “The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. ‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ “But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ “I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Who were the Pharisees? STRONG’S LEXICON SAYS, A sect that seems to have started after the Jewish exile. In addition to OT books the Pharisees recognized in oral tradition a standard of belief and life. They sought for distinction and praise by outward observance of external rites and by outward forms of piety, and such as ceremonial washings, fastings, prayers, and alms giving; and, comparatively negligent of genuine piety, they prided themselves on their fancied good works. They held strenuously to a belief in the existence of good and evil angels, and to the expectation of a Messiah; and they cherished the hope that the dead, after a preliminary experience either of reward or of penalty in Hades, would be recalled to life by him, and be requited each according to his individual deeds. In opposition to the usurped dominion of the Herods and the rule of the Romans, they stoutly upheld the theocracy and their country’s cause, and possessed great influence with the common people. According to Josephus they numbered more than 6000. They were bitter enemies of Jesus and his cause; and were in turn severely rebuked by him for their avarice, ambition, hollow reliance on outward works, and affection of piety in order to gain popularity.

Jesus shared this story in Luke 18 with some specific people:
“9He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt”: You see even in Jesus’ day when religion and rules were the focus of the people their worship became confused. They believed they were righteous which then led to their belief that if others didn’t think like they did, they were not righteous and thus not worthy of their attention. Do we ever do this today? I am afraid we do. For some if we believe with our whole hearts that clapping in church is a command and a necessity to worship, we will look at those who don’t clap with disdain. If we deify one particular ministry in the church we will look with disgust at those who don’t give it any attention. If we worship the method of praise on Sunday morning rather than the Creator of praise, we will miss the worship all together. So, what is the answer to religious idols? Look back at verse 13 of Luke 18. What was the heart of the tax collector? He was humble. He couldn’t even lift his eyes; he felt he was unworthy to be in the presence of God. Instead of elevating himself, he was elevating God. Instead of pride there was humble acknowledgement of his sin and his need for a Savior. When you come to “worship” this coming weekend, what will be your attitude? Will you dress so others take notice of you? Will you sit where others can see you and make sure that you do things to draw attention to yourself? Will you get your feelings hurt if others don’t immediately reach out and notice you? Instead, tear down the idol of self and religion instead of relationship with Christ. Acknowledge before you ever arrive at church that you are coming to worship and praise God Almighty. Confess your sin to God. Come with clean hands and pure heart. Come expecting to see and hear Him. Respond to His voice as if He Himself were present. He is and will be. Don’t miss the Almighty with distractions of self. Don’t be thinking of what is wrong with the service; instead be thankful for the opportunity to worship and praise God corporately. Pray for those in leadership; don’t criticize what they are doing incorrectly in your opinion. Practice living as the tax collector not the Pharisee. Your life and those around you will be blessed.

With Joy,

Dennis

Read Revelation 2:1-7:
“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. “ ‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’

God through the pen of John writes to us the events that are a “revelation”. The book of Revelation uses visions, symbols and imagery to speak to the churches of Asia Minor around AD 90. It teaches us as well who are servants of Christ, the history of these churches and ultimately the rule and reign of God throughout all eternity.

This chapter begins with three images. The angel is a messenger and represents the pastor, the one teaching and leading the church. The seven stars represent the seven pastors of the seven churches as a whole and the seven golden lampstands represent the seven churches listed in Revelation 2-3. The church at Ephesus is addressed first. God is proclaiming that they were doing many things right. They were hard workers, toiling, enduring patiently, not tolerating evil men, discerning, testing false prophets and that they hated the work of the Nicolaitans, which demonstrates that they cared about doctrine and correct thinking and theology. In other words, they knew their Bibles, they understood Bible doctrine, they recognized false leaders or teachers and they cared about holy living. Sounds like a great church doesn’t it?

Verse four however, begins with the word, but. God is making a turn here from listing the positive to sharing the one thing He had against this church. He said, “I have this against you, you have abandoned the love you had at first.” They worked hard, they were disciplined, they had impeccable orthodoxy, but they had left their first love. They had abandoned their commitment, their first love, their passion for Christ. What does it mean to leave your first love for Christ? This is not an emotion. It is a commitment to place Him as Lord of your life. It is refusing to substitute anything for Him. It is seeking to please Him, live for Him, honor Him, loving Him and loving His people. At one time the Ephesians church had loved Christ that way, but they had left their first love. They replaced the supremacy of Christ with something else.

We can do this very same thing today. When we put anything above our worship of Christ it then can become an idol just as the Ephesians had allowed other things to become their idols. Why do you participate in worship at church each weekend? Do you truly worship or do you just attend the hour called worship? What separates you from loving Christ as you did when you first realized your need for a Savior?

Pause today and remember your first love. Repent of anything whether good or bad, that would take your eyes, heart, and devotion away from God. Do those things you used to do that place Him in the rightful place He deserves. Let nothing separate you from His Lordship in your life.

Humbly,

Dennis

Both the Old Testament and New Testament are full of examples of idolatry. Jeremiah was a priest and prophet near the end of the Southern Kingdom of Judah. He prophesied during the reign of Josiah and the next four kings before the fall of Jerusalem. He was called from his mother’s womb to be God’s messenger for such a time as this.

Read Jeremiah 2:1-13:
The word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem, Thus says the LORD, “I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed me in the wilderness, in a land not sown. Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of his harvest. All who ate of it incurred guilt; disaster came upon them, declares the LORD.” Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the clans of the house of Israel. Thus says the LORD: “What wrong did your fathers find in me that they went far from me, and went after worthlessness, and became worthless? They did not say, ‘Where is the LORD who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us in the wilderness, in a land of deserts and pits, in a land of drought and deep darkness, in a land that none passes through, where no man dwells?’ And I brought you into a plentiful land to enjoy its fruits and its good things. But when you came in, you defiled my land and made my heritage an abomination. The priests did not say, ‘Where is the LORD?’ Those who handle the law did not know me; the shepherds transgressed against me; the prophets prophesied by Baal and went after things that do not profit. “Therefore I still contend with you, declares the LORD, and with your children’s children I will contend. For cross to the coasts of Cyprus and see, or send to Kedar and examine with care; see if there has been such a thing. Has a nation changed its gods, even though they are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit. Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the LORD, for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.

Let’s look at this briefly today and discover what God’s people were choosing to worship instead of God. God through Jeremiah is telling His people that He remembers their devotion to Him in the past. When they left Egypt and entered the promised land. The nation of Israel was holy, it gave worship the rightful place, nations surrounding her were destroyed, and God’s protection was upon her. Then, in verse 5, God makes a turn. He says that the people went far from Him, they went after worthlessness and became worthless. What would cause a people to forget their first love? What would draw their attention away from the God who had provided all to them? How could they so easily forget? The rest of the passage continues to illustrate how the people of God digressed in their love and intimacy with the Lord. Read carefully the last verse. God proclaims that the people did two things wrong. First, they turned their backs, forsook God. Next, they created cisterns of their own, ones that would not even hold water. What is God saying here? He is teaching us as Jeremiah was teaching the people of Judah, that it is easy to forget where our provision of life comes from. When we are desperate for help we cry out to God and He answers. We respond with love and devotion, but then, when life is calm, we have money in the bank, our kids are well, we forget that God is still the Almighty Faithful Powerful God who deserves our worship and devotion at all times in all places. Jesus is called the Living Water in John 4. He is the only object of true satisfaction and fulfillment we can find. When we create substitute objects of affection we are creating cisterns that won’t even hold water.

So how about you? Can you recall a time you loved the Lord more? Can you remember when you thought about God more than you do now? You are loved, constantly. Remember Who God is. Repent of the idols you have created as substitutes. Worship Him and Him alone today.

Respectfully,

Dennis