Find a Dead Guy to Follow

I know what you’re thinking, “This is pure clickbait.” Hear me out, I beseech thee brethren. Before I dive right into this thought, I feel for the sake of snow and flake I must make disclosures. We follow Christ alone in faith as our hope in life and in death. Obviously. I’m not trying to contradict Paul here friends (1 Cor. 3:4-5). I’m making a very easy practical point. Also, if you don’t find a good dead male to follow, find a good dead female. My point will make more sense in the following passages.

I’ve heard it often from more learned men that they had at one particular point in their lives made a decision that altered their reading habits as well as studies upon points of certain biblical intrest. This decision was to follow a dead theologian, missionary, pastor, or what-have-you who had an impact for the Kingdom of God. Upon first hearing this, I was set aback. I knew the benefit of a living mentor, but a dead one?

Although this was novel to me it certainly was not for many a mature or budding Christian. Many gravitate towards a particular teacher or pastor who has long been dead. These Christians learn much from these saints and realize although the saint be dead, they still speak (Heb. 11:4). These dear ones resolve to read all they can of the the books, articles, sermons, and now even watch the videos in which their favorite theologian produced over their life time. The readers notice the growth of these wise sages and are encouraged by their lives lived well for the sake of the Gospel.

This has set me on a course I hope to complete along my life’s journey. I’ll be open to say I have not yet settled on one who speaks to my soul so deep but I intend to stay on the search. The conference room that is my library is filled with so many who would have me come under their tutelage, but I cannot decide.

Spurgeon blasts from his Metropolitan pulpit and Whitefield from the field. Sproul’s chalk board scratches my curiosity while Ryle delivers the elementary doctrines anew. Lewis bids me through the wardrobe and Edwards to the study. Others reach out from their shelves looking to council. It is all too rich to settle on just one, so for now I will read widely.

What I can say for now is I hope you find your dead man to follow. I am searching still for mine. These things are important. We should not think we have to reinvent the wheel. It is amazing how many questions we have today were answered many years ago by these dear saints. Many a man and woman have walked the narrow road of faith in which we all could benefit from something they knew and now know better. Look to the past for help for it is there you will better set your focus on the future we hope for. SDG!

September 7, 2021 0

A Covenant with My Eyes

Lust is a very serious thing. A sin, although secret, turns into much more if left to itself. We are told not to commit adultery from the Law of Moses in Exodus 20:14. God makes it clear that we are to be committed to one person, our spouse, of the opposite sex mind you. These Laws were handed down by God to Moses on Mount Sinai with this one in particular having a strong stressor. If you break the marriage covenant, you are likely to commit the same unfaithful error towards the Lord. God takes fidelity seriously. Both in our marriage and our relationship to him.

Just as the Pharisee were puffed up during the days of Jesus’ life and ministry on earth, we too can be prideful that we have been faithful to not cheat on our significant others. The issue is not actually with the action, but with the heart. With the intention of the heart the flesh soon follows. Just as our first parents SAW that the fruit was good, then they DESIRED it, then they TOOK it. We too can fall into this trap with just a glance.

Jesus made this very clear in Matthew 5:27-30.

“You have heard it said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For is is better that you lose your members than that you whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go to hell.” ESV

Wow! Jesus doubled down! He took it a step further than anyone expected, pulling back the veil to reveal the heart. If you even so much as look at a woman/man with lust, you have already committed adultery in your heart. Jesus goes on to show us the length in which we should be willing to go to rid the sin from our lives. Kill it. Destroy it at all cost. Speaking here in extreme hyperbole Jesus says we should tear out our eye or cut off our arm if it causes us to sin. In other words, get yourself out of that situation, turn off the TV or smash it with a baseball bat. Take the apps off your phone, and stop talking to the sweet girl down the hall at work during your lunch break. Hurt your feelings and your pride. The sin doesn’t come from your arm or your eyes, but from your heart. Jesus is not saying hurt yourself physically, but he is saying do whatever it takes to rid your life of this sin against God.

I will spare you the stats on porn use and the like throughout not only our country, but also in our pulpits. It’s terrifying. What I will emphasize is the gravity of the issue. Marriages are destroyed (before marriage and after) by the lust of the eye because it is never in secret. The verse in Numbers 32:23 comes to mind, “But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out” (ESV). What we look at with our eye and desire with our hearts will show itself in our lives in the worst ways. It could be the reason your marriage is terrible right now. Consider your own heart here. Are you failing in this area? It is important to be as Job and make a covenant with our eyes (Reference Job 31:1).

In the practical sense, do all you can to guard your eyes from sinning against God. If it means cancelling TV or deleting apps on the phone it is a small thing compared to the wrath of God. And more so it is a small thing considering the intimacy gained with your spouse and more so the intimacy of worshiping and honoring your God rightly. Pray that the Lord will give you eyes for only your spouse or to have eyes only for your future spouse. Honor God in this, make a covenant with your eyes. SDG!

Article first appeared in Matter of Theology at matteroftheology.com

September 30, 2019 0

Because I have Daughters

I set my face to be a man because I have daughters.

My affections are tender, my heart is full because I have daughters.

Make strong my arms and make gentle my hands because I have daughters.

Stern are my words, encouraging is my mouth because I have daughters.

Wisdom I seek and prayers I make because I have daughters.

Dances in the kitchen and books by the lamp because I have daughters.

Laughs in the morning and cuddles at night because I have daughters.

Hugs around my neck and little feet on my toes because I have daughters.

Kisses goodnight and smiles aglow because I have daughters.

Having children is a joy to my soul. Of course my son is the prince of the castle and my best little buddy, but there is something particular about my girls. What once was a calloused heart has become more tender than before. Their beautiful deep eyes have that effect no doubt. Yet, I know I have to be stronger than ever for them.

That brings me to the thought I want to share. If we want good daughters that grow to be good women, we need good men. We as fathers or father figures should show our girls what it means to be a woman by being what we are. Men.

I know not all situations are alike. Many men are not even allowed to be a vital part of their child’s life and that is sad. But all things being equal, let’s consider what I mean in these three points (In typical Baptist form ;).

1. Treating your daughters with love and respect: This is obvious, I think. These precious ones are blessings from God (Psalm 127). Treat them as they are to be treated. Girls are precious gifts God has given you to love and nurture with respect until your dying breath. Anything less is letting them down. Not only that, it’s a sin against God. Ultimately these are His girls you know. Don’t ever forget that.

2. Love their mama (or their “mum” for my dudes across the pond): Again, all things equal, be a loving husband to your wife. It is the very best thing you can do for your daughter. Show her what a good man does for his wife, how he provides, how he laughs, how he talks to her. Even how he hugs and kisses her in public. A good man communicates and leads his house well. His love for his wife is obvious and those little girls will not only see it but look for it in their future husband (See Ephesians 5:25-33).

3. Love Jesus: This too is obvious but has to be said. If you are not loving Jesus your your wife and your children will suffer. Show those girls a man who loves Jesus is a man who will love them! That starts at home with their daddy. Family worship, family prayer, signing together, etc. are all essential for not only the spiritual development of your family, but will also pay dividends perpetually for your grands! Be a generational man. Lead your girls and their girls closer to Jesus. Show them with your life. Don’t expect some background music accompanied by a light bulb over your kid’s head to know when the thing will stick. Just love Jesus day in and day out in front of your girls; it will teach them to do the same.

Face it men, we have a huge responsibility when it comes to our girls. Love them with all you have. Steal their hearts; dance, sing, and play. Be their first love in hopes it will lead them to a lasting love grounded firm in the Rock of our Salvation. Be a man because you have daughters.

September 17, 2019 2

The Jealousy of Miriam and Aaron

During the mourning’s reading, I stumbled upon the story of Miriam and Aaron in Numbers 12. Numbers is a book that reveals the motives of the people of Israel during their wanderings in the wilderness. These motives are dealt with justly by God according to His holiness and righteousness. This account of Aaron and Miriam is no different.

The story picks up with Aaron and Miriam coming to Moses concerning his marriage to a Cushite woman. In actuality, this was not the true issue the two had with him. They were simply jealous and wanted to be equal to or be exalted higher than Moses. Aaron was the high priest of Israel and Miriam a prophetess (Exodus 15:20). God had indeed spoken to them and through them, but not like He had to His servant Moses. God heard their compliant against their brother and called a little team huddle. He appeared before the three of them and set the record straight in a very open way.

“And the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the tent and called Aaron and Miriam, and they both came forward. And he said, ‘Hear my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the Lord make myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream. Not so with my servant Moses, He is faithful in all my house. With him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in riddles, and he beholds the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?’ And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them, and he departed.” Numbers 12:5-9 ESV

After God left in his anger towards Aaron and Miriam, Miriam became leprous. Her skin was as white as snow and she had to be removed from the fellowship of her people, put outside the camp for seven days until her condition had been removed according to the laws of God to Israel. Aaron also was so stricken to the heart concerning his sin against his brother, he confesses it in verse 11. A very humiliating situation for the two siblings of Moses. They were looking to exalt themselves and became humbled by God.

The account ends with Miriam being restored and Aaron having continuing in his duties as high priest, but some basic truths can be gleaned from this situation. God dealt very differently with Moses than with Aaron and Miriam. He spoke to him face to face, or mouth to mouth, revealing much more of his glory to Moses than any other at that time. Surely jealousy could creep into the hearts of Aaron and Miriam, and it did. They sought to exalt themselves when God emphasized the meekness of Moses (vs. 3).

Think of it. We are not just dealt with differently than Aaron and Miriam, but even Moses. For as followers of Christ, we have the very Spirit of God living within us! How do we speak about one another? How do we speak to one another? Do we try and exalt ourselves over our brothers and sisters in Christ? May it never be. Let us be afraid to speak out against one of the Children of God in order to exalt ourselves. Let our speech be instead, words that build up the body of Christ (See Ephesians 4:29). SDG!

June 21, 2019 2

Practical Holiness

You are probably aware of people who are Christians in name only. These lack the fragrance of the Holy Spirit and deny the power thereof. Clouds without water as it were. The profession is present while the possession is lacking. In other words, these folks only speak of a love of Christ while their lives have no mark of change wrought by Him. Their faith is dead faith.

What is most interesting is the recent emphasis the church has seen concerning the doctrine of justification. No doubt it is a wonderful movement, one that should be met with emphatic enthusiasm. I fear however, that the doctrine of sanctification is possibly being regarded as optional.

Let me explain. Throughout scripture we see warning passages concerning holiness. A practical holiness that drives one to the person of Christ imitating and emulating in Christlikeness. Not that one can surpass the holiness of Christ, but the very work of the Holy Spirit in the Christian is to convict them of sin, judgement, and righteousness. Hardly can one be considered Christian who vehemently walks in the council of the wicked. Who walks in a manner contrary to the Gospel. One who dwells in darkness cannot be a child of the light.

We know from the scripture that the natural man loves the darkness. Why? Because their deeds are evil. Think of the first parents who after breaking the command of God sewn fig leaves to cover their loins and hid themselves from God in the shade of the garden. Let it be known they were found out. The darkness is driven out by the light. So it was with the first parents, driven from the garden and the presence of God.

God is holy and demands his own to be holy. All throughout Leviticus as well as other select passages we hear the command “You shall be holy for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16 ESV). Many shy from such a command but the Bible knows nothing of a so called carnal Christian. Would one expect to dwell in a Heaven populated with only holy people and not be holy themselves? Would one want to go to a Heaven that is filled with the holiness of God while loving the vileness of this world in which we live?

Hebrews 12:14 tells us there is a holiness without which no one will see God. That is a shocking statement. Of course we know we are justified by God by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. That is indeed our justification, but another thing starts there too. Namely our sanctification. Christians are a set apart people. In the world but not of it. Our allegiance is one of the upmost honor, to the highest name, to the King of kings and Lord of lords! What he has began in us, He will complete (Reference Philippians 1:6). By the power of the Spirit of God, the Christian is conformed to the image of Christ by the ordinary means of grace. The Bible, prayer, and fellowship with the body.

Many will balk at this to be sure. But the understanding is not so much in the state of doing, but the state of being. A Christian is set apart to God. A different creation then they once were. No longer does the Christian dwell in the counsel of the wicked, but walks instead in newness of life. Do not be deceived; no one who practices wickedness will enter into the Kingdom of God. Only those who have put their hand to the plow and press forward are worthy of the crown. The olive tree produces olives. The unfruitful tree is cut down and cast into the fire. Practical holiness is that outward working of what Christ has began within. If the root is indeed faith in Christ, the fruit will assuredly be holiness. SDG!

February 13, 2019 0