ResponsiveReiding

Ascribe Glory to The Lord

December 2nd, 2024

Why does the Scripture, why does our God call us to worship Him, and ascribe glory to Him?

‌The answer is not found in His ego. It is found in our need.

‌As the fountain of all that is good and holy and wonderful – we can receive no greater blessing than to have Him revealed to us in all of His ineffable glory. He can bless us with nothing higher than Himself. And so He bids us come and gaze in wonder that we might receive the highest, sweetest and greatest of all that He has to give – Himself.

But o how we lose sight of what is really and truly the best for us. Sin twists our desires so and folds them in so wretchedly that we delight more in the dim and defaced reflection of His glory in ourselves than in the splendor of infinite goodness.

‌And so we are met with this first clause – Psalm 29:1–2 “Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.”

‌Now this opening address is to the angelic hosts; those who behold His glory more immediately than fallen humankind. But what happens in the process is that you and I are brought into that same throne room and invited to participate in angelic experience. It is truly remarkable. It is an exalted call. We are to join our voices with theirs here. Astounding.

‌Glory. No other word will do at the sight of God. Glory! is the divine expression. Rolled into it are simultaneous exclamations of:

‌ABSOLUTE PERFECTION!

‌PROFOUNDEST MAJESTY!

‌INFINITE INDESCRIBABILITY!‌

UNSURPASSABLE TRANSCENDENCE!‌

FATHOMLESS FORGIVENESS!‌

UNBELIEVABLE HUMILITY!‌

INCOMPARABLE BEAUTY!‌

UNDEFILABLE HOLINESS!‌

LIMITLESS, BOUNDLESS, MATCHLESS LOVE!‌

UNFATHOMABLE MERCY!‌

INCALCULABLE GRACE!‌

MIND-NUMBING, UNSPEAKABLE WONDER!‌

INVIOLABLE JUSTICE!‌

INCOMPREHENSIBLE TRIUNITY!‌

INDEFATIGABLE POWER!‌

INEXAUSTIBLE PATIENCE!‌

IMMEASURABLE SWEETNESS!‌

And so very much more – GLORY!

‌1-2 / There is little that leaves us less prepared to deal with life, than when we have a small God. One who is inglorious. Impotent. Wishy-washy. Grim. Uncaring or distant.

‌The call here is for each of us to remember God as He is, by a worship that ascribes to Him the glory that is truly and rightly His. Such worship is for our own good. For it forces us to reckon with how good and great He is – that we might not faint in the days of adversity. Worship – to remember.

‌And it is why when we neglect the gathered worship of the saints we injure our own souls.

‌Remember, spiritual truth does not remain static in the heart and mind at all times, let alone grow, without attention.

‌Ever since the Fall, our ability to retain the great and glorious soul-renewing truths which sustain the heart and mind in trial has been rendered defective. We are like spiritual sieves in this regard. We need a steady influx of Biblical truth to maintain even basic health in Christ.

‌We must never forget that when it comes to spiritual health, we are much like one trying to ascend the down escalator – standing still will in fact find us going backward.

‌And even apart from the Fall – we must remember that as Christ is the Son (sun) – we are but moons, reflecting His glory. We do not generate it. The light we are to the World is light we reflect from being exposed to His. And without this exposure, we soon have no light to give, like the luminous hands and numerals on a watch face.

‌Take the time to ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name, and to worship Him in the splendor of holiness. His ego doesn’t need it, but your soul does.

‌And then, we are called to “worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.”

‌And there is no place where His holiness is on greater display than in the Cross! Worship Him in the splendor of holiness revealed in the cross. Of righteousness fulfilled, sin judged, payment made, sentence carried out, grace made available.

‌From this point on in the Psalm, David focuses upon an aspect of God that overwhelms him, and it forms the foundation of the call to worship he issued in vss. 1-2 – The Voice of The Lord.

‌As it is portrayed here, and elsewhere, the voice of the Lord is that revealing and causative power of God in action.

‌3 – God communicates. His voice is upon the waters – ubiquitous and far reaching, even over that which is dark, dangerous and unstable.

‌3 – And God communicates loudly. It is not that God has not spoken in His creation, it is that we do not want to hear Him. We will ignore what He communicates loudly and ubiquitously so as to form our own opinions and understandings, apart from Him. The old adage that actions speak louder than words is true. His actions have declared who He is, what He has done and what He is about.

‌3 – Not only does God speak in this world, He is actually in this world. He is not far off from His creation, He is in the midst of it. He IS upon many waters. Not an absent landlord, but a present and ruling king.

‌4 – When God speaks, things happen. His voice is His will expressed and when God “says”, what He wills comes to pass.

‌And we must note here that God as incorporeal in His nature, He does not have vocal chords. This requires no audibility. When He said “let there be light” no sound was needed. The meaning of His speaking in power is nothing other than His willing X should come to pass, and so it does. Modern foolish interpretations which assign magical power to spoken words are ludicrous to say the least. God didn’t have to speak audibly in order to create the universe – He simply willed it to be. And it was.

‌4 – The Lord’s voice/will is not a mere opinion inserted into a world of voices. He speaks with supreme and inviolable authority, grandeur and glory.

‌5 – The strongest things on earth cannot resist His will when He exerts it. The cedars of Lebanon, famous for their majesty, strength, durability and as symbols of what is unbreakable, snap like mere twigs if and when He desires. Nothing can resist Him.

‌6 – Indeed, so great is the power of His will when exerted, whole regions and nations dance like playing calves before Him.

‌7 – God does the impossible. Who can single out or separate the tongues of flame in a fire? No one. None but our God. When He speaks/wills it – even that which is utterly inscrutable in human terms is done.

‌8 – When He decides, the entire earth must tremble before Him.

‌9 – It is by His decree the very forces of nature continue in their assignments. Not even the birth of livestock is outside His direct order.

‌9 – When He so desires, the very densest and most impenetrable of things are laid bare.

‌9 – Everything in all all creation declares His glory by their very existence – whether they know it or not.

‌10 – He is Lord over all, the permanent sovereign over all.

‌11 – And it is this Lord, whose word and will is over all, that alone speaks and gives peace to His people. The one who blesses all His own with a peace that is truly transcendent.

‌So how and where do we access this? It is in His speaking – in His Word.

‌This, is why we read, study, meditate upon, teach, memorize and love His Word.

‌Psalm 29:1–2 “Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.”

‌You cannot do a single thing better for your own soul, and that of others.
Tuning the Heart – Part 8

November 21st, 2024

“Give us this day, our daily bread.”

‌As we consider prayer from Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount, we now come to the place where most think we are to make our petitions for daily provision known. And while that is not wrong per se, I think it misses the main aspect of Jesus’ intent. Why so? Because just a few verses later, Jesus tells us that the Father is already attuned to these basic issues of life. He in fact says ““Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.” And why are these not to be our concern? Because if we “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness…all these things will be added to you.”

‌To pray in faith is to consciously say “I know you have my “daily bread” well in hand, so that I can focus instead on your kingdom and righteousness.” That is not to say we cannot or should not bring our immediate concerns to Him – but it is to say that we can exchange deep concerns over the regular needs of daily life for concerns about His priorities with complete safety and confidence that He already knows them and has made provision for them in advance. Yes, we bring them all, but not with anxiety – but trusting His love and care and concern even before we get there!

‌What then is He really after in this petition? I think it can be nothing more or less than the refreshing, renewing, delighting in and knowing more deeply and sweetly – the wonder of “The Bread of Life” – Jesus Himself. It is a plea for a new “taste” of Him if you will. To be satisfied in Him. To be filled with Him. To want that we desire nothing more than Him and consider knowing and partaking of Him our greatest and sweetest need. Our REAL need.

‌Give us as your people, as your children today, more insight into His person and work; more joy in His glory; more wonder at Him; more delight in Him – a deeply soul-satisfying partaking of Him that that spoils our appetite for the things of this world and the cravings of the flesh.

‌And why is this so important? Because “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence.” (2 Pet. 1:3) Did you get that? All things that pertain to true life and godliness come through the knowledge of Him!

‌Here is where get full. Here is where we get what is most important to true life. Here alone is where our deepest needs are truly met in the fullest possible way.

‌Our Father, you who rule and reign over all – be glorified and hallowed in us above everything. Expand your kingdom in and through us. We commit all to your perfect wisdom and unfailing love. Now Father, fill us up with Christ. Reveal Him to us increasingly as the fullness of all you have to give. Satisfy us in Him. Let our souls feast on Him today afresh. Fill us with your Son till we can contain no more. Pour out the realities of His person and work until they eclipse anything and everything else. Give us THIS day, our Daily – Bread.
Thar’s gold in themthar hills!

November 20th, 2024

1 Chronicles is not a book in the Bible I hear a lot of people running to for counsel comfort and instruction. Other than the rather fanciful and misguided “The Prayer of Jabez” written around a character in 1 Chron. 4, this book gets precious little recognition. Its seemingly endless lists of names and duties – hundreds of people mentioned nowhere else in the Bible and with no biographical information about them but for an exceptional few – makes it a portion most of us gloss over rather quickly, if we spend any time in it at all.

‌Yet, 1 Chronicles is as much God’s Word as Romans is. True, they do not fill the very same role. Not all of Scripture is equally applicable to the Christian life in the same way. Some treasures yield up their riches on first sight. Others, must be painstakingly mined.

‌Should your reading schedule take you thought this book sometime soon, here’s a few things that might be worth keeping in mind while perusing the lists and the great unknowns.

‌1 – Recapitulating the history of 1st and 2nd Samuel in survey form, 1 Chron. sees a number of gaps filled in – and a broader view and reminder of how God’s rule can never be replaced by fallen man’s, no matter how good, noble and upright the man may be. Man’s rebellion against God’s rule is always at the root of the violence which plagues mankind. And yet, in every place, the types and shadows of the coming King Jesus promise the fulfillment of God’s perfect plan in Christ.

‌2 – Always important when encountering unknown name upon name upon unknown name – is the reminder that God knows every single one in His Church – by name. They need not be men and women of great exploits. It only matters that they are His, and known by Him. None are superfluous. Their names are as much written in the eternal Word as those of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, David, Solomon etc. As are those of all who are in Christ by faith. Each are a vital part of His Kingdom. None dispensable to His design and purpose. Each in their place, with their purpose, with their individual personalities, talents, experiences and contributions.

‌In our day of celebrity pastors and ministries, when some are uniquely in the spotlight, and the culture lures each of us to make our mark – we forget the glory of the ordinary Christian. Made by God, for God, and set divinely in your place and time. God “made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place” (Acts 17:26). And that is as much true for you and me, as it was for the sons of Shemaiah: Othni, Rephael, Obed and Elzabad, whose brothers were able men, Elihu and Semachiah.” (1 Chron. 26:7)

‌3 – As the NET renders it, “David gave to his son Solomon the blueprints for the temple porch, its buildings, its treasuries, its upper areas, its inner rooms, and the room for atonement. He gave him the blueprints of all he envisioned for the courts of the LORD’s temple, all the surrounding rooms, the storehouses of God’s temple, and the storehouses for the holy items. He gave him the regulations for the divisions of priests and Levites, for all the assigned responsibilities within the LORD’s temple, and for all the items used in the service of the LORD’s temple.” It goes on.

‌The Church was the Father’s idea, not Jesus’ alone. When Christ says that He is building His Church and that even the gates of Hell cannot overcome it, He is fulfilling His Father’s plan and purpose. “In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” Eph. 2:22.

The Temple was a symbol, a type and shadow of what the Father was all about from the beginning. David and Solomon and the nation of Israel itself then come into focus as types and shadows and not the endgame. We do not look for some rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem to come – we look for the perfecting of the Temple of God’s people completed in the New Jerusalem. And we see all this as planned by the Eternal Father, committed into the hands of His Son, and brought about through the indwelling power of the Spirit.

‌4 – And so we read David’s prayer upon committing all of these things to his Son Solomon to be about – and he prays like this: “For we are resident foreigners and nomads in your presence, like all our ancestors; our days are like a shadow on the earth, without security…O LORD God of our ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, maintain the motives of your people and keep them devoted to you.” (1 Chron. 29:15 & 18).

What David could only pray for, Jesus fulfills in rising from the dead, ascending to the Father, and sending to Holy Spirit to do those very things – to maintain the motives of His people – and keep us devoted to Him: “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”

‌Next time you wander through this odd place called 1 Chronicles – remember that “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (1 Tim. 3:16-17) And take a little time to ponder, and ask for the Spirit’s aid in seeing Christ there.

“Thar’s gold in themthar hills.”
The Wonder of the “Open Door”

November 19th, 2024

Occasionally, when one preaches, the substance of the sermon addresses the immediate experience of the preacher himself. In truth, the preacher should always be preaching to himself and striving to live within the fullness of the truths he is expounding every time he preaches. But sometimes, the two coincide in a far more acute way.

‌It was this way for me this past Lord’s Day.

‌By God’s grace and in His providence, I was filling the pulpit for a local Church where I’ve had a long-standing relationship with the congregation, and deep personal fellowship and friendship with the pastor. He was going to be away for 2 weeks and asked if I might cover both of those for him. I decided upon a two part series on Jesus’ letter to the Church in Philadelphia found in Rev. 3:7-13.

‌As you well know, this letter is written to a Church which was enduring much trial due to natural disasters, governmental overreach and mismanagement and direct persecution from the local Jewish community. The context paints a small church, with few resources and no real power to change their circumstances. Bereft of natural opportunity and ability, nevertheless Jesus says He has set before them “an open door which no one Is able to shut.”

‌What is that all about?

‌It is most typical to identify that “open door” as an opportunity for Gospel witness despite their straightened circumstances. And while that concept is certainly true, I’m not convinced by the context and the Old Testament allusion Jesus employs here that that is His main point. Rather, (and I will not exegete the passage here, you can hear the entire sermon at https://www.youtube.com/live/JqtaYBmlCm0?feature=shared) it appears the open door is more in reference to the saints unfettered access to the throne of God that Christ has opened for them, and for us, especially by the vehicle of – prayer.

‌What I wanted to press on my hearers was the wonder of this open door into the presence of God in prayer. And not pressing prayer in terms of set times and lengths – though that can be a useful tool, but more: A habitual frame of heart and mind which brings all things before the throne, informed by the Word and trusting His holiness, love and wisdom to answer as He deems best.

‌This requires no special words. No special posture. No special time of day or length. An air of the heart consistently turned to Him, believing He hears, knows, loves, sympathizes, and lovingly answers with infallible wisdom. In fact, it may not ever require words at all.

‌Let me explain.

‌Just before I preached the 1st sermon on this portion, I contracted a nasty cold. I struggled with congestion and a very sore throat the first week. In the meantime, the cold worsened and developed into a severe sinus infection with much pain and little ability to talk at all comfortably. The intervening week was miserable. Poor and very interrupted sleep. Difficulty breathing. Constant coughing. Not comfortable.

‌But it was during this time, waking up multiple times each night, that I experienced the joy and wonder of simply having my heart and mind turned toward the Lord, and opportunities to lift up the names and circumstances of any number of loved ones and situations before Him. Due this mostly being in the dead of night, and both with speech quite painful and considering my dear wife’s need for rest – these times of prayer were mostly silent. Like Hannah in1 Sam. 1, I was speaking in my heart, only my lips moved, but my voice was not heard. But my God did!

‌This! This was the reality and the joy of those physically distressing moments – that my God was attending, and His ear open to my silent but urgent pleas. At times, in exhaustion, even my lips failed to move. But every thought, ever care and concern that I inwardly brought before His throne, I know was heard. For you see in Christ, He has set before His saints, an open door which no one is able to shut. Which no circumstance is able to shut. A place of refuge which can be retreated to in the most straightened of times and places.

‌It was common to hear in my days growing up, that when schools stopped having public prayer – that prayer had been removed from the schools. Nonsense. There is no law, no circumstance, no prohibition by man, devil or demon which can shut the door to our Father’s throne. Jesus Himself has set it before us. O may we take continual advantage of it – knowing full well, that clothed in His righteousness and adopted into the Family, that we ever and always have access to our Father, God and Kind.

‌Praise Him!
Some Thoughts on Worship Music

November 11th, 2024

Three things occasion this brief post.

First, in an hour long drive to a recent wedding with some friends, the issue of worship music entered our discussion. It was both pleasant and insightful. And, it brought back the memory of something my fellow elders and I tried to think through more carefully a few years ago, as a way of getting the congregation to think about music in a Biblically informed way – and as a guide for our worship leaders.

The substance of our “Elder’s Perspective on Worship Music” will be found below, as a way to generate more thoughtful discussion.

Second, was an extended period of listening to a contemporary Christian worship channel on the radio in my recent visit to Texas. What struck me after listening for quite a while, was not that the music was poor. Sadly, it actually was in some cases and not in others. The tunes were, ho-hum. Not memorable. Not the kind of thing I would find myself reflecting on outside of a context where it was being played or I was invited to sing along. And most (not all) were not at all suited for group singing. They were more suited to solo voices performing. They would not lend themselves to a congregational application any more than say Sandi Patti’s Via Dolorosa. There is a place for that for sure. But no one would think of using it for a congregation to sing together.

But what stood out the most, were the lyrics. Not the words themselves considered in and of themselves. They we basically coherent and “Biblical” enough. It was that they seemed to be a mere collection of Christianese buzz-words and phrases, strung together rather haphazardly. Not memorable stanzas forming a cohesive whole. Like there was a list of words and phrases like: Blood, Wash, Holy, Delight, See, Desire, Hunger, Long, Jesus, God, I want to, please make me, make my heart, etc., and you just take them and paste them together in whatever order, and put them to a tune. There was no meat on the bones in terms of forming strong Biblical constructs for the heart and mind to really hang one’s hat on.

Third, is a discussion my wife and I just had this morning. Sky, having grown up for years in a super-liberal Methodist Church that would have none of the “bloody religion” stuff – nevertheless still finds the hymns of that Church resonating with and feeding her soul even today. And she opined that an entire generation will be bereft of the benefit such music continues to bring to her.

So, as I said above, in an effort to get our entire Church on the same page a number of years ago regarding music, we elders at ECF penned the following. And I pray it is useful to you in considering such matters for yourself, and for the Churches where you worship with your fellow saints.

“Worship is the activity of glorifying God in His presence with our voices and hearts.” In this definition we note that worship is an act of glorifying God. Yet all aspects of our lives are supposed to glorify God, so this definition specifies that worship is something we do especially when we come into God’s presence, when we are conscious of adoration of Him in our hearts, and when we praise Him with our voices and speak about Him so others may hear. Paul encourages the Christians in Colossae, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God” ‘ ” (Col. 3:16)

“In fact, the primary reason that God called us into the assembly of the Church is that as a corporate assembly we might worship Him. As Edmund Clowney wisely says: “God had demanded of Pharaoh, “Let my people go, so that they may worship me in the desert” (Ex. 7.16b)….God brings them out that he might bring them in, into his assembly, to the great company of those who stand before his face….God’s assembly at Sinai is therefore the immediate goal of the exodus. God brings his people into His presence that they might hear his voice and worship him.” ‘ “ (From Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology – page 1003).

Fewer topics within the life of the Church generate more discussion, and often division, than Worship styles. This is true in our generation, as well as previous ones. It is a perennial hot spot.

Some Biblical Parameters & Non-Negotiables

Col. 3.16 – 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Eph. 5.18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Passages like this one help us form a picture of the things Worship must incorporate in order to be Biblical. We’ve isolated 11 principles in these two passages which serve as the framework for our view of Biblical Worship here at ECF.

a. “Let the Word” – Biblical Worship must be: Word or Scripture Based. Rooted in God’s revelation of Himself. Apart from that, we would worship in supposition, but not truth.

b. “of Christ” – Biblical Worship must be: Christ centered. Jesus said in John 5.22 -23 “The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.” Here we see, God is not rightly honored, where Jesus is not rightly honored. Worship of God which omits a focus upon Jesus Christ and His saving work at Calvary fails to be genuine worship in God’s eyes.

c. “wisdom” – Biblical Worship must: Create and reinforce a Biblical world view.

d. “teaching” – Biblical Worship must be: Instructive in doctrine & life.

e. “admonishing” – Biblical worship ought to be: Challenging, encouraging us to a more Christ glorifying life.

f. “psalms, hymns, spiritual songs” – Biblical Worship must be: Broad in style and use (including prayer). Some music expresses right feelings of adoration, joy and thanksgiving. Other music admonishes. Some hymns or songs are prayerful. Still others are theologically instructive. Biblical Worship should embrace all of these – and possibly more.

g. “filled with the spirit” – Biblical Worship must be aimed at: Engaging the whole man under the influence of the Spirit. Moving the emotions with Biblical truth and beauty.

i. “making melody” – Biblical Worship must be: Joyful.

j. “giving thanks” – Biblical Worship must be: Appreciative.

k. “submitting” – Biblical Worship must be: Humble.

l. “reverence” – Biblical Worship must be: Reverent, befitting our God and our right relationships to Him. Making much of His glory.

I. The Chief goals we are after: We’ve identified five areas of special importance.

1. CONSISTENCY: We do not want to develop or foster different styles or traditions in different services, but one broad approach, the same in all services.

2. BREADTH: We would like to utilize a broad range of styles from all the ages of the Church.

a. New – Music of high quality both musically & doctrinally.

b. Traditional – (Trinity Hymnal et al) Maintaining the best of this genre.

c. Earlier Church – Pre 17th-20th century music.

d. Original – Music growing out of this assembly and its expressions.

There is nothing inherently right in being locked into any one or more of these genres. We are seeking to develop a much richer and broader worship environment both to expand the means we each use to glorify God, and to engage those in as many age groups and backgrounds as is reasonable.

3. EXPRESSIONS: There are no Biblically ordained instruments versus non-Biblically ordained instruments. We will endeavor to harness all instruments in service to the right worship of God.

a. More musicians of varying kinds (Strings, Vocals, Percussion, Bass, Wind, Brass, Electronic, etc.)

b. More styles.

4. FLEXIBILITY: There is no Biblically ordained worship format. The number of songs, where they are placed, and how they may be interwoven with prayer, Scripture reading, Preaching and other elements is a matter of taste and function. We do not believe we need to be bound to any particular format as long as the necessary elements are present.

a. We would like to see more and varying opportunity for participant response (Readings, Prayers, Recitations, Poems, Solos, Duets, etc).

b. More variation in when, where and how music is integrated. i.e. Not just front loading the music but sometimes more at the end, interspersing, etc.

5. ACCESSIBILITY: Music especially must be something which resonates with the worshipers. Though not all music will do so equally.

a. We DO exist within a culture. While we are never free to allow the culture to define us, we also have a responsibility to reach the culture where God has providentially placed us. it. We have a delicate and important balance to maintain here – guarding against compromise with the culture, while at the same time not erecting needless roadblocks to communication and interaction with the culture. In Japan, we would need to speak Japanese. In our culture, we need to be able to speak the language, without sacrificing one iota of the message. We are charged to reach the people around us, not 18th or 19th century Englishmen.

b. Worship is NOT only for us. 2 Chron. 6.32 “Likewise, when a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, comes from a far country for the sake of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm, when he comes and prays toward this house, 33 hear from heaven your dwelling place and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to you, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that this house that I have built is called by your name.
The (not so) Great Exchange

November 5th, 2024

The phrase “The Great Exchange” is often attributed to Martin Luther. Whether or not the phrase originated with him, the concept is simply the Biblical teaching that salvation hinges upon the placing of our guilt for sin on Christ at the cross, and the imputation of His righteousness to Believers through faith. In R. C. Sproul’s “How Can I Be Right With God” he summarizes the Scripture teaching as: “We are blessed because our sin is not counted to us but imputed to Christ, and His righteousness is imputed to us by God’s forensic decree.” _{Sproul, R. C. 2017. How Can I Be Right with God?. First edition. Vol. 26. The Crucial Questions Series. Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust: A Division of Ligonier Ministries.}

Now that has been the core of Biblical theology on the subject from the very beginning. Praise God for it!

But in our day, in 21^st century America, the Great Exchange above has been supplanted by many for a different, and not-so-great-exchange. It is the exchange of lives consumed with spreading the Gospel of the saving grace of Jesus Christ and being transformed into His image by the power of the Spirit, to being consumed with preserving Western Culture and American Constitutionalism.

And it’s a raw deal.

The idea of praying “Your kingdom come” has been reshaped from seeking the fullness of Christ’s Kingship in our lives and His return to rule and reign on earth, to Christ helping us preserve the American way of life, and that, in material prosperity. We are no longer preoccupied with prosecuting the battle against the remnants of indwelling sin in ourselves and defending the faith once for all delivered to the saints, but battling the sin we perceive in others trying to encroach on an idealized and romantic notion of Americanism. It is Leave-it-to-Beaverism; as though the corruption of humankind hidden beneath the veneer of imagined external Pollyanna days was less deadly than the corruption we are increasingly seeing lived out in the culture. The dread disease was always there and just as fatal – it was just kept out of sight. Some.

When growing in Christ’s image no longer takes precedence, then other’s sins and other causes do.

The prayer closet has been exchanged for the voting booth.

Don’t get me wrong, Christians have civic responsibilities. We should carry them out as conscientiously as we can. But there is no policy, even legislated from the most godly body that can actually deal with sin, only certain of its manifestations. Is that good? Sure. But does it change anyone? Does it bring them into right standing with God? Does it produce actual righteousness? No. Only the Gospel can do that. It is not an ultimate answer. That doesn’t mean we ignore it, only that we do not see it as an end. We want to, we are commanded to – do good to our neighbors. But good that does not address the soul is only wallpapering a gaping hole in the wall.

Man’s problem is a sin problem, not a policy problem. Not a political system problem. Not a cultural problem. And we cannot win a spiritual war with earthly weapons or tactics “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Eph. 6:12) To which Paul by The Spirit adds His “therefore”. Therefore what? Sue? Vote? Become activists? Campaign? Hold rallies? Finance pacs? Decry conspiracies? March? No – take up the whole armor of God.

Now hear me – I’m not saying we can’t do all those other things. I’m not saying they are not useful to some degree. If my basement is flooding, I need to be about the business of bailing. Such bailing is needed to stave off further damage. But if I do not attack the broken pipe, if I do not stem the source of the flood – no matter how heroically I bail – in the end, the flood will overtake me and all will be lost. When Jesus was asleep in the boat in Mark 4, the Disciples tried to rouse Him to help. Help them what? Help manage the boat in the storm. And if that is what He did, how tragic the result would have been. They needed supernatural aid to their very real, existential peril. They needed Him to stand up and rebuke the wind and the waves, even though they weren’t aware He could even do that.

The Church, the nation, doesn’t need a revival of Americanism and/or patriotism, it needs a revival of souls through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Until the people of God are more interested in God’s plans and purposes than our own, for His cosmic and eternal causes and not for our temporary and temporal ones, we will be distracted by an exchange that damns men’s souls while attempting to recover human institutions.
Tuning the Heart – Part 7

November 5th, 2024

Have you ever had someone burst into the room where you are and just start talking – without even saying hi, or asking if you are busy or without any kind of acknowledgment? I have. And its jarring. For me, a bit annoying. I’m not implying that God is that way in terms of being annoyed, but I wonder if we do not even extend the common courtesy we ought to extend to one another – to Him in prayer? Do we just dive in without any thought of relationship so that prayer never advances to true communion and not the equivalent of just dropping off our laundry list or visiting the “Complaint Desk”? Are we just hitting the cosmic panic button? Or are we conscious of coming into the presence of “Our Father who is in Heaven”?

‌Jesus’ pattern here helps us begin in a new starting place in prayer. In a place of both familiarity and intimacy.

‌Father, I want to stop for a moment and re-frame my own heart and mind before we get into the thick of things, by remembering that you are truly “our” Father; Jesus’ and mine and Father of all my brothers and sisters in The Faith. Father. Not just Lord or God or sovereign, but – Father.

‌Father, ruling and reigning over all as you are in Heaven, before anything else, help me remember that above everything else in all the world, what the world needs most, what I need most, what everyone I am about to discuss with you needs most – is for you to be seen, and known, and appreciated and relished for who and what you are.

‌And Father, by your Spirit I need my soul to be governed and supremely influenced by your indwelling Spirit above every external force, and to be consciously longing for Jesus’ manifest reign.

‌And so Father, knowing your love, mercy, grace, compassion, holiness and wisdom are perfect and infinite in every way – with that firmly in mind – grant me, grant US today, the wise supply for every need. For my every concern. And above all, satisfy my longing soul with a fresh portion of The Bread of Life. Make Him the sweetest most satisfying delight to me, and to my brothers and sisters. Open Him afresh to me by your Spirit. Make me to thirst only for Him. To hunger only for a greater and greater revelation of His glory and perfections. Fill me with Jesus. Remind my afresh how it is that your “divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence.” (2 Pet. 1:3)

‌Lift my eyes up. Let me see Him, know Him, wonder at Him. Overwhelm me with contemplations of His glory. For then, and only then will all that I am about to seek you for will be seen in their right perspective. Give me, give us, this day, this day’s – daily Bread. I cast the whole of my needs, desires, wants and concerns upon you, because I know by your sending Christ, that you care for me beyond comprehension. (1 Pet. 5:7)

‌And now, Father, now with my heart and mind re-tuned, at least in part – let me pour out my heart to you in the full confidence of your love, understanding and power. Father…
Conclave: A (very) Brief Movie Review – SPOLIER ALERT!!!!!!!

November 4th, 2024

Conclave is the new feature film thriller based upon the 2016 Robert Harris novel of the same name.

The plot is simple: The Roman Catholic Pope (perfectly played by Bruno Novelli who is only listed in the credits as: “Dead Pope”) dies of a heart attack. Hence the process, personalities and intrigues surrounding electing a new Pope comprise the film.

In the main, I found the film very visually appealing, the script well written and the execution well-acted. I enjoyed it a lot. Until.

To set the scene, Ralph Fiennes (Cardinal Lawrence) is the Dean of the Cardinals who will have to pilot the college through its electoral process. He is a deeply sensitive man, who tries to live by wisdom and decorum, and who is also suffering a non-defined crisis of faith. Something to do with prayer. He is a traditionalist who nevertheless has hopes for a more progressive Church.

The main players vying to be the new Pope number 4.

Cardinal Bellini (Stanley Tucci) is very progressive and is wanting wider tolerance if not downright acceptance of other religions; greater roles for women in the Church and softening regarding LGBTQ+ stances.

Cardinal Tremblay (Jonathan Lithgow) has little or no articulated polices, but proves to be a power monger buying off other cardinals for votes (the sin of Simony) and submarining the candidacy of another Cardinal by resurrecting a 30 year old sexual indiscretion.

Cardinal Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto) is the hard core traditionalist – who wants war against the Muslims, a return to the Latin mass and (in the eyes of Lawrence and Bellini) wants to push the Church back into the Middle ages. A decidedly crude and unlikeable character.

Cardinal Adeyemi (Lucien Msamati) the candidate from Africa (yes, there are discriminatory undertones from several Cardinals) whose campaign is derailed by Trembly’s exposure of his sexual dalliance. He has a notably anti-gay stance.

And so the infighting and politicking begin. Fun! Lot’s of spicy stuff while Lawrence tries to juggle it all.

Side note: Isabella Rossellini (Sister Agnes) is always worth watching on the screen.

But! There is a sudden new wrinkle. Just as this is all to begin, a new, previously unknown Cardinal arrives: Cardinal Benitez (Carlos Diehz). He is originally from Mexico but is currently serving in Kabul Afghanistan. He has served in other war torn and difficult posts. His appointment was kept secret by the recently deceased Pontiff for safety reasons.

When all is said and done, after a suicide bomber attack interrupts numerous rounds of balloting, the elimination of Trembly and Adeyemi – and a tirade by Tedesco regarding going to war with the Muslims – the lone voice of peace and wisdom brings all to a halt. Benitez emerges as the calm, cool, angel of sanity, compromise and as one might imagine, unifying the majority, is elected Pope.

All is well.

Until Lawrence discovers that Benitez is in fact a biological woman – intersexed, who at one point (with the blessing and funding of the dead Pope) had previously been on his/her way to have a laparoscopic hysterectomy but decided to remain as God made her.

The movie ends with Lawrence opening the window to his apartment, and now at last the light is shining in. We have the new enlightened era.

In short, we have a finely crafted piece of LGBTQ+ propaganda. A polemic. Period. Perhaps the original author’s premise was simply a giant “what if?” But in execution, it is an argument – for. The sanest, most reasonable, best possible candidate to be the spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church is one who is sexually confused and deceptive to the highest degree.

Now beyond that – if that element were not even present, we would also have this which would remain true.

What we have in the entire portrayal, is a “Church” which has no regard for the authority of Scripture, but instead finds its only moorings in beautiful, wonderfully and meticulously artful tradition. Nothing more. Utterly devoid of anything having to do with Gospel of Jesus Christ. Empty form and fashion – however attractive and august in performance.

Consider.
Tuning the Heart – Part 6

November 4th, 2024

We are considering the nature of what is termed “The Lord’s Prayer” from the sermon on the mount in Matthew 6.

‌If you haven’t noticed it yet, the way Jesus teaches us to pray, takes the focus of the soul away from ourselves, and places it back upon our God. This is by design. For when we consider ourselves first and foremost, and do not lift our eyes up to our God and Redeemer and King first, so much of our prayer can devolve into a mere self-pity session.

‌It is not that we are in any way hindered from bringing our needs to Him. Indeed, this is one of the royal gifts Christ has bestowed upon us. He has opened the door so that we may bring all to the Father, in faith, knowing His love, power, mercy, grace, compassion and tenderness toward us. But this God-first-focus draws our hearts and minds up above ourselves. It refreshes our souls and foments faith within because faith must always have an object. And when that object is the God of the universe, our trials and tribulations, as real, critical and even bearing the marks of emergency, are placed against the backdrop of His glory, and robbed of their power to overwhelm us.

‌I’ve quoted it before, but especially as we come to this 3rd petition, “your will be done as it is in heaven” – hear Thomas Aquinas: “It is clear that he does not pray, who, far from uplifting himself to God, requires that God shall lower Himself to him, and who resorts to prayer not to stir up the man in us to will what God wills, but only to persuade God to will what the man in us wills.”

‌While at first blush praying that His will be done before we even make our desires known may seem counter-intuitive. It isn’t. Why? Because here, we begin to frame our personal desires in the most faith-filled way possible.

‌Here is the dynamic. I am bringing my pleas and petitions before Him, while at the same time recognizing that even my personal concerns are not isolated from His eternal plans and purposes. It makes me pause to consider how in salvation, He has intertwined the whole of my life with His cosmic redemptive work. So my aches, my sorrows, my confusions and my deepest felt needs, are not just about me. In prayer, I get to bring those things to Him, and ask Him to consider His answers to me in light of what He is doing in me personally, in those around me my life touches, in His Church of which I am a part, and in His fathomless plans.

‌So here is my need, now you know better than I what is wisest and best and of most use in the hallowing of your name and the advancing of your Kingdom in your answer to it. So Father, I bring it to you for the best possible disposal. Yes, I may prefer X be handled a certain way – but more – I know you love me more than I can love myself, I know you cannot sin against me, I know your wisdom is perfect and that you have only my absolute and eternal best at heart – so while I want X – YOUR will be done in this earth, in this circumstance, in this situation, the way it is done in heaven.

‌And how might we imagine His will is done in Heaven? With no opposition. With no hesitation. With the agency of the angelic hosts. With perfect wisdom. In all holiness. In all perfection and in harmony with what He has purposed for me – the greatest blessing of all – to wake in Christ’s likeness.

‌Here is the prayer of faith beloved – trusting Him to always answer better than I can ask. And with the absolute conviction, that He will!
Grace does the Impossible

November 1st, 2024

One of the more interesting passages in the life and ministry of Elisha the prophet, is the account of the floating ax head in 2 Kings 6:1-7.

It reads: “Some of the prophets said to Elisha, “Look, the place where we meet with you is too cramped for us. Let’s go to the Jordan. Each of us will get a log from there, and we will build a meeting place for ourselves there.” He said, “Go.” One of them said, “Please come along with your servants.” He replied, “All right, I’ll come.” So he went with them. When they arrived at the Jordan, they started cutting down trees. As one of them was felling a log, the ax head dropped into the water. He shouted, “Oh no, my master! It was borrowed!” The prophet asked, “Where did it drop in?” When he showed him the spot, Elisha cut off a branch, threw it in at that spot, and made the ax head float. He said, “Lift it out.” So he reached out his hand and grabbed it.”

At first blush, it seems to have little to commend itself to the modern reader, but I think there is a wonderful reaffirmation of Gospel truth in it.

All of the graces we had in Adam, were granted to us – “borrowed” from God, and were not ours inherently. This is so because we did not create ourselves nor do we sustain ourselves.

1 Corinthians 4:7 “For who sees anything different in you? vWhat do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?”

It was a weighty thing we lost in the Fall: Holiness.

Holiness is not light and not lightly recovered. Even as the word “glory” has the thought of weightiness in it – so the glory we were made to bear as God’s image bearers sunk into the dark and muddy waters.

All we had was from Him. And what little we have left is still from Him. But our righteousness, the image of His glory – this we lost. The holiness and uprightness we were created in is gone. The very image of God in us was marred beyond recognition. We were no longer able to glorify – to reveal Him as were created to do. Lost so as to be irrecoverable by human means. It would take a miracle of grace alone to do the impossible in saving us. The very transcendence of nature and its laws. That which could only be done by God Himself.

Oh, what a glorious salvation belongs to those who believe.

And in the words of John Newton, this truly is “Amazing Grace.”