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Your Sermon was Boring

Posted on August 26, 20133 Comments

The value of writing thoughts down continues to prove to be a valuable asset as I attempt to honestly evaluate and test myself. Over the past several years I have heard (like everyone I suppose) a collection of comments that help me know how well I’m doing by recognizing the behavior of my flesh.

Sometimes a comment or greeting is simply for fun. Like the time a student boarded a bus one day and asked me why I was still wearing my Halloween costume. I laughed, then looked in the mirror to see what he was talking about.

But sometimes a comment or greeting leaves me realizing I still do not have control of this nasty old nature. The next comments, at the end of the day, were eventually more helpful than hurtful. Not because of what was said, but because it helps me know what my flesh is up to.

Spoken to me just before someone left our church: “I wish you preached the way you write.” Any time someone leaves our church my heart pains for their departure. Usually because these people have become part of my life. We’ve laughed together, cried together, considered spiritual things together, watched their children grow up or witness spiritual growth in their lives; many experiences that tend to do a bonding work. So when someone dear like this leaves it is painful. This comment did two things that my old nature lives for; pride and offense. This kind of double whammy is difficult to see at first because it blinds both eyes. Pride blinds as quickly as an offended, defensive spirit. Both cause the soul to loose sight of reality quickly.

The skill of asking clarifying questions has been helpful in recent years.

This next conversation came from a phone call of someone looking for a church: (After the normal questions of time and location I prepare for the real questions that everyone really wants to know, like what kind of music do you use? or how long do you preach?) In the midst of the questions from the phone caller, this statement showed up, sitting in the middle of the road like a rock that fell from cliff on a blind corner while on a mountain drive. “The last time I came to your church, your sermon was boring.” The longer I live, the quicker I am able to recognize that my flesh is on the verge of completely taking over. A statement like this, if left unchecked, can cause any public speaker to consider putting on his circus hat so that never gets said about him again.

I asked the caller what she meant by ‘boring’.

Her reply, and a long drink of water I took while she explained, cooled my flesh quickly as she explained… “I guess it’s not that your sermon was boring, it’s just that it was bible based and I’m not used to that.”

I thanked her for calling and and returned to my sermon preparation, asking God to help me refrain from obeying my flesh by attempting to not be bible based in my preaching. Contrary to popular opinion, I don’t think ‘bible based’ means ‘boring’ but I know this of my old nature; he likes to be entertained and appeased, he likes a good fight, and he loves to derail me from finding pleasure and joy in God.

———

What is the chief end of man?
Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.

———

Sermon from Judges 19, at Eastside Baptist Church on August 19, 2013

Farmers Market

Posted on August 23, 2013Leave a comment

On Saturday’s from 9AM -1PM you can find produce from local farmers being sold by those local farmers. It is an annual pleasure to begin shopping at this farmers market on the College of Southern Idaho’s campus (on North College Street). There are many reasons why it’s a pleasure:

*I like supporting the local hometown farmer.
*I know where this local farmer lives.
*I know where this local farmer will be on Sunday morning.

I’ll see you at the market in the morning. Say hello to Matt and Elizabeth Vawser when you’re there.

Character Sketches

Posted on August 23, 2013Leave a comment

One of the favorite books we read as a family with boys in the home was “Character Sketches; from the pages of Scripture, illustrated in the world of nature” (1976, Institute in Basic Youth Conflicts)

This book was used also in Renee’s home as she was growing up. Last night I retrieved the book from the book shelf to do research on a Bible character I remember reading about in it to our boys. I have decided that I want to re-read the entire book. I post it here as a highly recommended book for consideration. The expense is greater than most books but worth the investment.

The pages are filled with illustrations of animals, nature, and Bible characters. Each chapter is filled with information from the natural world and considered in relationship to men and women of the Bible and conclude with a biblical lesson for the reader.

These words are on the dedication page just before the table of contents:

Dedicated to the vision
of God raising up a vast host of men
who are committed to His standards and their responsibility
to build character and to meet the basic needs of each one in their families

Post by Paul Thompson.

Devote Yourselves to Prayer

Posted on August 21, 2013Leave a comment

“Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; Colossians 4:2

The weekly prayer guide for Eastside Baptist Church is now available for download HERE.

Judge Appointment in Kansas

Posted on August 20, 2013Leave a comment

You must be asking, what does a governor appointment to the Kansas court of appeals have to do with a guy from Idaho?

This is part of a story I love to think upon as I think of the grace of God:

The first time I ever remember seeing the name ‘Caleb Stegall’ was on a hand written note passed through a crack along the door frame of an old rusty iron door in a Haitian jail. The note was written on a torn piece of paper and handed to me from a woman of God, Nikki Lankford. The note was dictated from a text message that had just come in from home. It was in a day when good news seemingly evaporated within moments of it being spoken, like a raindrop on desert soil. Renee had just been informed from our sister-in-law, Marta Culberth, that a man, a godly man, from Kansas was willing to help us. I read the name on the note, and knew not who he was. But because Renee said he was a godly man, I was thankful to the Lord to hear the name as though he were a life-long friend. This was a man driven by justice to offer his skill and expertise to a group of people many wanted nothing to do with.

So, today, I rejoice for the citizens of Kansas. May the Lord bless your land and lives by the appointment from Gov. Brownback of Caleb Stegall to the Kansas Court of Appeals. And may the Lord bless his obedient servant as he sets his mind and action to be a blessing the all residents of Kansas. The name, Caleb Stegall, will not be forgotten in my home.

When good news evaporates like a raindrop on desert soil… There is still hope, wait upon the Lord, His delivery does not delay nor will He disappoint.

Pillar and Buttress of Truth

Posted on August 19, 2013Leave a comment

“…I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.” (1 Timothy 3:15 NASB: The source of that Truth is God as found in the Holy Bible, revealed to humanity through the power of the Holy Spirit, and fleshed out in the incarnation of God Himself in the flesh as the Lord Jesus Christ.)

Today (August 19, 2013), New Jersey Governor, Christ Christi signed a bill making way for the second state to ban “licensed therapists” from advising gay teenagers to abandon their sinful craving of homosexuality (according to the Salt Lake Tribune).

The vogue argument of our day is if someone is born “that way” then it must not be sinful. If this kind of thinking is fleshed out and defended by law then one should prepare for all of Hell to be unleashed in our land. Yet, more than the furry of Hell to fear, see the hand of God’s righteous wrath on the horizon.

Church, arise and be the church. Paul instructed Timothy to tell the church that she is the pillar and buttress of truth. Speak truth, church. Arise in love and warn people everywhere to repent of the ‘natural’ sins of their flesh. Flee from your born cravings of adultery, sexual perversions of all kinds, hatred, murder, thievery, speaking lies, cheating, and endless base debauchery of all kinds.

When any lifestyle of sin is defended by law as natural then there are no limits in sight to what man will attempt to legalize. We are no longer standing on the precipice of falling into the hands of an angry God; prepare yourself for God to turn us over to our wicked ways. The message to the church is the same as it always has been. Love your neighbor as yourself. Love your neighbor enough to warn them that the next step is a free fall to certain doom.

Church, arise in love and be the church. Call all men, including yourselves, to repentance for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

UNICEF and Planned Parenthood: When Government and Private Militia Unite

Posted on August 19, 2013Leave a comment

I would expect there would be a global outrage if an army of 600 militia men, armed for war, burned a peaceful town down. I would likely join the cry for justice.

I would expect Facebook and Twitter would light up with posts for weeks if it was discovered that a father gave his daughters to invaders to do with as they wish. This is wrong on so many levels, and one would find few people to disagree that that father is not only a danger to his children, but to all of civilization.

I would expect a man who chops his dead wife up into twelve equal pieces and then sends those pieces throughout the land to not escape the death penalty.

Today, in our land and around the world, two organizations are largely unchallenged in their injustice, inhumane ways. UNICEF gets its pass because of their clever and well put together commercials and propaganda. Planned Parenthood will cunningly evade the questions on funding while they slaughter the unborn. Both organizations will gather large sums of money from tax payers in America and individual donors. Making both UNICEF and Planned Parenthood arms of government and private militia. Nearly unstoppable.

I would expect a nation that claims to be a nation under God would not stand for the murdering of 54 million defenseless babies.

This oversight seems unbelievable. Yet, when there is no acknowledgment of God, when men do what is right in their own eyes, a nation can sit quietly by while the act of murdering 3,300 babies today will be protected by law, while babies go unprotected. Citizens of the United States of America, prepare to give your best effort in answering your God. Better, repent of your laziness and pursuit of happiness while this slaughtering takes place in your city today. It is clear, when men do what is right in their own eyes, they will soon be doing what is evil in the eyes of God.

This short documentary is worth the next eight and a half minutes of your time. Thank you Phillip Leclerc.

(HT: Scott Brown)

Men Who Separate Themselves from their Families

Posted on August 16, 2013Leave a comment

This article appeared in the Twin Falls Weekly News from the Philadelphia Ledger on August 14, 1904.

“Men who separate themselves from their families pay a very high price for success. Some of the very greatest failures in life in America in recent years have been failures of men whose lives and careers are blazoned abroad as those of great, successful men. Their sons are noted for their worthlessness, degenerate sons of worthy hires. These young men are unfitted to make a living for themselves, and they are unfitted to spend the money which their fathers piled up with infinite pains and labors. In these cases it is extremely doubtful if the worthless sons are to be blamed; the fathers, the great, successful men, are primarily at fault because though they made money and a name, they did not give any time or pains or thought at all to the most important work in the world, which is the rearing of honorable and useful men.”

(HT: Andrew Vawser)

I can agree that this is the “most important” work in the world so long as gospel proclamation is the motivation. But in large this unknown writer, like many others from the past, speak a timely word to fathers today.

Men who separate themselves from their families pay a high price, don’t they?

Praise God, by His grace, your children can be redeemed from the doom of a neglectful father or a wife may be rescued from giving her affection to another because her husband has grown dull of showing needed affection.

Husbands and fathers, are your families in danger because of your pursuit of a ‘successful’ career or waisted with unclaimed and lost hours of video games, television, computer, pornography or other activity that steals moments of honorable living before your children or cherishing your wife? If so, repent today! Cry out to God to rescue you from the your ignorance. Be provider/protector of you household today.

To The Saints Who Are In Chains

Posted on August 14, 2013Leave a comment

“Remember those who are in prison…” (Hebrews 13:3)

What a blessing it was to wake up this morning as the breeze of freedom filled my bedroom. And yet in the midst of this blessing, my flesh tempts me to forget the Giver of that blessing. Too quickly I begin to think of the plans I have for the day and the remembering of those who are in prison, because of their obedient following of God, begins to slip into forgetfulness.

The beauty of suffering is lost on the saints who think God owes them ease of life. We begin to forget that that moment of suffering is light, fleeting, momentary in comparison to the weightiness of Glory.

David, King of Israel, knew it like this:

9 And my soul shall rejoice in the LORD;
It shall exult in His salvation.
10 All my bones will say, “LORD, who is like You,
Who delivers the afflicted from him who is too strong for him,
And the afflicted and the needy from him who robs him?”
11 Malicious witnesses rise up;
They ask me of things that I do not know.
12 They repay me evil for good,
To the bereavement of my soul.
13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth;
I humbled my soul with fasting,
And my prayer kept returning to my bosom.
14 I went about as though it were my friend or brother;
I bowed down mourning , as one who sorrows for a mother.
15 But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered themselves together;
The smiters whom I did not know gathered together against me,
They slandered me without ceasing.
16 Like godless jesters at a feast,
They gnashed at me with their teeth. (Psalms 35:9-16 NASB)

Last night, while thinking upon the kindness of God in my own life through various seasons of suffering, I was encouraged by a sermon and a song as I prayed for pastor Saeed, my children, my parents, my church, and the precious girls at New Horizon Home.

May you too, be reminded to remember the saints who are in chains.

Sermon: Do Not Lose Heart, John Piper

Song: Though You Slay Me, Shane Barnard

” Not only is all your affliction momentary, not only is all your affliction light in comparison to eternity and the glory there. But all of it is totally meaningful. Every millisecond of your pain, from the fallen nature or fallen man, every millisecond of your misery in the path of obedience is producing a peculiar glory you will get because of that.” John Piper

Keep Your Eyes On The Prize

Posted on August 13, 2013Leave a comment

12 Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect , have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you; 16 however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained. (Phil 3:12-16 NASB)

Articles by Paul