BCLR ROC

Parables Summer Series

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron) — Thu, 31 May 2012 17:04:00 +0000

Lord willing, here are some of the parables we'll be studying this summer:

The Rich Man and Lazarus | Luke 16:19-21
The Wheat and the Tares | Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43
The Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin | Luke 15:1-10
The Manipulative Manager | Luke 16:1-13
The Pharisee & the Publican | Luke 19:9-14
The Rich Fool | Luke 12:13-21
The Good Samaritan | Luke 10:25-37
The Persistent Friend | Luke 11:5-13
The Unmerciful Servant | Matthew 18:21-35

R.O.C. Goodbye (Video)

noreply@blogger.com (JRL) — Tue, 29 May 2012 15:14:00 +0000

R.O.C. Goodbye

noreply@blogger.com (JRL) — Fri, 25 May 2012 21:12:00 +0000

(Verse 1)

It’s been awhile since I picked up the mic,
I hung it up, locked it up, packed it tight I never sit down to write,
But tonight, the situation if I‘m reading it right,
it might be the right occasion,

(plus its too late to fire me now)
So I picked up my pad (a tad dusty)
And then I checked out the skills (mad rusty)

But it’s enough to get the picture like a silhouette,
And get your parents hair up just like a Chia pet,
I haven’t lasted this long because my stamina’s strong,
Because I should have been gone after the banana song,

But after 2 years I’m here on the list,
So just let me reminisce over the group that I’ll miss,

Wednesday’s we love to preach,
Sundays we love to teach,
We Scatter Out to Reach
Lake Days, Lock outs, Retreats,

We love to be equipped,
Boys and Girls discipleship,
Sign up for mission trips,
We love a strong pulpit

And that’s not it, because the fact is, that many us
love to practice, what we preach in the passages,

When I depart you’ll be missing a part,
Because I’ll always have a little piece of you in my heart.

(Verse 2)
Paul said goodbye to his leaders when he was at Miletus,
And this may not be Miletus but I still have My Leaders,
They lead us well and that’s not a hard sell,
But It wouldn’t fare well if I didn’t share farewell,

Jason and Heather couldn’t lead worship better,
J thanks for filling in for me and leading D-Center,
And Beth Kay we hate to see you go away,
And Paul thanks for all you did for paintball.

When the room wasn’t straight Chad had my back,
Allen at the Boys Club with a new Johnny Mac,
Kestner kept me straight with all my times and dates,
Tim Cain’s encouragement can’t be replaced,

Marky- Mark you share my evangelist heart,
And I was told, Becky was gold right from the start,
I got Kelly Scheideman for laughter,
And Greg I couldn’t find a man that was better for scatter.

I’ll think of K “Mac” every time I hear a duck’s quack,
Erin Hutchins was stunning will you come back?
Clayton and Laurie I’d never trade them in
Even when your voice was out you made it in.

When I need a candle lit I’ll think of Britt in the woods,
And Magnus if I have a picture half as good,
Michael when I cycle pairs of pants in the Washer,
And Frank don’t worry “I won’t call you Sasha”.

Roxy’s ice breaker losing my shoes,
And Tracy had a plan when my Achilles was loose,
Doug E. Fresh was the best at discipleship groups,
And I have Krista Spoon when I want to yell “Moose”.

It seems that I’m asleep with this scene,
How can I be awake when I have the dream team?
Still, I have Jenn with superior skills,
And Mark Claxton We’ll be praying for Jill.

Dear Bible Church Family,

noreply@blogger.com (Alyssa) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 14:49:00 +0000

We knew this day would come. We just didn’t know when, but today with a mixture of sorrow, and joyful anticipation for the future, I am announcing my resignation as the Student Ministries Pastor of The Bible Church of Little Rock.

I never cease to be amazed by the providence of God in my life, and in the life of our family. The way God sustained me through my training at The Master’s Seminary was obvious. There were so many clear indications that God was at work. From the way I was employed, to the way God provided for me when I lost that employment, I tangibly saw God’s confirmation of my decision to move to California.

God also made my call to The Bible Church of Little Rock very clear. The night before I received the call from the pastoral search committee, God had already piqued my interest in BCLR. I learned of the opening while searching the seminary’s placement system, and because of my prior introduction to Lance Quinn, I knew that whoever was chosen to serve on staff at BCLR would be immensely blessed. I just had no idea that person would be me. The call from the search committee came as a total surprise to me, and God matched my desires and gifting with the opportunity to serve.

This same providence of God has made another decision very clear to me, and I would like to share briefly, what the Lord has been doing in my life these past few months.

Since leaving Maryland, I have been able to maintain a good relationship with Hope Bible Church of Columbia MD, and have visited occasionally. This is the same church that helped support me through seminary, and is where I began my preaching ministry. During my last visit to HBC, in August of 2011, I was approached by several members, who indicated to me their desire to see a new work started in Baltimore. One family had recently been involved in inner city ministry, and developed a heart for the people as well as the area. These same members also indicated to me their desire to support me in a church planting initiative.

During this same visit, I was also introduced to several families who had been commuting from Baltimore County to attend HBC. These members had been attending a church in Baltimore where a pastor fell morally, and rather than being asked to step down from leadership, he was encouraged to continue preaching. These members rightly left the church and began to look for another place to fellowship in the area, but experienced great difficulty in finding a solid church in Baltimore. As you know Biblically-driven, theologically-sound, spiritually-healthy churches are getting harder to find, especially within our cities. Many of our urban churches have succumbed to liberalism on the one end, or the word-of-faith movement on the other. The lights for the gospel have grown dim and are growing dimmer all of the time.

Next, in October of 2011, I was contacted by a TMS graduate who does not have the desire to be a senior pastor, but rather sees his ministry as one of encouragement and support. He and his wife are originally from New York and both have the desire to move back to the East Coast to be closer to family. They communicated to me, that they would love to “hold my hands up” in ministry, if it was ever my desire to return to the East Coast to minister. The idea of church planting with me was an exciting possibility for them, and since our conversation they have been praying in this direction, and are committed to it.

Another important factor has been the desire of Hope Bible Church to see other like-minded churches planted in Maryland. The leadership has expressed this desire since the founding of the church, and the church is now nearing its 15 year anniversary. They have experienced a period of growth and stability, and for the first time they are in a position to support a new work. Not only is the leadership willing to support a church plant with prayer, but they have been eager to support it by sending members and financial support as well.

The formation of Grace Advance is another encouraging component. The training, counsel and additional support that TMS graduates are able to receive through Grace Advance and Grace Community Church will provide help, which was not present when I graduated. Grace Advance has also organized a group of like-minded churches in the Mid- Atlantic region, that are excited to welcome graduates into their area. Many of these church leaders have already been meeting and have demonstrated a desire to work together.

I have also been encouraged by the people who know me best and love me most. My family (including my children), Lance Quinn, Tom Leake (pastor-teacher of HBC), and Todd Murray, have all affirmed my gifting and readiness for church planting. I have also been encouraged by Tim Senn our Pastor-Teacher and the entire elder board in my pursuit of this work.

Finally, I have sensed an increased desire to shape the direction of a church and to be engaged more in the ministry of preaching and evangelism. I have no lack of opportunities in my current position for ministry, but I believe that my strengths can be used more fully in the role of Pastor-Teacher and specifically as Church-Planter. Planting a church, for me, was not a question of “if” but “when”. The day after my conversion I was evangelizing at a bus stop, the year after my conversion, I was organizing a Bible study and within 5 years of my conversion, I entered Bible College with the hopes of planting a biblically faithful church. This idea is not a recent or whimsical development, but has rather been a burden for over a decade.

Last week at our Missions Conference we sang the words:

“Lord, send me anywhere,

Only go with me.

Lord, I’ll bear any burden,

Only sustain me.

Lord, sever any tie,

Save the tie that binds me to Thy heart,

Lord, send me anywhere,

Only go with me.”

And after much prayer and consultation our family has decided to take a step of faith. We will be applying for the Grace Advance Academy and will be leaving Little Rock, Arkansas at the end of May 2012.

Until then, I will continue to provide leadership to Student Ministries. We will obviously have a lot to do to prepare ourselves for this rapid transition, but I am committed to finishing my ministry well at the Bible Church.

I am pleased to announce that the local SCATTER evangelistic outreach will still happen in July. The leadership is committed to continue what we began together and we have several people in place to collectively carry the load.

Pastor Tim and I also hope to connect with a number of TMS graduates during the Shepherds’ Conference, to possibly recommend a man to a future search committee, once it is constituted. We have already made contact with a number of potential candidates that we are excited about.

My decision to leave the Bible Church has been a hard decision, not because I don’t believe it is the right decision, but because of the many relationships that I have made with members of the Bible Church. I had no idea how hard it would be to say good-bye, and while we still have a number of months together, I am already feeling the sorrow of leaving you. Please know that we love you, and that our decision in no way reflects discontent with this church body. When I arrived here, I made my desire to pastor a church clear to Lance and the elder board, so I am not leaving because of a problem with the leadership.

God has already worked out many of the details of our move. One example is the home we own in Maryland. The lease is up in May, and the timing could not have been better. We can pick up from here and move back into our own home.

God has also been building the excitement for this church plant in ways we could not have imagined. Just yesterday I received a call from a Baltimore native who I met at the Shepherds’ Conference last year. He called for the first time yesterday to let me know of the struggle his is having of finding a church in Baltimore. It is utterly amazing what God is doing, and I pray that you will be able to share in the joy over God’s sovereignty in all of this.

We appreciate your prayers for our family, and will make sure to keep you informed as we move ahead. You have truly been knitted to our hearts, and we have been made the better because of our time with you. We love you and will make sure to stay in touch and keep you updated.

In Christ Alone,

Pastor George L. Lawson Jr.

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

noreply@blogger.com (JRL) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 18:47:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (JRL) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:27:00 +0000

"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

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 18:16:00 +0000

Get Rich Quick!

noreply@blogger.com (JRL) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 19:21:00 +0000

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!

noreply@blogger.com (JRL) — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 13:36:00 +0000

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

ARE YOU READY TO SCATTER?

noreply@blogger.com (JRL) — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 13:26:00 +0000

I went to pick up our first speaker, Jesse Johnson and there was electricity in the air...literally. A lightning storm delayed his flight by an hour, but he's here and he's ready to preach! Don't miss the first session tonight at 7:00!

We also plan to have a Q&A after the first session. If there are any questions that you would like to have answered regarding evangelism, apologetics or missions leave a comment on the ROC facebook page or email me at george.lawson@bclr.org and I will do my best to work it in. Please continue to pray for our speakers and that our church would faithfully put into practice the training we will receive this weekend (Eph 4:11-13). See you tonight!

- Pastor George

5 Assignments and 5 Expectations for SCATTER

noreply@blogger.com (JRL) — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 13:30:00 +0000

We were blessed to have Jason Vaden charge our Youth Missions Teams during our SCATTER training session. Below is an outline of the message he gave. We will try to post the entire message on our site in the near future.

5 Assignments and 5 Expectations for Summer Missions
Jason Vaden
1 Peter 4:7-11 (focus on verse 11)

Assignments:
1) Oxygenate your souls with the glory/gospel of God: Let the gospel and God’s strength saturate you.
2) Prepare to enter the work as a servant learner: Don’t assume you know what the culture needs. Pray for wisdom to be flexible.
3) Aim at relational deposits: Look for ways to interact with unbelievers
4) View unbelievers as God’s gift to you: You need the opportunity to love people who are not like you.
5) Reflect on the reality of authentic love: Authentic love overcomes barriers. Pray that God would give you the desire to love unbelievers. “Love builds trust, and trust leads to opportunity” – John Glass.

Expectations:
1) Expect to be disrespected
2) Expect to see/experience inappropriate sexual innuendo or advancement
3) Expect to hear foul language
4) Expect short attention spans: Much patience is needed and avoid lulls to avoid disarray
5) Expect sincere affection from kids

Summary: If God is going to be glorified then do something that you can only do in God’s strength!

In Christ Alone,
George

Missions Trips

noreply@blogger.com (JRL) — Sat, 28 May 2011 02:27:00 +0000

Greetings Fellow Servants,

I am looking forward to both of the ministry opportunities ahead of us this summer, and can't wait to see what God will do through us and in us! Please begin praying for all of the details to come together. Pray for additional leaders, that God would keep the doors open for ministry, for boldness in personal evangelism, and for the salvation of souls!

Our first meeting will be this Sunday at 1:30 in the Youth Worship Center. I understand that some of you may be out of town for the holiday. Please let me know, so we can talk about how to make up for this date. Below are the dates you need to mark on your calendars and the current missions teams.

Mission 2011 Calendar of Events

May 29th Training Session and Prayer Sunday 1:30 – 4:00 p.m.
June 12th Training Session and Prayer Sunday 1:30 – 4:00 p.m.
June 26 Taco Lunch Fund-Raiser
June 25th Car Wash
July 9th Car Wash
July 10th Training Session and Prayer Sunday 1:30 – 4:00 p.m.
July 15th – 17th Evangelism Conference – BCLR
July 18th – 23rd Local Outreach in Central Arkansas
July 24th – 30th National Outreach in Slidell, Louisiana

Little Rock Team
Leaders: George Lawson, Greg S., Allen T., Jason L., Kathie F., Beth K., Erin H., Kimberly H.

Lukas A.
Noah A.
Collin B.
Zachary B.
Ben D.
Jeffrey D.
Caleb D.
Andrew E.
Robert E.
Kurt K.
Lance L.
Daniel M.
Carter M.
Logan P.
Blake S.
Gideon S.
Seth S.
John S.
Josh T.
Leah A.
Blake B.
Olivia B.
Amy C.
Jill C.
Callie D.
Caroline D.
Brooke E.
Carlee E.
Rachel E.
Hope F.
Sarah G.
Abigail G.
Elizabeth G.
Olivia Grace H.
Anna H.
Emily H.
Anna H.
Lauren H.
Katie K.
Rachel L.
Claire M.
Rebekah M.
Emma M.
Lana M.
Samantha P.
Alyssa R.
Olivia R.
Abigail S.
Jessica S.
Evie Grace S.
Britt S.
Kara Grace S.
Abigail W.

Slidell, Louisiana Team
Leaders: George Lawson, Mark E., Douglas A., Jennifer K., Ramona B.
Assistant Leader: Britt S.

Collin B.
Zachary B.
Ben D.
Robert E.
Lance L.
Daniel M.
Carter M.
Blake S.
Gideon S.
Issac S.
Leah A.
Olivia B.
Jill C.
Caroline D.
Emily H.
Anna H.
Shannon H.
Anna H.
Katie K.
Rachel L.
Claire M.
Rebekah M.
Rachel M.
Emma M.
Lana M.
Samantha P.
Alyssa R.
Evie Grace S.
Britt S.
Abigail W.

In Christ Alone,
George Lawson

Rejoice in the Sovereignty of God!

noreply@blogger.com (JRL) — Fri, 13 May 2011 18:07:00 +0000

In his book, “Made in our Image” author Stephen Lawson puts his finger on a principle problem within the church. And he explains the problem by way of his own confession. He says this...

I really thought I had God all figured out, so I was content to cruise through my spiritual life , taking the path of least resistance, even as I prepared for the ministry...Then unexpectedly, I ventured upon a subject in God’s word that confronted me, convicted me and challenged me like no other truth I had ever encountered. It was a topic so vast, so towering and so dominant that it overshadowed everything in my life. My heart was gripped as it had never been before. My soul was stunned as I studied it intensely for the very first time. The subject?... God. Here I was in seminary, preparing
for ministry, and I found myself asking the question. Who is God?

And he later identifies one of the most fundamental points of Theology as the “Sovereignty of God.”

A.W. Pink adds ...
“What do we mean by this expression (the Sovereignty of God)? We mean the supremacy of God, the kingship of God, the godhood of God. To say that God is sovereign is to declare that God is God.”

And just think about that for a minute “what does it mean to be God if you’re not in charge?” I’m not sure if you can come up with a meaning for God apart from his sovereignty. None of us would struggle if I passed around a quiz with the question, “God is Sovereign… True or False?”But I want to submit to you that the reason why our prayers are not powerful, why our worship is not vibrant, why our evangelism is not bold, and why our walk with God is not filled with joy the way it ought to be is because we have not answered that question correctly. We entertain low views of God and Psalm 97 is just the kind of corrective we need.

Psalm 97:1 The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice; Let the many islands be glad.
2 Clouds and thick darkness surround Him; Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.
3 Fire goes before Him And burns up His adversaries round about.
4 His lightnings lit up the world; The earth saw and trembled.
5 The mountains melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.
6 The heavens declare His righteousness, And all the peoples have seen His glory.
7 Let all those be ashamed who serve graven images, Who boast themselves of idols; Worship Him, all you gods.
8 Zion heard this and was glad, And the daughters of Judah have rejoiced Because of Your judgments, O LORD.
9 For You are the LORD Most High over all the earth; You are exalted far above all gods.
10 Hate evil, you who love the LORD, Who preserves the souls of His godly ones; He delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
11 Light is sown like seed for the righteous And gladness for the upright in heart.
12 Be glad in the LORD, you righteous ones, And give thanks to His holy name.

From the very opening line of this Psalm we are called to attention, with the declaration “The Lord Reigns.” This Psalm does not offer an isolated declaration of the Lord’s sovereignty, it’s actually part of a cluster of Psalms which are known as “Enthronement Psalms”. We often think of the Psalms as a disconnected collection of poems but it’s easy to see that Psalms 93 - 99 belong together, because of their common focus on God as King. Each of these Psalms, with the exception of Psalm 94, explicitly speaks of His Sovereign rule.

Psalm 93:1
1 The LORD reigns, He is clothed with majesty; The LORD has clothed and girded Himself with strength;

Psalm 95:2,3
2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.
3 For the LORD is a great God And a great King above all gods,

Psalm 96:9-10
9 Worship the LORD in holy attire; Tremble before Him, all the earth.
10 Say among the nations, "The LORD reigns;

Psalm 97:1
1 The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice; Let the many islands be glad.

Psalm 98:5-6
5 Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre, With the lyre and the sound of melody.
6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn Shout joyfully before the King, the LORD.

Psalm 99:1
1 The LORD reigns, let the peoples tremble; He is enthroned above the cherubim, let the earth shake!

Do you get the point? He reigns, He reigns, He reigns, He reigns! These Psalms are majestic. They transport us to the very throne room of heaven and say this is your God! The word “reigns” simply means “to be king .” God rules, He’s in charge, He is the sovereign.

There are many things that we could observe about the reign of God in Psalm 97 but I’ll just give you three.

God’s Reign is Universal:
God’s Sovereignty is not limited to the land of Israel but encompasses the whole earth. Twice in this Psalm He is called “the Lord of the whole earth” in verse 5 and then again in verse 9 “You are the Lord Most High over all the earth.” His reign knows no boundaries. It is declared from the heavens and extends to the furthest corners of the globe.

He is also declared Lord over Jew and Gentile alike. Back in verse 1 the phrase “many islands” refers to the distant lands inhabited by Gentile people. This same phrase “many islands” is used in Isaiah 41:5 and is equated with “the ends of the earth”. Verse 6 of this Psalm also refers to the “peoples” seeing the glory of God. The term “peoples” (sometimes translated as nations) is a common term for the Gentiles. What does that indicate? It means all men are invited to worship the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. God’s plan has always been for the whole world to rejoice in His reign, Jew and Gentile alike.

God’s Reign is Powerful:
The Reign of the Lord is a powerful reign. The elements of nature, which no man can tame are the mere servants of the Lord. Fire and Lightning are His (vss 3-4). Scientists tell us that “Lightning strikes the earth roughly 100 times every second and it claims more than 200 victims per year in the United States alone.” And while there are those who survive lightning strikes, there are other bolts that you just won’t walk away from. “Some bolts have an electric potential of as much as 100 million volts.” Our God is an Awesome God and the earth is right to tremble.

The mountains melt like wax in his presence (vs. 5). Mountains are known for their strength and permanence. Jesus uses the mountains to make a point about what is humanly impossible to move.

In Matthew 17:20 Jesus says...
“if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.”

Now Christ doesn’t want us throwing mountains around. He just chooses the mountains because they are an obvious example of something that is humanly impossible to relocate.

But here in Psalm 97 you have the mighty mountains just wilting at the presence of the Lord. The highest mountain will be forced to bow low before Him. And it’s at His very presence that this occurs. He just shows up and the mountains dissolve before Him. I mean talk about power!

Righteous Reign:
And lastly His Reign is a Righteous reign. It is this aspect of His rule that is most glorious. How could we rejoice in a reign that is Universal, and Powerful if it was not also Righteous? It is His righteousness that gives us reason to rejoice.

Verse 2 says “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.” The foundation of His throne or the basis of His rule is perfect righteousness. He is not a judge who bends the rules because of political pressure. His judgments never violate His holiness but are predictable and consistently righteous. We can rejoice not in spite of His judgments but because of them. Verse 8 describes this when it says “Zion heard this and was glad, And the daughters of Judah have rejoiced (not in spite of but) Because of Your judgments, O LORD.”

His people understand that all will be made right. Evil will be punished, Righteousness will be rewarded and God will not overlook a thing. And we need to be reminded of this don’t we?

You can’t watch the news without seeing the threats of terror across the world. You can’t pick up a paper without reading about drug traffic and murder. You can’t listen to the radio without hearing the endless debates about marriage and abortion.
And those are just the headlines. We haven’t even mentioned the problems in the church. False teaching is everywhere you look and the church is worried more about the entertainment of the congregation than the exaltation of God. Husbands don’t lead their homes in sacrificial love. Wives are angry and unsubmissive. Children are disobedient and unthankful. Add to that sickness and death and pain and grief and isn’t it a relief to know that someone is in charge up there? The reign of our Sovereign Lord is universal and powerful and righteous. Are you rejoicing in His reign today? If you have submitted to the King you have no excuse!

In Christ Alone,
Pastor George

“A Biblical Perspective on the Death of Bin Laden”

noreply@blogger.com (JRL) — Thu, 05 May 2011 20:57:00 +0000

“Good evening. Tonight, I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of al Qaeda, and a terrorist who's responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women, and children.”

Those were the words our president shared with the world late Sunday evening
(5/1/11).

Osama bin Laden was the one human being most responsible for 9/11. He claimed responsibility for it and pledged to attack in the future.

So when I heard late Sunday night that Bin Laden had been shot, part of me shared the president’s words who simply said “we got him”, after watching the live footage of the operation.

But it was something less than what Senator Mitch McConnell said, when he announced, “Those who remember the horror of 9/11 take a certain satisfaction knowing that the last thing Osama bin Laden saw in this world was the small team of Americans who shot him dead,”

What is the Christian response to news like this? It’s important to see how our faith intersects with real life, so let’s spend some time looking at what Scripture has to say about this.

1) It is wrong to seek personal revenge

Romans 12: 19a Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God,

Proverbs 20:22 Do not say, "I will repay evil"; Wait for the LORD, and He will save you.

And our Lord was the perfect example of that wasn’t He?

1 Peter 2:23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;

2) It is right to seek national retribution

Because men bear the image of God, we possess a value that the animal kingdom does not and are not free to take life without suffering the consequences of our actions.

Genesis 9:6 "Whoever sheds man's blood, By man his blood shall be shed, For in the image of God He made man.

It is the God ordained function of government to use the sword (an instrument of death) to punish evil doers

Romans 13:3-4

3 For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same;

4 for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.

1 Peter 2:13-14

13 Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority,

14 or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right.

3) It is wrong to think humans can carry our perfect justice

We have no ability to carry out perfect justice. That is left to God alone.

Rom 12:19b for it is written, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY," says the Lord.

AL Mohler said…

“Once again, Christians are reminded of the inherent limitations of justice in a fallen and sinful world. At our very best, we can achieve only a small proportion of adequate justice. We can convict the murderer and put him to death, but we cannot bring the dead back to life. We can put an end to Osama bin Laden, but we are robbed of the satisfaction of seeing him answer for his crimes.” (Read his full post here)

4) It is right to trust that God will carry out perfect justice

Gen 18:25c “Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?"

Psalm 98:9 He will judge the world with righteousness And the peoples with equity.

Really death was the least of Bin Laden’s worries. A thick cement wall and barbed wire was not going to prevent death from happening. Even if we never “got him”, death eventually would have. Death was not Bin Laden’s biggest concern, after death is.

Luke 12:4-5

4"I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do.

5 "But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him!

5) It is wrong to celebrate death.

Proverbs 24:17-18 Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles; Or the LORD will see it and be displeased, And turn His anger away from him.

In his blog, Tom Ascol posted this…

“I am very grateful that justice has been served. But I cannot rejoice that Bin Laden is now suffering under the wrath of God--the very same fate that I deserve but from which I have been rescued, not by my righteousness, but by the sovereign grace of God in Jesus Christ.” (Read the full post here)

Ezek 18:23 "Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked," declares the Lord GOD, "rather than that he should turn from his ways and live?

Ezekiel 33:11 "Say to them, 'As I live!' declares the Lord GOD, 'I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways!

6) It is right to celebrate justice being carried out.

Proverbs 21:15 The exercise of justice is joy for the righteous, But is terror to the workers of iniquity.

Psalm 37:28 For the LORD loves justice And does not forsake His godly ones; They are preserved forever, But the descendants of the wicked will be cut off.

So it is appropriate to celebrate justice but are we celebrating justice or our nation? I like what Tom Ascol says further…

“Yes, we can celebrate the proper execution of God-ordained justice against evil in the world. But some of the euphoric displays of joy on the part of Christians--even Christian leaders--at the news of Bin Laden's death leave me cold. Their celebrations strike me as more American than Christian--which is precisely the problem with much Christianity in America in our day.”

7) It’s right to pray for America

You should be praying for your country and those that lead it. Pray for the president and our military.

1 Timothy 2:1 First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men,

2 for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.

3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,

8) It is wrong not to pray for terrorists

Matthew 5:43-45

43 "You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.'

44 "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

45 So that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

9) It is right to desire judgment

Psalm 94:1 O LORD, God of vengeance, God of vengeance, shine forth!

2 Rise up, O Judge of the earth, Render recompense to the proud.

3 How long shall the wicked, O LORD, How long shall the wicked exult?

4 They pour forth words, they speak arrogantly; All who do wickedness vaunt themselves.

Rev 6 :10 and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?"

10) It is wrong to despise mercy

One of the things that really struck me this week is how quick we are to cry for judgment for others but mercy for ourselves. We desire that God would judge the thief but have mercy on the covetous, judge the adulterer but have mercy on those who struggle with lust, judge the murderer but have mercy on those who struggle with anger. We want God to judge on our own terms and have mercy on our terms. Where do we want God to stop? We can’t desire judgment for others and mercy for ourselves.

This truth was powerfully communicated in the book of Jonah.

Jonah 1:1-3

1 The word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying, 2 "Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me." 3 But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. So he went down to Joppa, found a ship which was going to Tarshish, paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.

There is no other book in the Bible that begins like this. This is unique among all the books of the Scripture. Nowhere else do we find a prophet respond in this way to the Word of the Lord.

Instead of rising up to do what the Lord called him to do he arose to flee from the Lord’s presence. Why was he doing this?

Jonah explained what was running through his mind.

Jonah 4:2 He prayed to the LORD and said, "Please LORD, was not this what I said while I was still in my own country? Therefore in order to forestall this I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity.

Now Jonah was not against mercy. Mercy is what he prayed for while he was in the belly of the Fish. In 3:9 he confesses that Salvation is from the Lord.

He wasn’t against mercy, he was just against mercy for these folks. Why? Assyria, of which Ninevah was the capital, was known especially for their cruelty and violence against their fellow man and against other nations.

Listen to one of the Kings of Assyria in his own words, Ashurbanipal says this:

“I tore out the tongues of those whose slanderous mouths had uttered blasphemies against my god Ashur and had plotted against me, his god-fearing prince… The others, I smashed alive with the very same statues of protective deities with which they had smashed my own grandfather Sennacherib--now (finally) as a (belated) burial sacrifice for his soul. I fed their corpses, cut into small pieces, to dogs, pigs, birds, vultures, the birds of the sky and (also) to the fish of the ocean.”
Sounds like a terrorist nation to me. But the Lord responded in compassion.

Jonah 4:11 "Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?"

D.A. Carson said about Bin Laden, “He is an evil man, and he must be stopped, but he is a man, and we should take no pleasure in destroying him. Vengeance is the Lord's alone. Do not offer the alternative, 'Should we weep for Osama bin Laden or hold him to account for his genocide and prevent him from carrying out his violent intentions?' The right answer is yes" (Love in Hard Places, 143).

I celebrate the justice in the death of Bin Laden. I am relieved to know there is one less terrorist alive today, but if my heart does not also desire that the eyes of terrorists would be opened to the glorious light of the gospel, I have come short of Christianity.

In Christ Alone,
Pastor George

That's a Great Question!

noreply@blogger.com (JRL) — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 14:25:00 +0000

Some time ago I was asked a question regarding angels in an e-mail by one of our students at BCLR. The very same question came up in a Wednesday Night Small Group recently, so I figured there was enough interest in this one to post my answer here. Maybe we can start collecting questions and schedule our own Q&A night one of these evenings. So here it is…

Q: If there is no sin in heaven how did the angels sin?

A: Great Question. Here are some initial thoughts for now…

1. The Holy angels in heaven can no longer sin. This is why they are
called “elect” or “chosen” in 1 Tim 5:21 and “holy” in Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26; and
Rev 14:10. The holy angels have been specifically set apart by God and are confirmed in their allegiance to God.

2. One day Satan and all those that follow him will be cast into the
lake of fire Rev 20:10-15 and there is no possibility of a future
rebellion in the eternal state. The presence of sin will be barred
out of the new heavens and new earth forever. Neither Satan nor any other angel will be allowed to incite another rebellion after this time.

3. At this present time, Satan still roams about the earth seeking someone to devour (1 Pet 5:8). He is the accuser of the faithful (Zech 3:1; Rev. 12:10 ). He seeks permission from God to afflict us (Luke 22:31). And as Job 1:6 and 2:1 indicate he may even make appearances before God in heaven do so.

4. God is in absolute and sovereign control of all things (Psalm 103:19, Psalm 115:3). Not even Satan has freedom to do as he pleases. God was not caught off guard or surprised by Satan's fall but allowed for it and ordained it. The fall of Satan, demons, and man was all included in the
plan of God, as well as the solution in Christ (Acts 2:23; Rev. 13:8).

5. A final question that you may or may not be asking is "how was Satan tempted in the first place
if he was created good?" I know of no definitive answer for that. God
was not the author of his temptation, since God is not tempted by evil
and does not tempt anyone (James 1:13). All that God created was good (Gen. 1:31) including the angels.
Angels were created with the ability to choose, as man was and Satan out
of his own heart and without any external temptation or compulsion
desired what did not belong to him. The idea "what if I could be like
God" sprang out of his own mind and is the same trick he pulled on Eve
(Gen. 3:5). Our temptation was introduced by him. His temptation
originated in himself.

That's the best I can do for now. Keep them coming! Soon you guys will soon make a theologian out of me!

In Christ Alone,
Pastor George

Do Your Prayers have an Expiration Date?

noreply@blogger.com (JRL) — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 14:00:00 +0000

A biblical study of prayer is an excruciating exercise. Recently the Youth of BCLR have been considering Paul’s prayer for the Colossian believers (Col. 1:9-14), and while it has been a joyfully rich and rewarding study, it has also been a painfully difficult and sorrowful one. Because if we are brutally honest with ourselves…

1) We don’t pray and
2) When we do pray, we don’t pray biblically.

In contrast to our infrequency, Paul’s prayers were constant. And in contrast to our earthbound wish lists the fresh breezes of eternity blew through Paul’s prayers. His prayers did not have an “expiration date” on them. They were not “best if used by a certain date” but prayers that were fit for eternity. I am in no way advocating that all things great and small should not be brought to the Lord. “In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Phil 4:6). But doesn’t it say something about us if we are consumed by the immediate?

When our present temporary comforts and desires fill our prayers, we are not praying as the apostle models for us. When was the last time you were burdened to be:
- Fruitful in every good work
- Increasing in the knowledge of God
- Strengthened with all might for steadfastness and patience
- Joyously Thankful for the Father qualifying you, delivering you, and transferring you to the Kingdom of His beloved Son?

Chances are these lofty requests don’t make it to the prayer list for yourself, or for others.
D.A. Carson, in his helpful book, A Call to Spiritual Reformation, says this…

“To restrict ourselves for a moment to the petitions in the prayers of Paul, we must ask ourselves how far the petitions we commonly present to God are in line with what Paul prays for. Suppose, for example, that 80 to 90 percent of our petitions ask God for good health, recovery from illness, safety on the road, a good job, success in exams, the emotional needs of our children, success in or mortgage application, and much more of the same. How much of Paul’s praying revolves around equivalent items? If the center of our praying is far removed from the center of Paul’s praying, then even our very praying may serve as a wretched testimony to the remarkable success of the processes of paganization in our life and thought” (pp. 96-97).

Are your prayers marked with an expiration date? Will they soon spoil if not consumed immediately? Let me encourage you to align your prayers with eternity. A thousand years from now your health and wealth and success won’t matter. What will matter is the fruit you bore for God, the knowledge you gained of God, the character that was strengthened by God, and the joyous thanksgiving you offered to God. One day this present life will be swallowed up by eternity and so will our prayers, if they have an expiration date.

In Christ Alone,
Pastor George

Rich Soil to Grow In

noreply@blogger.com (JRL) — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 14:32:00 +0000

Colossians 1:10 …walk in a manner worthy of the Lord…increasing in the knowledge of God;

The soil that we are to grow in is the knowledge of God!

Paul has already prayed that the Colossians be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in verse 9 of this same chapter. There the focus was on what Scripture had to say concerning God’s revealed will for our lives- our conduct, but here there is a slight shift in focus. He prays not only for an increase in the knowledge of God’s will but for an increase in the knowledge of God Himself! And what a rich soil that is to grow in.

I just can’t tell you what a tremendous blessing it has been for me recently to study AW Tozer’s Knowledge of the Holy with our Sr. High boys. To study God’s attributes is a jaw-dropping, eye-popping, heart-stopping experience. It’s indescribable. So many times, and the guys can tell you this, I’ve just been at a loss for words.

In his book, Tozer laments the fact that Christians have contented themselves with knowing little about God. He says…
“Perhaps some sincere but puzzled Christian may at this juncture wish to inquire about the practicality of such concepts as I am trying to set forth here. What bearing does this have on my life? He may ask. What possible meaning can the self-existence of God have for me and others like me in a world such as this and in times such as these?”

He then declares…
“To this I reply that, because we are the handiwork of God it follows that all of our problems and their solutions are theological” – pg. 43

A similar statement is found earlier in his writing when he states..
“The low view of God entertained almost universally among Christians is the cause of a hundred lesser evils everywhere among us.” Pg. vii

Listen, weak Christians are the product of weak views of God. And God is not honored by Christians who are satisfied with a little of God. We’d rather sit on the shore and stick our toes in the water when we’ve been invited to hop in a submarine and dive down into the unfathomable depths. Let’s go deeper! How can we be satisfied with so little of so great a God?

In Christ Alone,
Pastor George

-Important Announcement for this Wednesday!!!-

noreply@blogger.com (JRL) — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 19:08:00 +0000

1) For those going to the Lecrae Concert, transportation will be leaving BCLR at 5:00. We will return between 10:00 and 10:30. Bring 5$ for the ticket and a few dollars to eat. We will be making a stop at Chick-Fil-A on the way there.
2) Youth night will continue as always. The ROC looks forward to hearing from Michael DeLon this Wednesday. Preach the Word brother!!
3) A Big thank you to everybody who prayed for me this week. I appreciate you all!

A quick word of explanation might be necessary concerning the concert. First, I know this style of music is not everyone’s preference but we should remember that is what we are talking about- preference. The hymn book of ancient Israel passed down words not notes, which indicates to me some freedom of expression. Second, we should be willing to extend liberty to others in areas not made explicit in Scripture. Whether you choose to go or choose not to go is not the primary issue, God is concerned with how you treat your brother. Third, if Paul could rejoice in those who preached the gospel from envy and strife (Phil. 1:15) could we not rejoice in those who are preaching the gospel with noble motives? With that in mind, I would like to offer a few words, minus the music, for you to examine for yourself.

Boasting

…With every breath I take, with every heart beat,
Sunrise and the moon lights in the dark street
Every glance, every dance, every note of a song
It's all a gift undeserved that I shouldn't have known
Every day that I lie, every moment I covet
I'm deserving to die, I'm just earning your judgment
I, without the cross there's only condemnation
If Jesus wasn't executed there's no celebration
So in times that are good, in times that are bad
For any times that I've had it all I will be glad
And I will boast in the cross, I boast in my pains
I will boast in the sunshine, boast in his reign
What's my life if it's not praising you
Another dollar in my bank account of vain pursuit, I do
not count my life as any value or precious at all
Let me finish my race, let me answer my call

Tomorrow's never promised, but it is we swear
Think we’re holding our own, just a fist full of air
God has never been obligated to give us life
If we fought for our rights, we’d be in hell tonight
Mere sinners own nothing but a fierce hand
We never loved him we pushed away his pierced hands
I rejected his love, grace, kindness, and mercy
Dying of thirst, yet, willing to die thirsty
Eternally worthy, how could I live for less?
Patiently you turn my heart away from selfishness
I volunteer for your sanctifying surgery
I know the spirits purging me of everything that's hurting me
Remove the veil from my darkened eyes
So now every morning I open Your Word and see the Son rise
I hope in nothin', boast in nothin', only in your sufferin'
I live to show your glory, dyin' to tell your story

Glory was solely meant for you
Doing what no one else could do
With all I have to give,
I'll use my life, I'll use my lips
I'll only glory in your Word
What gift to me I don't deserve
I'll live in such a way that it reflects to you, my Praise (Lecrae Moore)

In Christ Alone,
George

noreply@blogger.com (JRL) — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 13:00:00 +0000

In Loving Memory of Mrs. Sample

noreply@blogger.com (JRL) — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 13:00:00 +0000

Monday night I received some pretty shocking news about someone I barely knew but who has had a big impact on many here in Little Rock. Her name was, Mrs. Mary Henderson Sample. She passed away at the age of 49, just this Sunday, September 5th while painting a room in the church she attended.

This comes as a blow to many of us, because within the home school community, Mary was an anchor point. She and her husband led Home Ed, the homeschool group of greater Little Rock. She was a founder and director of the Homeschool Academy, serving hundreds of homeschool students in the greater Little Rock area. And in my short time here I have already benefitted from her ministry to families.

Death is never easy to swallow but it is much easier to take when it’s expected, when a person is well advanced in years or when a person is battling a known illness or disease. When a person passes away while still in the middle of life, in relative health, and in the safety of a church building, we scramble for answers and are left reeling. Why now? Why so soon? Why her? It doesn’t seem right.

It’s been said that “there is an easy solution to every problem and it’s the wrong one.” So I’m not going to try and talk ‘Christianeeze’ and regurgitate some textbook answer for you. But I do want to remind us that there are some things that we can affirm about the person and character of God in any situation, including this one.

1) We can affirm the goodness of God
A truth affirmed throughout Scripture is the goodness of God. There is no getting around it.

Psalm 25:8 “Good and upright is the LORD”
Psalm 119:68 “You are good and do good; Teach me Your statutes.”
Psalm 145 :9 “The LORD is good to all, And His mercies are over all His works”

This is a bedrock for the Christian. We may not understand all of God’s dealings with men but we cannot doubt His character, which manifests itself in all of His works. He is good and He does good.

2) We can affirm the sovereignty and providence of God
“Sovereignty” speaks of God’s authority over all things and “providence” refers to the actual outworking of that authority in controlling all the details of life. This is another anchor of the soul.

Psalm 103:19”The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, And His sovereignty rules over all.”
Psalm 115:3 “But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases.”
Psalm 135:6 “Whatever the LORD pleases, He does, In heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps.”

Sometimes people think that it is much better to leave God out of tragedy, as if it would make us feel better to know that God wasn’t involved at all. But how does that make things better? If there is not an all-wise God who knows what I can handle, a God who can measure out the right dose of difficulty, then we are left utterly hopeless. We are at the mercy of blind chance and fortune. Pain is pointless and has no meaning. Even God is surprised at our calamity! How much better to know that God has a plan and a purpose in everything and is guiding and controlling all events.

This does not promote some fatalistic view of life but rather lets us know that God is at work in all things for a good purpose. Romans 8:28 works because God is at work “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” God is in absolute control.

3) We can also affirm the Wisdom of God
God is good, and He is in control, but what about the timing and the circumstances and all the particulars that are involved? We can use a reminder of God’s wisdom can’t we?

Daniel 2:20 "Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, For wisdom and power belong to Him.”
Romans 11:33 “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!”
Revelation 7:12 saying, "Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen."

God’s wisdom is perfect because he knows all the contingencies and all the details not only presently but infinitely into the future as well. God is the one who is “Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, 'My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure'” (Isaiah 46:10). We can trust a God like this. And then finally …

4) We can affirm the compassion and comfort of God
We don’t come to a God who stands aloof, unattached, untouched, indifferent to our needs and feelings. God is a God of great compassion.

Psalm 25:6 “Remember, O LORD, Your compassion and Your lovingkindnesses, For they have been from of old.”.

I find it interesting that when God revealed his glory to Moses he began in this way,

Exodus 34:6 "The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth.”

God’s glory is manifested in his compassion! And the compassion of God is most clearly revealed to us in the person of Christ. Over and over again in the gospel accounts we find the statement that our Lord Jesus Christ “felt compassion” or was “moved with compassion” and in Luke 7:13 we see it used in direct connection with the grief over a lost loved one. Don’t ever think that God is not touched by what you experience as His child. He hears our cries and is described as “the Father of mercies and God of all comfort” (2 Cor. 1:3).

These are firm, rock solid, unchangeable affirmations that we can make about God regardless of the circumstances and this list is only the beginning. As we remember Mrs. Sample’s life we can also be encouraged by the unshakable character of the Great God she trusted in.

In loving memory of Mrs. Mary Henderson Sample, 49, of Little Rock, AR. We give thanks to God for her faith in Christ, her love for all the saints and her hope in heaven (Colossians 1:3-5).

In Christ Alone,
George Lawson

How "Great" is the Great Commission? (Part 1)

noreply@blogger.com (JRL) — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 13:30:00 +0000

The summer the Lord saved me was the best summer of my life! I received the assurance that my sins were forgiven, the hope of eternal life, an insatiable desire to understand Scripture, a love for God and an excitement about evangelism.

Not too long after my conversion, I was questioned by a family member about my desire to evangelize. He told me that the Great Commission was for the apostles, not for me. Was he right? Was I applying a verse to me that really wasn’t for me at all? How “Great” is the Great Commission? Is it an exclusive command bound by history, intended only for the immediate audience? Or was it greater than that?

Let’s begin examining a few of the evidences from Scripture, which demonstrate that the Great Commission was intended for the entire church.

1) The example of the entire church
In Acts 1:8 Christ affirmed that, after the coming of the Holy Spirit, his disciples would be his witnesses. Was this promise limited to the apostles only?
Acts 8:1-4 describes one of the ways this promise was fulfilled. In this passage the church was scattered after the martyrdom of Stephen, but notice what the Church was engaged in as they scattered.

Acts 8:1 Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death. And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.
2 Some devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him.
3 But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison.
4 Therefore, those who had been scattered went about preaching the word.

Where did the apostles stay according to verse 1? Jerusalem! So who was doing the preaching? It was the body of Christ! Those that did not receive the Great Commission directly were engaged in evangelism. Similar examples are found in Acts 8:25-40 and Acts 11:19-22. The Early Church advanced by disciples making disciples, not by apostles making apostles!

In Christ Alone,
George

Loose the Scriptures and Let them Speak!

noreply@blogger.com (JRL) — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 13:00:00 +0000

One of the greatest joys in my life is to study Scripture. There is this certain joy of discovery that is unmatched for me. There are great and marvelous treasures to be mined and uncovered.

It is here, within these pages that God has chosen to reveal Himself and His will to us. That’s exciting! God is revealing himself to us through this book!

Unfortunately that is not the way many people look at Scripture today. There is the belief that scripture really isn’t all that clear in its communication to us and that’s the way it’s meant to be.

There was an article in Christianity Today where a pastor’s wife was interviewed, who said “I grew up thinking that we’ve figured out the Bible, that we knew what it means. Now I have no idea what most of it means. And yet I feel like life is big again.” As the article went on, it revealed she was not merely speaking for herself, but was voicing the opinion of an entire movement known as the “Emergent movement”.

John MacArthur describes the movement like this ““uncertainty is the new truth. Doubt and skepticism have been canonized as a form of humility. Right and wrong have been redefined in terms of subjective feelings and personal perspectives.”

It’s the idea that a truly humble person would not be so bold as to claim that they actually know the truth. How can you say that you actually know what God says? That’s arrogance!

However, is it not arrogant to claim that God cannot communicate? And what kind of hope does an uncertain message offer? Life is not big when you have a Bible you can’t figure out. Life is utterly hopeless! If God cannot be trusted to communicate clearly to us, then what hope do we have of understanding anything at all?

We can’t know His will for our lives,
We don’t know how to discern truth from error,
We can’t know what He requires of us,
Bottom line, We can’t know Him.

And If I believed there was no way to come to some understanding of this book I would resign today! Game Over, what’s the point? Let’s just call it quits, because if God can’t make it clear, than who can?

The Reformers however, who affirmed the need for educated teachers in the Church, also affirmed what is known as the "perspicuity" (or clarity) of the Scriptures. By this, they did not mean that there are not things hard to understand, for even Peter admitted to that (2 Peter 3:16). Rather, the doctrine of perspicuity teaches that the basic message of the Bible is clear and simple enough for any literate person to understand.

So we come to the Bible with certain convictions

1) God has given his word to reveal truth not conceal it.

Even the very word translated revelation demonstrates this. The word revelation is the Greek word “apokalupsis”, which means to uncover or disclose.

John Stott put it this way...
"God has revealed himself chiefly by speaking. We may be quite sure, therefore, that he has spoken in order to be understood, and that he has intended Scripture (the record of the divine speech) to be plain to its readers. For the whole purpose of revelation is clarity not confusion"

2) The God who created language knows how to communicate in it.

It is implied throughout Scripture that God expected his words to be understood. Is this not the reason for communication in the first place? One writer said, “I cannot persuade myself that a book that is intended for the instruction and conversion of the whole world should cover it’s meaning in such mystery and doubt that none but critics and philosophers discover it.”

3) Because God has revealed himself in human language he expects us to use the rules of human language to understand Him.

The Bible is not "spiritual" in the sense that the words themselves used to communicate are unnatural. The language used is very human and just as rules apply to other forms of literature they also apply to Scripture.

One of Jesus’ common statements was “have you not read” – (Matt 12:3, 19:4; 22:31)

He assumed clarity for the Scriptures. He did not say “I understand why you didn’t get that, the Bible is really fuzzy and ambiguous isn’t it?”

The conviction that the Scriptures were clear drove men like William Tyndale, to whom all English speaking Christians are indebted to for our English Bible, to literally give their lives for the translation of God’s word into the common tongue.

Tyndale once shamed the clergy of his day by saying, “If God spares my life before many years pass I will make it possible for a boy behind the plough to know more Scripture than you do.”

Today my goal is to help the youth of BCLR to know the Scriptures better than they did and to know God better as a result. These are some of the reasons why we are committed to expositing the Scriptures each week. Are you ready for the journey to begin? Join us for our study in Colossians, where we will “Loose the Scriptures and Let them Speak!”

In Christ Alone,
George

Living For the Will of God (Part 2)

noreply@blogger.com (JRL) — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 13:00:00 +0000

1 Peter 4:1-6

by Tim Senn

2. The Motivations to Embrace Suffering

A. Remember that Life is Short (1 Peter 4:2, 3, 5)

Thinking of life in a series of stages can be helpful in motivating us to live in the moment in the light of eternity. Think of life in 4 separate stages: school years; career and raising a family years; mid-life; and retirement. When you are in the school years of life: Jr. High, High School, and college – it is tempting to think that you have many years of life ahead of you – many years to “get serious about God and living for His glory” – many years to live for the Kingdom and His purposes. You might be thinking to yourself – I am not letting life slip away from me!

But, you only get to live each stage of your life one time! Don’t think about what you might do for God in the next stage of life – ask yourself what you are committed to in this stage! Peter would say, “Time is too short to not live each day for the glory of God!” Considering eternity helps us to live for God’s glory in the moments of everyday life!

B. Resolve to Live for the Will and Glory of God (1 Peter 4:2)

The second motivation to embrace this mission is that there are really only two ways to live: according to self-rule or under the Lordship of Christ. In other words, we cannot fool and deceive ourselves with the idea that God is pleased with half-hearted mediocrity. The command is to make a decisive break with sin.

C. Realize that Self-Rule is Futile and Destructive (1 Peter 4:3)

The world hears that life is short and believes that you must grab all that you can get in your one chance at life, no matter what rules you have to break or who you might hurt in the process. Unbelievers chase all of these things because they believe that they will bring happiness in life.

Peter describes this sinful mission as futile, empty and ultimately destructive. He describes the futility of a sinful life with the phrase, “they run into excesses of dissipation.” Why do they run to excess? Because after a while, sin fails to deliver the same amount of satisfaction that it did the first time. Thus, Peter pictures unbelievers as running a frantic race trying to pursue sin – going to excesses because it doesn’t satisfy anymore! A sinful life is a wasted life!

D. Readiness to Suffer is Rewarded by Christ (1 Peter 4:4)

When Christ transforms your life and you begin to live a completely different life than you did before, you will receive persecution and be rejected by some friends and family members. They will respond to your faith in two ways:

Surprise and Shock
Insults

They will be surprised that you are no longer engaged in the sinful practices that once defined you. Your holy life will begin to convict them of their sinfulness, even if you never speak a word. Under conviction for their unrighteousness, they will begin to malign and insult you for your holiness.

E. Reckon on the Reality of Judgment (1 Peter 4:5)

A fifth motivation to live for the will of God is the reality of coming Judgment. The desire for the believer should be to stand before God on that day as blameless and as holy as possible, and to be able to show that the purpose of his or her life was to live for the glory of God. On the Day of Judgment, every day not lived to the max for the glory of God will be regretted as a wasted day.

Sin is futile and empty in this life, but it is condemning in the next. A wasted life in the here and now becomes wretched eternity separated from God in hell! But thanks be to God, whose grace more than covers the sins of those who confess and trust in Him, and whose grace saves wretched people and transforms them into saints!

F. Resurrection is Guaranteed (1 Peter 4:6)

Peter’s final motivation is to remember that resurrection life is guaranteed for believers. In the same way in which Christ was put to death in His earthly existence for obeying the will of God, believers will also face death as a result of their own sin or due to persecution. And yet in the same way in which Christ was raised to life in an entirely different realm of spiritual existence, so will believers!

Living For the Will of God (Part 1)

noreply@blogger.com (JRL) — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 13:00:00 +0000

1 Peter 4:1-6
by Tim Senn

Christians are called upon to embrace an attitude in which they are willing to suffer if necessary in order to give themselves fully to God in obedience. I will show you six motivations to embrace this call of God upon our lives to embrace suffering in the living out of His will.

1. The Mandate: A Call to Embrace Suffering for Righteous Living (1 Peter 4:1)

Peter is saying, “Be willing to suffer for the sake of righteousness in obeying the will of God.” In every situation, we should desire as believers to do what is right and what is pleasing to God, even if that means that we will suffer for it.

A person who is willing to suffer for righteousness shows that they have ceased to let sin have dominion over them, and that they are not living according to their human desires and feelings, but are governed by the desire to glorify God! This doesn’t mean that you will live a perfect life; however, it does mean that you are a completely different person than you were when you only lived for your own desires.

The Victorious Christ

noreply@blogger.com (JRL) — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 13:00:00 +0000

1 Peter 3:18-22
by Tim Senn

I want to show you from 1 Peter 3:18-22 three stages of Christ’s triumph and exaltation. This “Righteous One” Who had willingly submitted Himself to ungodly earthly rulers, even subjecting Himself to cruel and unjust suffering unto death, was raised up and given the highest place of power and honor in the entire universe! I will show you the triumph of Christ’s:

1. Death (3:18)

2. Resurrection (3:19-21)

3. Ascension (3:22).

1. The Triumph of Christ's Death (1 Peter 3:18)

Why did Christ come to earth and die? It was for our sins! Our sin and rebellion against our Creator had caused a separation between us and merited eternal condemnation and punishment. Moreover, there was absolutely nothing that we could do to make things right with God! But what we were unable to do, Christ did for us! He died in our place! When did He make this sacrifice? Once for all on the cross of Calvary! His substitution on our behalf is complete, and salvation is now available to all who will trust in Him! How was He able to accomplish what we had failed to do? Because He lived a perfect life of obedience and righteousness before God. He was the “just” or “righteous” One who earned righteousness on our behalf. He credits this righteousness to filthy sinners who trust in Him. What was the purpose for Christ’s death? “So that He might bring us to God”! The death of Christ on our behalf has given justified sinners access into the very presence of God! By faith in Jesus, we can now have a personal relationship with the God of the universe!

2. The Triumph of Christ's Righteousness (1 Peter 3:19-21)

Next, let’s look at the triumph of Christ’s resurrection. Peter contrast Jesus “being put to death in the flesh,” with “made alive in the spirit.” This is a reference to the resurrection. A good paraphrase would be, “Jesus was put to death in the physical realm, but was brought to life again in the spiritual realm.” The person responsible for this resurrection is the Holy Spirit! Romans 8:11 states, “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Christ Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” In others would, just as the Holy Spirit raised Jesus physically from the dead into the new realm of the spirit, so He will raise our bodies after our physical death as well!

3. The Triumph of Christ's Ascension (1 Peter 3:22)

Finally, the triumph of Christ’s ascension is that because He lives and exists in a glorified state, those who belong to Him will also one day share His likeness. No earthly or spiritual power can separate us from the love of Christ because He rules over every other power!

These words give great encouragement and hope to those who are persecuted and who are suffering for their faith in Christ. Christ has triumphed, and after we suffer for a little while, we will one day be exalted with Him, and will reign with Him!