You keep talkin’ to yourself; people will think you’re crazy

There is a scene in the Pixar film “Cars” where Lightning McQueen is complaining out loud to himself as he is serving his sentence for ruining the main road through Radiator Springs.  While talking to himself, he passes by a car named Lizzie sitting alone on a porch who says… “You keep talkin’ to yourself; people will think you’re crazy.”  McQueen sarcastically says, “Thanks for the tip!” to which Lizzie replies, “Uh- what?  I wasn’t talking to you!”

“You keep talkin’ to yourself; people will think you’re crazy.”  In some cases that might very well be true.  But is talking to yourself a clear indication of insanity?  The Psalmists didn’t think so.  On several occasions these biblical counselors made an appointment with their own souls.  Here are a few examples…

Psalm 42:5 Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence.

Psalm 103:1-2 Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name.

Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits;

Psalm 116:7 Return to your rest, O my soul, For the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.

Psalm 146:1 Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul!

Thomas Vincent, the English Puritan in a similar way counsels his own soul in the book, The True Christian’s Love to the Unseen Christ.   Listen to his words…

“Why do you hang downwards, O my soul?  Why do you bend so much to the earthly things?  What is there here below that is not beneath you and altogether unworthy of your love?  How empty and vain and thorny are these things?  Do not waste your time, weary yourself for every vanity’ do not prick and wound yourself with these things anymore.  What ails you, O my soul that you are so backward to the love of Christ…O my soul are you so drenched in the flesh that visible objects shall have more power to draw down your heart than this most glorious object shall have power to draw up your heart?”

           

(Thomas Vincent, The True Christian’s Love to the Unseen Christ, p. 77)

Do earthly things have more power to draw your heart down than the most glorious Christ the power to draw your heart up?”  What a powerful and convicting example of self counsel that we would do well to imitate.   Friends, we need to make frequent appointments with our own souls.  How many sins would we avoid if we were resolved to preach the truth to ourselves? “If we judged ourselves rightly, we should not be judged” (1 Cor. 11:31).  

“You keep talkin’ to yourself people may think you’re crazy.”  But sometimes talking to ourselves is the only way to keep their accusation from being true.

In Christ Alone,
Pastor George

More than a Christmas Carol

"Christmas a humbug, uncle!" said Scrooge's nephew.  "You don't mean that, I am sure."

It’s a Christmas classic that has been around for almost one-hundred and seventy years.  Scrooge has taken his place right alongside of a red-nosed reindeer, a talking snowman, and a little boy named Charlie Brown.  Christmas just wouldn’t be the same without the old miser’s “Bah, humbug!”
While Christmas may have been a “humbug” for Ebenezer, it certainly wasn’t for Charles Dickens.  What many people don’t know is that “A Christmas Carol” was only one of five Christmas Stories that Charles Dickens wrote. The Chimes, The Cricket on the Hearth, The Battle of Life and The Haunted Man and the Ghost’s Bargain were all stories that focused on this holiday.

In addition to this, Dickens authored a little known book in 1849, written expressly for his children called, The Life of Our Lord.   He never intended it to be publicized and made it clear that he had written it in a form he thought best suited his children.   He frequently told his children the gospel story and wanted to make sure the narrative of Christ was told in a way that was simple enough for them to understand. 

Listen to his introduction…

“My dear children, I am very anxious that you should know something about the History

of Jesus Christ. For everybody ought to know about Him. No one ever lived, who was so

good, so kind, so gentle, and so sorry for all people who did wrong, or were in anyway ill or

miserable, as he was. And as he is now in Heaven, where we hope to go, and all to meet each

other after we are dead, and there be happy always together, you never can think what a good

place Heaven, is without knowing who he was and what he did.”

And then he continues…

“He was born, a long-long time ago - nearly Two Thousand years ago - at a place called

Bethlehem” (Charles Dickens, The Life of Our Lord p. 1)

Dickens provides us an excellent illustration of one man’s attempt to follow the exhortation of Psalm 78:4

Psalm 78:4 We will not conceal them from their children, But tell to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, And His strength and His wondrous works that He has done.

How are we telling the generation to come about the praises of the Lord?  Are we communicating God’s strength and wondrous works in ways that our children can understand?  What are we concealing from those that will follow us?  Are we frequently telling the gospel story?  
I am challenged and convicted by the example of Charles Dickens and while I am not familiar with all that he believed, one thing can be said for sure.  It was more than Christmas Carol and Dickens made sure that his children knew it.   

 "Christmas a humbug, uncle!" said Scrooge's nephew.  "You don't mean that, I am sure."

 In Christ Alone,

George

Coming January 2012

Get Rich Quick!

Just a few hours of work a day can reward you with rich dividends!  With no money down and all from the comfort of your own home, you can become unbelievably wealthy.  This is not a scam.  Millions have tried it and have testified to the results.  Hard to believe?  Well, if we were talking about money, I hope you would have the courage to call the church and get me fired.  No, the rich treasure I’m talking about is the Word of God!  We have no idea what a treasure we possess!  Because if we did, we would “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within us” (Colossians 3:16).

William Carey is considered the father of the modern missionary movement.  He left for India in June of 1793 and didn’t see an Indian convert for 6 years.  He said…

“I would not abandon the Mission for all the fellowships and the finest spheres in England.  My greatest calamity would be separation from this service. May I be useful in laying the foundations of Christ’s Church in India; I desire no greater reward, nor can conceive higher honour” (William Carey by S. Pearce Carey; edited by Peter Masters. London: The Wakeman Trust, 1993. p. 169)

“If like David, I am only to gather materials, and another to build the house, my joy shall not be less” (Carey, 169)

God was pleased, not only to use him to lay a foundation but also to build upon it.  And the greatest means of building was through his translation of the Scriptures into Bengali as well as several other Indian languages. 

In February of 1801, more than 7 years after Carey arrived in India, the New Testament was printed - the first book intended for the common people.  It was a historic event, he and his small team prayed, thanked God and William Carey chose Colossians 3:16 as his

text for preaching.  “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly”.

Marshman, a fellow missionary composed this hymn for the occasion.

Hail, precious Book divine!

Illumined by thy rays,

We rise from death and sin,

And tune the Savior’s praise:

The shades of error, dark as night,

Vanish before thy radiant light!

Now shall the Hindus learn

The glories of our King:

Nor to blind gurus turn,

Nor idol praises sing;

Diffusing heavenly light around,

This book their Shastras [Hindu Scriptures] shall confound.

Deign, gracious Saviour, deign, [condescend]

To smile upon Thy Word;

Let millions now obtain

Salvation from the Lord (Carey, 198).

Do you have any idea what a treasure you hold in your hands?  To have the written Word is an incredible privilege.  It is through the Word that we are brought salvation (1 Peter 1:23) and sanctification (John 17:17).  And just a few hours of work in the Scriptures a day can reward you with rich dividends!  With no money down and all from the comfort of your own home, you can become unbelievably wealthy.  This is not a scam.  Millions have tried it and have testified to the results.   “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you” (Colossians 3:16).

In Christ Alone,

-          Pastor George

Consider this your virtual postcard!

Greetings from the "Big Easy",

What's Up Little Rock! from Aaron Wilson on Vimeo.

Our LA team has been able to support Sovereign Grace Fellowship here in Slidell, LA through construction, renovation, relief efforts for the homeless, follow-up visitation and campus evangelism. Each of these venues has been full of opportunities to see Christ exalted and we woud love for you to stand with us in prayer for each one of them! If you have access to FB I have been updating the BCLR page daily. We miss you guys and look forward to sharing our testimonies with you when we return.

Who dat say dey gonna preach dat gospel?!

- Pastor George