January 2012

December 5, 1982 - Our first Sunday

Mary and I are beginning our thirtieth year at LMBC in 2012 and we are more excited about the future than at any other time in our ministry. We believe that God has uniquely positioned our congregation to make a significant impact for His Kingdom in the coming years.

Rarely does a pastor stay at his first church for his entire ministry. It’s not uncommon for pastors to move several times before settling into the place where they ultimately serve out their calling. However, when we came to LMBC Mary and I had full intentions of spending the remaining portion of our lives in this place, if God so willed. We would have followed Him anywhere, but it has been His sovereign plan to leave us here...and we’re glad about it!

I’m looking now at plans for the next fifteen years of our ministry that will continue to help our church reach new people, as well as care for the community of faith He has given us. I want to finish well in the place I have invested the majority of my life, should God be pleased to allow me to live that long. One of the great challenges I see before me is how to prepare our church so that LMBC will be ready to call the next generation pastor when my ministry ends. And, I want to do my part in training that generation so they can take this ministry into the middle/late part of the 21st century with the blessing of God on their lives.

But, if you really want to know about some of my dreams for the immediate future, here are just a few: I want to make a lasting spiritual difference in people’s lives and in the community where I serve. I want to see the message, “Jesus saves,” taken to those that have never heard His name. I want to see believers find that following Jesus is the only way to real meaning and purpose in life. I want to see married couples find the fullness God intended for their relationships. I want to see children and young people excited about turning the world upside down for Christ. I want to see our “prodigals” return to the Father that loves them. I want to see people far from God’s Kingdom brought into the family of God. I want to see people excitedly being baptized as they profess their faith in the Savior. I want to see men and women answer His call to vocational ministry from our fellowship. I want to be on the cutting edge of the things God is doing in this world and not wait ten/twenty years for it to reach us in the smaller cities. I want our church to bless our community and be missed by them, if we were suddenly gone. I want to take people deeper in their knowledge of the Holy Scriptures and farther than they’ve ever been in their relationship with Jesus Christ. And, I can go on like this...

When you add to these things some of the projects I believe should be in our future you can see that God has a great work yet to be done here. I pray we will make significant progress toward some of these areas that I’ve long felt are important to our future: 1. A children’s auditorium/activity area (first floor) & choir room (second floor) to be added to the rear of our existing Worship Center. 2. The construction of a multi-level adult/children facility that includes a full-fledged coffee shop/banquet room and Children’s play area. (I’d love to see this coffee shop and play area open to our community during the week.) 3. Upgrade to HD quality TV equipment so we can stay relevant and continue reaching others through the Daily Walk outreach. There is probably no other single ministry of our church that has a more far-reaching impact on our local community than our Daily Walk TV program. 4. Purchase adjacent property when it becomes available so we can have the needed space to continue growing. 5. Grow our international missions program not just in quantity of missionaries, but in quality of support.

Well, you get the idea... I have lots of things rambling around in my head about the future and I’m regularly placing them before the Lord in prayer. Not everything I envision for our church comes to pass. Sometimes God shows us a better way to accomplish His work than what I initially envisioned myself. That’s OK with me! But, I’m not going to sit back and just revel in the spoils of His past blessings. I want to see Him do even greater things than I ever imagined in my own heart and mind.

Of one thing I’m certain: no matter what else we may do in 2012 and the coming years, we must continue to stay focused on JESUS. This ministry, as well as our individual lives must become increasingly more Christocentric. The writer of Hebrews put it this way, “...let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith...” (Hebrews 12:1-2 NASB) Nothing good or of lasting value can ever be accomplished if we lose our focus on Him.

In many ways our church has evolved over the years as we’ve grown together in ministry. But, the changes have been mostly about style or methods...not substance. And, what has driven these changes has been my desire to bring our church more closely into alignment with Scriptural teachings. Some of the things I thought I understood when I began my ministry have become clearer as my study of His Word has grown fuller and deeper. With experience and maturity comes adjustments, if you intend on calling yourself a follower of Jesus. To stubbornly say, “I haven’t changed in the last thirty years” is basically to acknowledge your own failure to grow in your relationship with Christ and your understanding of His Word. No one denies that change for change’s sake is not good, but change driven by the Scripture is always good and right!

A few years ago as the New Year dawned I brought a message entitled, “We Haven’t Changed!” In that message I outlined the core doctrines of the faith I believed when I came to the church at the end of 1982 and affirmed in that sermon that I still hold fast to these same truths. Nothing has changed on that front and I strongly affirm the same fundamentals today. However, I’m not afraid to admit that in other areas of my ministry I have changed and it’s brought me closer to Jesus and our church closer to the New Testament pattern of ministry. Is there more of that kind of change in our future? Probably! And, the reason I say that is because I am committed to letting the Scripture take us wherever it leads us and not try to impose on it our own preconceived agenda or traditions. To me, that’s part of what it means to stay focused on Jesus.

I need your prayers and your help to move in the direction God is calling us. Everything we need He will provide as we trust and obey. I don’t have thirty more years left for “day to day” pastoral ministry, but of the years I do have left, I am going to serve them out pressing forward.

There is much work to be accomplished and God wants each of us to be His vessel through which He can accomplish His work! What part will you play in the future of LMBC?

Social Media Addiction

My dad's Ham Radio equipment. I still have the microphone.

I'm a total tech-gadget geek...not that I own that many gadgets, mind you. I just love reading about them and seeing the innovative advancements that "simplify our lives." Whenever I see someone I know with a new gadget I always want them to demonstrate some of the fascinating things it can do. I really like seeing it in action! I know...that sounds crazy to some people, but everybody needs a hobby and this is one of mine.

I learned this penchant for electronic gadgetry from my dad when I was just a kid. From before I was born he was involved in electronic communication through his Ham Radios. In the basement of our home on Miriam Lane in Decatur, GA, he had set up a small studio of equipment that he used for broadcasting a signal to connect with people in the states and in many foreign countries. It always fascinated me that we could sit in our modest house and be talking to someone that lived a world away from me.

Although the basement was unfinished, one of the block walls near his radio equipment was completely “wallpapered” with QSL cards from places all over the world. Not only was his radio equipment used for personal enjoyment, it also served as a tool for helping people during times of tragedy/crisis by relaying information to appropriate authorities. He ran "phone patches" for missionaries to talk with their families in the states. He made friends that to their dying days stayed in contact with one another. And, when you add his small 2 meter & 6 meter radios, he was as well connected in his generation as I am in mine.  

I'll never forget the Saturdays he and I spent together at Hamfests at Stone Mountain State Park and other places around the Atlanta area. Most of what they talked about at these all day events I didn't really understand, but it's part of the reason I love technology today. My dad introduced me to electronics and created an interest in me for it that I enjoy till this day. Though I never earned my Ham Radio license (something I think he'd have loved me to do), it was my dad that introduced me to my first computer and insisted that I learn to use it.

Now you can understand better my interest in things that some people consider to be nothing more than a necessary nuisance.

Social Media Addiction

One of the "advancements" that intrigues me is this whole phenomena dealing with social media. There is hardly a day that passes that I don't post a few messages and take some time to read what people are talking about online. It's similar to what my dad did by way of his Ham Radios, only much simpler and less technical to use. Everyday I connect with friends from around the states and around the world. Social media and the Internet is today's equivalent of my dad's Ham Radio. It's a tool, it's a toy, it's total fun...SOME DAYS!

But, we also have to remember that social media (computers, technology, Ham Radios, cell phones, texting, etc.) can become addictive. How many times a day do you check Facebook, Twitter, Google+, your cell phone, etc.? Probably more than you realize!

I read an honest confession by a pastor who is battling with his addiction to social media. Listen to his transparent assessment of the struggle.

“A little over a month ago I was with a group of about ten people or so in a restaurant where we had gathered to celebrate and reflect on the end of a pretty intense season of ministry we had just completed.  We had seen God do some amazing things and had more than enough reasons to be excited about the evening.

“We got our menus, spoke with each other about the options in front of us and then chatted about what we preferred and then placed our order with the waiter.

“After the waiter was gone I pulled out my cell phone.  Please understand, no one had texted me.  No one had called me.  I did not have any voice messages from earlier in the day.  Why did I pull out my cell phone then?  Simple…I needed to check Twitter.

“As I did this something told me to stop and listen…and when I did I heard no conversations taking place at the table.  No laughing.  No celebration.  No recalling what the Lord had done.  Then I looked up and discovered why…

“EVERY SINGLE PERSON AT THE TABLE WAS LOOKING DOWN AT THEIR CELL PHONE!

“Doing what, I have no idea…probably twitter, facebook or whatever…but what stood out to me in a very convicting way was that ALL of us were neglecting being connected with the people who were right in front of us and were engaging in something else that, for some reason we all considered to be more important.

“...Here I was with a group of friends that I should be enjoying life with and instead I was obsessed with an online perception that I somehow felt was more important than the relationships that were right in front of me.

“Thoughts began to flood my mind of other times I had done the same…

--The times I had been on the couch with [my wife], and instead of engaging her in conversation I am seeing how many people re-tweeted me.

--The times that [my daughter] had been trying to get my attention and instead I was trying to see how many “likes” that [my] Facebook page had.

--The times that I had been in a room FULL of people and opportunities to engage in conversations that mattered, but instead I was more obsessed with clearing another level of Angry Birds.

“...I realized that I was neglecting real community, real people who were right in front of me [emphasis mine] and instead engaging in relationships online that were superficial at best and achieving “high scores” on games that had absolutely zero significant value.

“Honestly, if I found out today that I had 30 days to live my obsessions would not become how many twitter followers I could gain, how many times I could dominate “words with friends” or even having to check who had written on my Facebook wall in the past 15 minutes.  It would be people, REAL people and REAL relationships that would be important to me. [emphasis mine]”

It’s very easy to get caught up being “connected” to people online while ignoring the ones who have chosen to spend “real time” with you. When you’re neglecting those that are present with you by carrying on a texting conversation with someone that isn’t with you (and it’s not an emergency), it may indicate an addiction in your life.

Please hear me...there is nothing wrong with technology and the opportunities to connect with people online. It just has to be kept in perspective and you have to place the greater value on the "real" relationships in your life...not the virtual ones.

In Defense of Christ

Dr. Steve Tardy has written a new book entitled, "In Defense of Christ" and I want to recommend it to you as a tool to strengthen your spiritual life in the face of so many and varied attacks on Christianity.

There is a devious effort afoot to undermine the Christian faith and all believers must be prepared to "earnestly contend for the faith."

I have known Steve and his family for many years and have watched the Lord at work in his life. He is passionate about his faith and his commitment to the truth of God's Word. His medical background, along with his theological training uniquely qualifies him to address apologetic issues that confront Christians in our post-modern world.

In a succinct and thoroughly scriptural fashion Steve introduces you to "other faiths" and prepares you to confront their theological errors with God's truth.

We simply cannot compromise the truth of God's Word or the Christ that is central to Christianity.

Steve writes, "...it is important to remember there is no neutrality in scripture. Christ Himself said, 'He that is not with me is against me...' (Matthew 12:30) In denying Christ we defame and denigrate Holy Scripture and become cowards for not standing for our belief in Jesus Christ as Lord..."

You can get your copy of his new book from Guiding Light Christian Store in Barboursville, WV, (304) 302-6441 or by contacting Dr. Tardy directly.

Dr. Tardy will be signing books at Guiding Light Christian Store on December 10th, from 2-4 p.m. This is your opportunity to meet Dr. Tardy personally and to get your own personalized copy of his book.

Guiding Light Christian Store
2010 Thundering Herd Dr
Barboursville, WV 25504
(304) 302-6441

Gifts for Jesus

Did you know that if statistics hold true again this year that after Christmas there will be nearly a million unwanted presents that will be sold on eBay...including some that will still be in their original gift wrapping?

Look at a few of the after Christmas sale items from last year:

• An easy-to-knit scarf kit, described by the seller as "a lovely idea but I cannot knit and really don't have time to learn."
• A Simpson’s cuckoo clock, girl's lilac boots, and a pair of Red Monkey jeans.
• One lady in London was selling a pair of Prada shoes given to her by her brother. She said, "I hate them. They’re old-fashioned court shoes, a style I'd never wear."
• Another man wrote about a gift he was selling, "Re-homing a present [don’t you just love how we say things to make them sound better] means it will find a new owner who will really appreciate it."

Now, to be frank with you, some of the things on eBay’s list make me wonder more about the gift-giver than the gift-seller. But, we all know that there are going to be some items we give (and get) this Christmas that will never see the light of day.

Let’s be totally honest with ourselves for a moment. If we received absolutely nothing this Christmas, except for a grateful heart for the things we already possess, most of us would be just fine. I’m not suggesting that you stop your gift-giving or that you forget those important people in your life. I’m just saying that most of us have all we need even if we don’t get any gifts this holiday season.

But, there is one person on our Christmas list that we should never forget and that’s the One whose birthday we are celebrating.

Let me ask you an unusual question. When you celebrate your birthday, who receives the presents, you or the guests who are celebrating with you? And, if someone was upset about not receiving a gift at your birthday party you’d probably just tell them, “It’s not your birthday we’re celebrating anyway!”

So, what do you give the “Person” (Jesus) who has everything? You give Him exactly what He asks for all year long...to make Him known to the ends of the earth.

This year you can give a gift to Jesus for His birthday by giving to our “Gifts for Jesus Offering” on Sunday, December 18. Every dime of the offering goes to making Jesus known to our Tri-State and beyond through our Daily Walk TV ministry.

There’s a special Christmas offering envelope for this purpose that is among your regular offering envelopes you received in your mail for December (LMBC members). If you didn’t get one of these envelopes or you need a replacement you will find additional Christmas envelopes in all of the entrances of the church.

If you're not a member of LMBC and want to give to this special offering to help us take His love by way of our TV broadcast to more than 40 counties in WV, OH, and KY, then you can do so by sending your gift to 5385 W. Pea Ridge Road, Huntington, WV, 25705. Be sure to mark your gift for this specific purpose ("Gifts for Jesus Offering") in the memo portion of your check.

Please join us this year in making sure that the One whose birth we celebrate isn’t the One who is forgotten on His birthday.

I promise...no one will ever re-gift their new life they discover in Christ because you helped us take Jesus’ love to them.

Putting God Back in the Holidays

Bill and Penny Thrasher have written an excellent book that can help any of us redeem the holidays and other special occasions by using them for the glory of God. It's a purchase worthy of the price and you can get it from your local bookseller now.

If you're like me, I want to use special occasions and holiday events to focus my own heart on Christ and point others to Him, as well.

Consider a few of their ideas for the Christmas season and see if you don't agree that they are onto something here. And, this is just a sampling of the many ideas they have included in the book.

• Prayer Mailbox — Set up a covered prayer mailbox on your front porch. Then send out a message to your neighbors letting them know that they are welcome to put prayer requests in the box. Pray for the requests throughout the holidays. Be sure to let them know that they may keep the request(s) anonymous if they would like.

• Decorated Homes — Drive someone around town to look at the decorated homes, especially the elderly or shut-ins who might not get out much.

• Christmas Story — Read Luke 2 out loud as a family. If you have younger children, have them act out the story as you read it. Kids love to dress up!!

• Cocoa Party — Host a cocoa party for your children and their friends and use it as a time to sing Christmas carols or read the Christmas story.

• Handel’s Messiah — If you haven’t listened to Handel’s Messiah, don’t let another year pass until you have heard it for yourself. Consider playing it in the background as you open presents, or another opportune time such as addressing Christmas cards.

As you can see, these things (and more like them in the book) can make the Christmas season more than the ordinary consumer event most of us endure.  I always figure a book is worth the price if I get at least one good idea from it. You’ll get a lot more than one good idea from, Putting God Back in the Holidays.

It covers events like: Christmas, New Years, Easter, Thanksgiving, National Holidays, birthdays, etc., etc.

This is a tool for those that don’t want to waste one more special occasion, but want to redeem these events for the good of others/ourselves and the glory of God!

Order yours today and start highlighting these special events in a manner that exalts Christ and leads people to Him.

November Thoughts

Missions Celebration in review
Now that our missions celebration month has ended, I want to take a moment to thank the Lord for His blessings on this special emphasis and for the many people that made a commitment to join us in the endeavor of reaching our world with the Good News of Jesus Christ. It’s still not too late for you to get involved yourself, if you forgot to do so during one of the services last month.

We were privileged to meet three new missionary families going to places in the world where we have no representative from our church. My prayer is that by the end of the year all three of these families will be part of our outreach team taking the Gospel in our stead to places we cannot go. You can help make that happen by beginning your faith-giving to missions in November. If you are a member of LMBC then you can use the envelopes sent to your home each month for this purpose or you can use one of the envelopes located in the back of all the church pews. Please, don’t wait to start giving your commitment until some later time. Start trusting God this month and join the rest of us in investing in eternity.

Wednesday praise celebrations
As a part of the month of November and the Thanksgiving season, we are going to have a special praise celebration during each Wednesday night service in the worship center. Many of you attend other Bible studies during the mid-week gathering, but for those that have not chosen one of our nearly sixty small groups to attend, I invite you to share this special hour with me in the main auditorium. We will be studying from the scripture a biblical lesson each week and then giving praise to God for His multiplied blessings. If the Lord is enthroned on the praises of His people (and He is - Psalm 22:3), then Wednesday service in our worship center is going to be the place to have a real encounter with our living Lord. I hope you will consider joining me to have your spiritual batteries recharged each Wednesday evening from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Bringing others to Jesus
One more thing I’d like to ask of all LMBC members and regular attenders. Would you begin praying immediately for God to let you bring at least one other person to Jesus Christ before the end of the winter season? It may be that you will bring someone to church with you where they hear the Gospel and be saved. Or, you may personally deal with a friend or family member in another setting where you can personally present the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There are souls to rescue that are within the reach of our own personal sphere of influence, if you’ll just ask God to open doors of opportunity for you to reach them. Wouldn’t it be great if this winter was the greatest winter in the history of our church for people coming to faith in Jesus Christ. It can be that way, if we’ll all make ourselves instruments in our Master’s hands.

Bad Behavior On Facebook and other Social Media

Just a thought I recently shared with someone that is having trouble with caustic friends on Facebook.

For me, Facebook is like my "house." I consider it a privilege to host people in my "house." If you behave badly while you're in my "house," I BLOCK you from returning to my "house." If you add NO value to the conversation at my "house," I UNSUBSCRIBE/HIDE you so that I don't waste any time reading things that aren't meaningful and beneficial. But, I have hundreds of friends that I regularly welcome to my "house" and I am glad to have them here. Sometimes they make me think. Sometimes they make me laugh. Sometimes they make me cry. Sometimes they make a good point. Sometimes I'm a little embarrassed. Sometimes they touch my heart. Sometimes we all pray together. Sometimes I go to places I'll never go myself through the pictures they post. Always (at my "house")...we are respectful of others and use my "house" constructively and not destructively. If all you want to do is argue with me in my "house," well, you get ejected (BLOCKED) from my "house." This is my "house" and you are a guest here. I'm glad to have you at my "house" and I want to be a good host to you.  But, if you misbehave at my "house"...well, you know what happens by now!

Don't let others bring you down by continually reading things that are caustic, uselessly controversial, and critical. Also, consider who's making the posts you read and ask yourself, "Does this person add value to my life or are they merely trying to stir up controversy?" Not every opinion expressed in my "house" is a good one, but I don't feel obligated to correct them (and if I were going to offer correction I'd do it privately). But, when people's opinions feel more like they are bullying people about their pet peeves...well, you get voted out of my "house."

FB has been a wonderful tool for me to reconnect with old friends and to make some new ones, as well. It has allowed me to have some influence in people's lives beyond the pulpit, which is where my greatest influence is found. It allows me as a "Shepherd" to see and connect with the people of our church as God is at work in their lives. It also allows me to impact people who aren't believers by showing the way of Christ to them. Social media is a tool for me, but when someone misuses this tool...I take away their privilege of having access to the tool at my "house."

This is my "house" and I'm proud to have you at my "house" with me. But, please be advised, bad behavior will result in you being removed from my "house."

Just thought I'd help some of you rid yourself of any guilt for "blocking" or "hiding" someone on FB. I've done it and will continue to do it.

___________________________________

This post was originally only on Facebook and seen by my friends. I decided to put it on my blog, which is open to anyone on the web so they might read it and find some peace in de-friending a few people, too!

King James Onlyism & Constantin Von Tischendorf

"King James Only" advocates have a penchant for parroting details out of context and/or spinning them to fit their own predetermined beliefs. Never mind following the facts where they lead you, especially if the facts lead you to a place that contradicts your long held and oft repeated dogma.

Recently, I heard someone repeating one of these inaccuracies while proposing that the KJV is the "only Bible in the English language for the English speaking people." In the process of making his point he completely misrepresented the facts about one of the oldest known Greek manuscripts discovered by Constantin Von Tischendorf and called the Codex Sinaiticus. Because this manuscript significantly predates the Textus Receptus, which is the foundational Greek text for the “KJV Only” position, advocates for this position often seek to diminish the importance of this monumental find. You can Google the story about the discovery of Codex Sinaiticus and see the facts for yourself. But, following is a portion of Tischendorf's own account of finding this magnificent document.

“It was in April, 1844, that I embarked at Leghorn for Egypt. The desire which I felt to discover some precious remains of any manuscripts, more especially Biblical, of a date which would carry us back to the early times of Christianity, was realized beyond my expectations. It was at the foot of Mount Sinai, in the Convent of St. Catherine, that I discovered the pearl of all my researches. In visiting the library of the monastery, in the month of May, 1844, I perceived in the middle of the great hall a large and wide basket full of old parchments; and the librarian, who was a man of information, told me that two heaps of papers like these, mouldered by time, had been already committed to the flames. What was my surprise to find amid this heap of papers a considerable number of sheets of a copy of the Old Testament in Greek, which seemed to me to be one of the most ancient that I had ever seen. The authorities of the convent allowed me to possess myself of a third of these parchments, or about forty-three sheets, all the more readily as they were destined for the fire. But I could not get them to yield up possession of the remainder. The too lively satisfaction which I had displayed had aroused their suspicions as to the value of this manuscript. I transcribed a page of the text of Isaiah and Jeremiah, and enjoined on the monks to take religious care of all such remains which might fall in their way.”

As you can see, Tischendorf in no way disparaged his find as being inconsequential or the discovery of an inferior Greek manuscript filled with errors. Quite the contrary! He saw it as the greatest discovery of his lifetime. Furthermore, the monks were not burning parts of this manuscript because it had no value, but because they didn’t know its value. It wasn’t even the New Testament that was being burned, it was parts of the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) that were slated for the fire. In addition, not all of what was being burned was from the Septuagint, but apparently included other documents that most evangelical scholars don’t consider part of the biblical canon anyway. And, as we’ll discover in a moment, most of the Codex that Tischendorf so desperately wanted to see was “wrapped in a red cloth” and stored away in the “corner of [a] room” at the Convent of St. Catherine.

Becasue Tischendorf saw only a small portion of this extremely valuable manuscript on his first visit to Sinai, he returned fifteen years later to find all of the treasured Codex Sinaiticus. Listen to his delight upon discovering this ancient treasure with the entire New Testament intact.

“On the afternoon of this day I was taking a walk with the steward of the convent in the neighbourhood, and as we returned, towards sunset, he begged me to take some refreshment with him in his cell. Scarcely had he entered the room, when, resuming our former subject of conversation, he said: ‘And I, too, have read a Septuagint’--i.e. a copy of the Greek translation made by the Seventy. And so saying, he took down from the corner of the room a bulky kind of volume, wrapped up in a red cloth, and laid it before me. I unrolled the cover, and discovered, to my great surprise, not only those very fragments which, fifteen years before, I had taken out of the basket, but also other parts of the Old Testament, the New Testament complete, and, in addition, the Epistle of Barnabas and a part of the Pastor of Hermas. Full of joy, which this time I had the self-command to conceal from the steward and the rest of the community, I asked, as if in a careless way, for permission to take the manuscript into my sleeping chamber to look over it more at leisure. There by myself I could give way to the transport of joy which I felt. I knew that I held in my hand the most precious Biblical treasure in existence--a document whose age and importance exceeded that of all the manuscripts which I had ever examined during twenty years' study of the subject. I cannot now, I confess, recall all the emotions which I felt in that exciting moment with such a diamond in my possession. Though my lamp was dim, and the night cold, I sat down at once to transcribe the Epistle of Barnabas. For two centuries search has been made in vain for the original Greek of the first part of this Epistle, which has only been known through a very faulty Latin translation. And yet this letter, from the end of the second down to the beginning of the fourth century, had an extensive authority, since many Christians assigned to it and to the Pastor of Hermas a place side by side with the inspired writings of the New Testament. This was the very reason why these two writings were both thus bound up with the Sinaitic Bible, the transcription of which is to be referred to the first half of the fourth century, and about the time of the first Christian emperor.”

What could possibly be the justification for a person mischaracterizing and misrepresenting the discovery of one of the greatest treasures of all manuscript history? Have we reached a place where defending a tenuous position is more important than reporting historical facts accurately (people wouldn’t stand for this being done with American history)? Are some too ashamed or too proud to admit that they might have been wrong about the facts? If you want my opinion, I think most “KJV Only” advocates merely parrot what other misinformed people have told them, thus perpetuating the inaccuracies. It doesn’t matter how many times you tell an inaccurate story it is still inaccurate, even if people believe that what you are telling them is accurate. What you then have is little more than collective ignorance about the most important single document in the history of mankind...the Bible.

Here’s where the “logic” really meets the road. Until “KJV Only” advocates can produce a SINGLE, IDENTIFIABLE, and PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE manuscript that PERFECTLY REPRESENTS the originals penned by the authors so that we can compare all manuscript evidence to this original, the “KJV Only” position logically falls apart. History is indisputable in showing that God’s Word has been preserved in thousands of manuscripts which must be meticulously compared by textual scholars to bring us as close as possible to the original autographs penned by the authors of scripture. No two extant manuscripts match any other manuscript exactly and hence the need for this kind of careful textual analysis (i.e., textual criticism) to discover what the originals actually said. The extremely small amount of uncertainty in textual criticism (estimated to be less than 2% of the total text) does not affect any doctrine or core belief of the Christian faith. Even the highly revered (by “KJV only” advocates) Textus Receptus was derived using textual criticism employed by Erasmus, Stephanus, and Beza. So using this scientific approach to reveal the original biblical text does not, therefore, threaten the doctrine of inspiration and infallibility of the Bible. The real threat to scripture comes through people who are so bent on proving an unsupportable and illogical position that they are even willing to “spin” and/or misrepresent historical data in order to support their spurious point of view.

It’s time to stop arguing against modern Bible translations in an effort to have everyone return to Elizabethan English used in a cultural setting long past. There is no such thing as a “King James Bible,” as some “KJV Only” proponents boldly assert. It is and has always been known as the “King James VERSION,” meaning it is one of many translations (versions) of the Bible that have been made available to Christians through the ages. Use one/several of the translations available in your local Christian bookstore and/or on your electronic devices and let them enhance your understanding of God’s Word...it will foster a deeper walk with Jesus Christ in your life.  

Synopsis of Jude's Letter

Jude was the half brother of Jesus Christ and the author of the N.T. book that bears his name (1:1). Though we don’t know a great deal about the church or the Christians to whom he wrote (there are similarities between his letter and those of Peter, which might be a clue), he was deeply concerned for their spiritual well-being because of the presence of false teaching and false teachers in their church. His original intent was to write about their common salvation (1:3) so they could rejoice together in its many blessings. But, because false teachers/doctrine had slipped into their fellowship (“crept in unnoticed” – 1:4), he felt compelled to admonish the believers in the church to “earnestly contend for the faith” (1:3). These Christians were encouraged to not idly stand by while these purveyors of false doctrine and profligate living rambled about among their people. They had to take action and become active in the struggle against error and for the truth.

The presence of this doctrinal error was clearly dangerous to the spiritual lives of these people and to their testimony as believers. And, they needed to know that if God did not spare His own people (1:5), the disobedient angels (1:6), or the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (1:7), He certainly would not spare these unrepentant apostates or the church that coddled them. These false teachers were having a significant negative influence in the congregation because of their immorality, rebelliousness, and presumptuous sins (1:8-11). Jude chose two well-known examples from the O.T. to show the danger these apostates posed (1:11). So pronounced was this danger that five descriptive word pictures are used to express his concern. He said they were like “spots in your love feasts,” “clouds without water,” “trees without fruit,” “raging waves,” and “wandering stars” (1:12-14). As these phrases indicate, the apostates had nothing to offer that was fulfilling or brought direction to these believers. They were characterized by empty promises, aimlessness of purpose, and unrestrained wickedness. As far back as the days of Enoch God had said that He would judge the wickedness of people of this ilk (1:14-15).

It’s not until you get almost two-thirds of the way through the letter (1:17) and after he has thoroughly revealed the true character of the apostates, as well as their certain judgment, that Jude gives the first direct commands to this fellowship (each of the following words/phrases is an imperative: “remember,” “keep,” “have compassion,” “save with fear,” and “hate the garments” – 1:17-23). Central to these commands is the one that states that they are to “keep [themselves] in the love of God” (1:20), which he explains as being accomplished by “building yourselves up on your most holy faith” (1:20A), “praying in the Holy Spirit” (1:20B), and “looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1:21). If the church would take a strong stance for the Apostolic doctrine handed down to them and get in the fight for truth, it was even possible that some that had been deceived by the apostates could be saved from the coming judgment (1:22-23). That, along with the purity of the church, was additional motivation for them to get off the sidelines and get in the struggle for the truth.

As quickly as the letter begins, it ends with the most complete and arguably, the most beautiful doxology in scripture. Jude was reminding these believers that their ultimate purpose was to glorify God through lives that are holy. Christ was/is able to keep His children from falling into the grievous errors of these apostates, if they’d simply entrust themselves to Him and to the truth they had received about Him (1:24-25).

Is Mormonism really a cult?

Dr. Robert Jeffress, pastor of the famed First Baptist Church, in Dallas, TX, lit off a vociferous debate when he recently declared that Mormonism is a cult and incompatible with the Christian faith. He made his declaration at a campaign appearance with Governor Rick Perry who is running for the presidency of the United States. To most of us that have studied comparative religions his remarks weren't shocking at all, nor did they reveal anything we didn't already know. But, to the left-leaning American news media it was the modern day equivalent of the "shot heard round the world" (especially in the context of a political campaign).

The media quickly began vilifying the pastor for his insensitive remarks and even some that operate under the name of Christianity joined in the fray. In our pluralistic society where no one is wrong and everyone is right, to make an absolute declaration, especially about what it means to be a Christian, is considered by many Americans as the epitome of intolerance.

The saddest part of the whole ordeal to me was the lack of support Dr. Jeffress received from those who know the truth about the roots of Mormonism (Christian leaders). It might be argued that the venue where his observation was made was not the most advantageous setting for a minister of the Gospel. However, he was simply answering a question asked of him by the media and his clarity, as well as his courage to speak the truth in such a context, is what's missing from many of our Christian leaders and churches these days.

Just so you know why Mormonism and Christianity are not compatible faiths, I have included a brief synopsis of Mormonism written by Dr. Albert Mohler. People following the “Jesus” of Mormonism may be deeply sincere people, but their souls are in eternal jeopardy. To fail to speak the truth to them is to show a lack of concern for their eternal destinies.

"Mormonism starts with an understanding of God that rejects both monotheism and the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. The Mormon concept of God includes many gods, not one. Furthermore, Mormonism teaches that we are now what God once was and are becoming what He now is...From a Christian perspective, Mormonism is a new religion, complete with its own scripture, its own priesthood, its own rituals, and its own teachings...Mormonism rejects orthodox Christianity as the very argument for its own existence, and it clearly identifies historic Christianity as a false faith [emphasis mine].

"Mormonism rejects the Bible as the sole and sufficient authority for the faith, and insists that The Book of Mormon and other authoritative Latter-Day Saints writings constitute God’s final revelation. Furthermore, the authority in Mormonism is mediated through a human priesthood, through whom God is claimed to speak directly and authoritatively to the church. Nothing makes the distinction between Mormonism and historic Christianity more clear than the experience of reading The Book of Mormon. The very subtitle of The Book of Mormon — Another Testament of Jesus Christ — makes one of Mormonism’s central claims directly and candidly: That we need another authority to provide what is lacking in the New Testament.

"The Mormon doctrine of sin is not that of biblical Christianity, nor is its teaching concerning salvation. Rather than teaching that the death of Christ is alone sufficient for the forgiveness of sins, Mormonism presents a scheme of salvation that amounts to the progressive deification of the believer. According to Mormonism, sinners are not justified by faith alone, but also by works of righteousness and obedience. Mormonism’s teachings concerning Jesus Christ start with a radically different understanding of the Virgin Birth and proceed to a fundamentally different understanding of Christ’s work of salvation.

"By its very nature, Mormonism borrows Christian themes, personalities, and narratives. Nevertheless, it rejects what orthodox Christianity affirms and it affirms what orthodox Christianity rejects. It is not orthodox Christianity in a new form or another branch of the Christian tradition. By its own teachings and claims, it rejects any claim of continuity with orthodox Christianity. Insofar as an individual Mormon holds to the teachings of the Latter-Day Saints, he or she repudiates biblical Christianity...[emphasis mine]"

Those are the basics about the Mormon religion in "Cliff Note" form! So, let me commend Dr. Robert Jeffress for having the courage and conviction to articulate what is the truth about Mormonism...it is a cult. I wish more Christians had the courage to speak the "truth in love" so we might rescue as many Mormons as possible from the clutches of eternal destruction.

Seeing What God Sees

Why do we fail to see people the way God sees them? How can we miss what is most important in other people's lives? Why don't we recognize the real need for mission work here and around the world?

The disciples of Christ struggled with this issue in the same way we do at times and you hear Jesus’ diagnosis of their problem in the story of the Samaritan woman.

We don't see as God sees...
1. Because we are preoccupied with the temporal/material.

After Jesus had finished talking with the Samaritan woman the disciples returned from Sycar with food for themselves and Jesus. They kept on insisting (4:31, “urged” - imperfect, active verb meaning “to keep on asking, begging”) that He take some of the food for Himself, but He consistently refused. His explanation was that He had food to eat that was more important than the food they had brought from the city. But, they struggled to grasp His meaning (4:33).

All the disciples could see and had interest in at that moment was the temporal/material (food) and it kept them from seeing what Jesus saw and wanted them to see.

We are too often preoccupied by the temporal/material and it blinds us to the real needs of people. We live for the things this world offers while neglecting what really matters...the eternal souls of people.

When will enough (things) be enough? When will more be too much? When will we say no to greed and avarice in our lives? Whatever happened to contentment? Materialism grips this age and many Christians are caught in its grasp.

What if God gives you more so you can invest in greater ways in His Kingdom work, not so you can spend more on yourself? Shouldn't we be willing to sacrifice for the cause of Christ as those in the first century sacrificed or were taught to sacrifice for others? (Acts 5; 2 Corinthians 8:1-4; 1 Timothy 6:6-10, 17-19)

We don't see as God sees...
2. Because we are oblivious to the eternal.

When the pursuit of the temporal/material becomes the primary focus of our lives we will no longer see the eternal things that really matter to God.

Jesus contrasted three things in this story that illustrated a distinction between the temporal and the eternal: water (4:10), food (4:34), & the harvest (4:35).

The disciples had gone into Sycar to get food, but never thought about the need of the souls in the city. They interacted with, had conversations among, and made purchases from the Samaritan people. But, as far we know, they never invited one person from the city to come out and meet Jesus.

On the other hand, a woman who had only known Jesus for less than an hour went back into the city and led a large group of people out to Him. Consequently, there were many in Samaria that believed on Him because of her (4:39-41).

Jesus rebuked His disciples for not recognizing the immediate spiritual need by quoting a phrase/proverb that was common among the people: "There are still four months and then comes the harvest" (4:35). This saying was familiar to the people and was used to indicate the need for patience or delayed action. (Something equivalent to, "Rome wasn't build in a day," i.e., it takes time.) In other words, the disciples were procrastinating about something that needed attention now...not later: the souls of the Samaritan people.

When you become preoccupied with the temporal/material you also become oblivious to the eternal. You’re living for yourself and for what you can get out of life at the moment, never realizing that there are people you could be influencing for the Kingdom of God. The need of people for the Gospel never crosses your mind or you choose to think about something other than what Jesus prioritizes. It’s the fundamental reason too many people won’t prioritize missionary endeavors or rearrange their spending to include the support of missionaries. They are oblivious to the eternal because they are preoccupied with the temporal/material.

We don't see as God sees...
3. Because we are ignorant of the potential.

Jesus quoted a second parable to the disciples that said, "one man sows and another reaps" (4:37). That point seems obvious, but the metaphor really speaks of an inequity that was recognized in the first century.

The joy was in the reaping, not always in the sowing. The sowers worked hard to prepare the ground and plant the seed, but often did not get to participate in the harvest. Consequently, they missed the celebrations that occurred during that special season of the year. Most people of this period saw this as an inequity that couldn't be helped. It’s a little like working hard most of your life to amass enough money so you can enjoy the rest of your life in ease only to die unexpectedly and leave it for someone else to enjoy. Sometimes life just doesn’t seem fair!

However, Jesus was saying to His disciples that the spiritual harvest of people's souls is different. Both the sower and the reaper equally experience the reward of bringing someone to Christ. Both will be rewarded for the labor they invest, regardless of whether they sow the seed (of the Gospel) or harvested the souls for Christ's Kingdom. Both would rejoice (4:36) in Heaven when the ones they’d led to Christ or helped others lead to Him, met them there. There is no inequity in the harvest fields of the world where God is at work. The one that sends the missionary, as well as the missionary himself/herself will rejoice and be rewarded together.

The disciples were ignorant of the potential that was right before them. If they only realized the opportunities around them they could lay hold of eternal treasures for Heaven’s sake.

When you become preoccupied with the temporal/material you lose sight of the eternal and fail to realize the potential of reaching others with the Good News that Jesus saves.

Jesus had to “shake” the disciples in order to get them to focus on what was really important. That’s why the first thing He says to them before telling them to, “lift up [their] eyes and look at the fields,” is “BEHOLD.” It is sort of like verbally grabbing someone by the shoulders and giving him a gentle “shake” in order to get his attention to see/understand what he is missing.

Conclusion:
Why don't you see the need of being involved in reaching the lost souls of this world? What are you willing to sacrifice so you can invest in the eternal rewards of Heaven? What changes will you make in your spending/living to prioritize what God prioritizes?

What will it take for God to get your attention so you will see what He sees?