The House of God John Bennett
The Apostles’ The Devotion Teaching of Our Youth T.J. Marinello Shawn Abigail
April 2012 Visit online: www.uplook.org
What Would You Do For Love?
editor’s note
What Would You Do For Love? In 2 Samuel 23:14-17, we read a lovely account of three unnamed soldiers of David who, upon hearing him breathe a desire for water from the well of Bethlehem, broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew the water, and brought it to David. They had no obligation to do so. No one would have even dreamed that anyone would attempt it. But as far as they were concerned, David’s wish really was their command. We don’t even know their names, for they didn’t do it to have everyone know their names; it was enough for them that David knew their names. They did it for love. How did David respond? “Nevertheless he would not drink it, but poured it out to the Lord” (2 Sam 23:16). A Judas would have objected at this point that David was wasting the water. But this was no waste. David knew the danger these men braved in order to bring him the smallest pleasure, and he considered that they didn’t bring back water; they brought back blood. So he poured it out to the only One who is worthy of such devotion. This brings us to David’s greater Son. It should come as no surprise that when the New Testament speaks of our relationship with Christ, love is key. Any threat to that love is to be dealt with. Paul writes to the church at Corinth, “For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin. But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:2-3). In these verses, we’re told of the battle plan of a far greater enemy than the Philistines.
2
UPLOOK | APR 2012
The goal. The devil’s objective is to distract us from devotion to Christ. Note the malice. Winning our hearts for himself isn’t his aim. All that really matters to him is that Christ not have our hearts. The strategy. He is crafty. Rather than a frontal assault, he seeks to deceive us so that we are subtly and gradually drawn away from Christ. The danger. The peril that he will succeed in distracting our hearts from Christ is real. Paul said, “I am afraid.” The danger is just as significant today. It is all too easy for us to be distracted and end up devoted merely to the same things as unbelievers: jobs, houses, hobbies, sports, diets, and entertainment. Some of these deserve a measure of devotion, of course; but when they become our primary concern, we’ve been led astray. However there is a more subtle peril. There is the danger of being so taken up with Christian service that devotion to the Lord Himself suffers. This is the same craftiness that the devil employed in deceiving Eve. This is Paul’s fear. It can happen with churches, too. How easy it is for a church to be busy with commendable service yet be distracted from Christ! It happens gradually. Christ-centered ministry is down-played in favor of “practical” ministry. The breaking of bread loses prominence as people focus more on receiving than on being occupied with Christ. Activity abounds while love for Christ wanes. What would you do for love? Perhaps that is best answered by asking, what would He do for love? We know the answer: “He…loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2:20b). —James Martin editor@uplook.org
Vol. 79 / Issue 3 www.uplook.org
FOUNDED IN 1927 as Look on the Fields, UPLOOK is published by Uplook Ministries and Uplook Ministries (Canada). Street address: 720 Rehoboth Dr. NE Grand Rapids, MI 49505-5184 Mailing address: P.O. Box 2041, Grand Rapids, MI 49501-2041 Tel: (616) 677-6127 Fax: (616) 855-1114 Email (General inquiries): uplook@uplook.org TO SUBSCRIBE / RENEW: www.uplook.org You must renew your subscription annually (by web, phone, or email) to keep receiving Uplook. Please advise us of any address changes at least six weeks in advance and include your customer number from your mailing label. DONATIONS: Uplook Ministries is a tax-exempt corporation looking to the Lord to provide for the needs of this ministry. The magazine is sent freely to those who request it, but evidently is not free to produce. Receipts are issued for donations ($10+) and are valid for tax purposes in the US and Canada. Making a donation will renew your Uplook subscription. Donations by check/ money order in US $, Canadian $, or £ sterling should be payable to “Uplook” and sent to one of the addresses below (under “postal information”). Donations may also be made by VISA / Mastercard, by mail or online at: www.uplook.org ISSN # 1055-2642: UPLOOK magazine is intended to encourage the people of God in fidelity to His Word, fervency in intercessory prayer, labors more abundant, and love to the Lord. Believing in the practical Headship of Christ and the local autonomy of each assembly, this is not intended to be an official organ of any group or federation of local churches. The editor and authors take responsibility for materials published. For any blessing which accrues, to God be the glory. POSTAL INFORMATION: US POSTMASTER: (USPS 620-640) Send address changes to: UPLOOK, P. O. Box 2041, Grand Rapids, MI 49501-2041 Periodical postage paid at Grand Rapids, MI. CANADIAN POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: UPLOOK, P. O. Box 4089, St. Catharines, ON L2R 7S3 International Publication Mail Product (Canadian Distribution) Sales Agreement No. 40020782 BRITISH POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: UPLOOK, c/o The Glebe House, Stanton Drew Bristol BS39 4EH
features 2 Editorial
LOVE + LOYALTY = DEVOTION
8
New Beginnings
Keith Keyser, in a subject redux, fills us in on the Noahic Covenant (publisher mistakenly left it out of last issue) featuring past grace and coming judgment.
The House of God
12
The Apostles’ Teaching
T.J. Marinello calls for careful, prayerful preparation and presentation of God’s Word, just as the NT believers made it foundational in church life and witness.
16
Devoted to Prayer
4 Front Lines
Got your updated 2012 Assembly Address Book?
18 Special Event
Why We Web Conference: Register & plan to attend!
The Devotion of our Youth
Young Christians and young churches, says Shawn Abigail, often display a devotion that can cool in those more mature in the faith. Some practical suggestions for reigniting the flame.
Simplicity in Christ
26
Simplicity is often seen as naive and unsophisticated in our modern world. But Mark Kolchin reminds us of the Bible's perspective on the subject.
14 28
In this helpful article, Mike Kelly suggests some practical pointers on our preparation for what could be one of the highlights of each week.
20
On a subject rarely discussed, Gary McBride answers a series of key questions on this vital and practical subject.
10 22
What could be more important than being king? John Bennett explains how David took an early retirement to devote himself to the House of God.
The Lord’s Supper
Devotion to Every Good Work
What Would You Do For Love?
Devotion to Fellowship
Jack Spender examines the vital role that fellowship played in the life and witness of the early church, and how we can enjoy that same blessing today.
The evidence is clear, Bruce Lemmen says. The early church gave primacy to prayer and understood its power in the advance of Christ's cause on earth.
Uplook Magazine is copyrighted to maintain the integrity of the material. On copies for personal use, please include:“Uplook Magazine, by permission.” For large quantities or other purposes, contact us. Printed in USA.
19 Why We Web
What does a free web site cost you?
24 Evidences The Water Cycle
30 Science and You Once in a Lifetime
31 Mega-Truth Ultimate Devotion
UPLOOK | APR 2012 3
front lines pray around the globe
The Assembly Address Book Get the heavily updated 2012 version! Assembly Care (www.assemblycare.org) and ECS Ministries worked together to update the 2012 Assembly Address Book. The expanded directory contains over 700 helpful updates. This single volume now provides an updated list of New Testament patterned assemblies located throughout North America, a compilation of over 500 commended workers, a list of camps throughout the US and Canada with points of contact, and an expanded section of service organizations that are connected to assemblies. Purchase your copy of this new resource from: www.ecsministries.org or www.gospelfolio.com (call 1-800-952-2382) SPRING CONFERENCE IN vancouver
FATHER/SON RETREAT AT CAMP HOPE
Camp Hope will host their Spring Teen Retreat Mar 23-25 with speaker Glenn Barinowski (SC), with the topic of “Faith - Seeing the Unseen.” The retreat begins Friday with registration at 6 pm and ends Sunday at 11:30 am (no lunch provided). Cost: $60/person. Contact: Ed Myers ph: 706-863-0875 email: myersed@yahoo.com Registration form and further details are available online at www.camphopega.org
Heather Bible Chapel, 277 West 68th Ave. and 16th Ave Gospel Chapel, 2756 W. 16th Ave. will co-host their annual conference Apr 6-8. Scheduled speakers are Randy Amos (NY) and Nathan Bramsen (NC). Sessions on Friday and Saturday are at Heather Bible Chapel beginning at 3:30 pm with a youth fellowship Saturday after the evening session. The final session will be Sunday at 7:00 pm at 16th Ave. Gospel Chapel. There will be a children’s program each day. Contact: Norman Chandler ph: 604-271-1093 email: ejeannormr@yahoo.ca
Camp Hope will host their Father/Son Retreat Apr 20-22. The speaker will be Jesse Gentile (FL). The conference begins Friday with registration at 6:00 pm and ends Sunday with lunch. Cost: $60/family. Contact: Steve Roys, 7011 Pony Lake Rd., Dahlonega, GA 30533 ph: 770-536-4787 email: camphopega@arilion.com Registration form is available on the camp website at www.camphopega.org
CONFERENCE IN TEXAS
LADIES CONFERENCE IN ALABAMA
The 2012 Dallas Area Conference will be held Mar 30-Apr 1 in conjunction with Garland Bible Chapel at Wheatland Bible Chapel, 1303 West Wheatland Rd., Duncanville, TX 75116. In the will of the Lord, speakers will be John Heller (AR) and Scott DeGroff (KS). Contact: email: wheatlandbiblechapel@gmail.com web: www.wheatlandbiblechapel.org For accommodations, please contact John Daniels ph: 972-424-9889
The 5th annual conference will be held Apr 14 at Central Bible Chapel, 3270 Main St., Millbrook, AL. Joyce Barinowski (SC) is the scheduled speaker. Ladies throughout the Deep South are invited for fellowship, ministry, and encouragement in walking with and witnessing for the Lord Jesus. Contact: Kathy Leach ph: 334-868-3060 or Laura Bonner ph: 334-300-4636 email: info@centralbiblechapel.com
CONFERENCES, CAMPS & RETREATS SPRING TEEN RETREAT IN GEORGIA
4
UPLOOK | APR 2012
Young Adult Retreat in indiana The 10th annual Believers’ Challenge Young Adult Retreat will be held at the Country Lake Christian Retreat Center (20 miles North of Louisville) in Underwood, IN Apr 20-22. Lord willing, the speaker will be Tim McNeal (MO). Please register by Apr 6th. Contact: Seth McNeal ph: 636-667-9992 email: stlsignguy@gmail.com
front lines praise around the clock CHICAGO AREA CONFERENCE The Palos Hills Christian Assembly plans to host its annual conference Apr 27-29. The scheduled speakers are Charlie Fizer (IA), Jim Fleming (MI), and Harold Summers (BC). Further information to follow at www.paloshillsassembly.org
Bible conference May 5-6, beginning Saturday at 3:30 pm. Enjoy a spiritually refreshing weekend in God’s Word with Keith Trevolt (KS) speaking. Contact: Ray Cummings, 103 Dickson Dr., Belle Chasse, LA 70037 ph: 504-239-7068 or 504-393-7083 email: lakeparkchapel@cmaaccess.com
SPRING CONFERENCE IN ALABAMA The Christians meeting at Hope Bible Chapel in Birmingham, AL announce their annual spring conference which will be held Apr 27-29. The invited speaker is Joe Reese (ON). Contact: Buddy Hughes ph: 205-467-2601 Alton Sizemore ph: 205-988-9931 web: www.hopebiblechapel.org
SPRING CONFERENCE IN CENTRAL FL The committee for Central Florida Bible Conference is pleased to announce their annual spring conference to be held Apr 28 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm at Central Bible Chapel, 12024 Gunn Highway, Odessa, FL 33556. The topic is "The Unity of Believers and its Importance to the Church" with Keith Keyser (PA) speaking. Contact: Joe Jeremiah e-mail: jere8301@gmail.com ph: 352-227-9471
LADIES CONFERENCE IN CHICAGOLAND The Women's Spring Missionary Conference is to be held Saturday, May 5 at the Palos Hills Christian Assembly. The meeting starts at 9:15 am and ends with a luncheon. Luncheon cost is $6.00. Speakers will be Kim Keating and Donna McKendrick. Contact: Lu VanRyn email: luvan52@yahoo.com
ANNUAL LOUISIANA CONFERENCE Lake Park Chapel, at 201 Schlief Drive, Belle Chasse, LA will hold its 68th annual
California SPRING CONFERENCE The Claremont Bible Chapel will hold its 21st Annual Spring Bible Conference in Claremont, CA, May 18-20. The speakers will be Joe Reese (ON) and Scott DeGroff (KS). The conference starts at 7:30 Friday night, and 10:00 am Saturday. Mid-day meals on Saturday CLAREMONT, CALIFORNIA and Sunday will be provided by the assembly. Please see www.claremontbiblechapel.com for further details. Contact: Dave Dixon ph: 909-851-4836
College & Career RETREAT IN ON The 3rd annual retreat is happening May 25-27. The C&C group from Bethel Bible Chapel in Sault Ste. Marie, ON will be hosting the event at Aush-Bik-Koong Bible Camp (www.campabk.com), about 2 hours east of Sault Ste. Marie. Speaker will be Dave Lawrence. Contact: Christine Aceti email: christine.aceti@gmail.com
VESSELS OF HONOR 2012 A young adults conference sponsored by East Tulsa Bible Chapel will be held on the campus of Park University, Parkville, MO May 25-28. The theme will be "Encouraging Local Works for the Lord." The speakers are John Heller (AR) Rex Trogdon (NC) Eric Smith (NY) Warren Henderson (KS) and Brenda Henderson (KS). Contact: Jim Lindamood ph: 918-663-1121 email: allmon@intcon.net Dan Moffitt ph: 918-744-6484 email: danmoffitt@sbcglobal.net web: www.vesselsofhonor.org
Camp Hope in Georgia
FAMILY WEEK AT CAMP LI-LO-LI
The camp will have their Home School Camp May 21-26. The speaker for junior campers is Nate Thomas (SC) and Ken Miller (OK) for teen campers. This camp is for ages 7-19. The week begins Monday with registration at 3:00 pm and ends Saturday morning after breakfast. Registration form and a complete summer camp schedule are available on the camp website at www.camphopega.org Contact: Steve Roys, 7011 Pony Lake Rd., Dahlonega, GA 30533 ph: 770-536-4787 email: camphopega@gmail.com
Camp Li-Lo-Li is located on 400 acres of mountain splendor in the Southern Tier of NY near Allegany State Park. Family Week, from Jun 30 to Jul 7, will be a great time of spiriTHE ZIPLINE AT CAMP LI-LO-LI tual blessing and fellowship. There is great food, fun and fellowship and many exciting activities including swimming, canoeing, a 1300 ft. zipline, fishing, climbing tower, high ropes, hiking,
UPLOOK | APR 2012 5
front lines continued trail rides and games. There are special programs for children during our chapel times, as well as optional seminars and craft programs for young and old. The guest speakers this year are Joe Reese (ON) and Bruce Hulshizer (PA). For more information on contacts and rates or to download an application, visit http://tiny.cc/stk6x
INDIAN BRETHREN CONF. IN INDIANA The IBF Family Conference will be held at Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion, IN Jul 4-8. The theme is “Equipping the Saints for Building up the Body - for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ" Ephesians 4:12 NASB. John Gordon, Raleigh (NC), Nate Bramsen (West Africa), and John P. Thomas (India) will minister from the Word. Please pray for the conference. For further details, please check. www.ibfus.org
is having their annual study Aug 26-30 with Randy Amos (NY). Cost for 4 nights with meals included is $100. Register soon. Only first 40 applicants can be accepted. Contact: Richie Benitez email: royalpriest4him@yahoo.com Cell: 508-265-3168
WEEKEND FAMILY CONFERENCE AT CAMP HOPE
MINISTRY OPPORTUNITIES
Camp Hope will host the Southeast Family Weekend Conference Jul 27-29. Speakers will be John Heller (AR) for the adults and Buddy Hughes (AL) for the children. Registration will begin Friday evening after supper (no supper provided) and will end with a light lunch on Sunday. Please note this is a change from the week long family camp and is now for a weekend only. Contact: Steve Roys, 7011 Pony Lake Rd., Dahlonega, GA 30533 ph: 770-536-4787 email: camphopega@gmail.com web: www.bit.ly/southeastfamilycamp
MANAGING DIRECTOR POSITION IN BC
intensive MEN'S BIBLE STUDY IN NY Pine Bush Bible Camp, Bloomingburg NY,
6
UPLOOK | APR 2012
This is a full-time position to oversee the camp operation and its facility. This is a ministry for a person or couple with a passionate desire to reach children and adults with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Morning Star Bible Camp is located about 30 minutes from Kelowna on the slopes of the Okanagan Valley of BC. This is an ideal position for someone with the energy and a vision to see a camp work grow to a year round ministry. On site housing and utilities are available. Financial remuneration to be discussed. For a more detailed job description, go to the MSBC website: www.morningstarbiblecamp.com Contact: Ken Spohr
email: kenspohr@hotmail.com ph: 250-832-2652 or Norm Spohr email: npspohr@hotmail.com ph: 250-828-0723
CAMP DIRECTOR NEEDED IN ALASKA North Star Bible Camp of Willow, AK (1.5 hours north of Anchorage) is looking for the provision of God's choice of a Camp Director. The Lord has provided a beautiful and effective facility with tremendous opportunities to honor Him in reaching out to people of all ages. The need for an infusion of new life and spiritual vigor is evident and pertinent. South Rolly Lake, Alaska They seek a couple devoted to the Lord and to serving Him, people oriented, capable in office management and finance, able to provide spiritual direction and encouragement to staff, the ability to write devotionals for campers and staff, take public speaking opportunities, having better than average computer skills for
For we are laborers together with God 1 COR. 3:9 development of brochures and other publications, etc. For a full disclosure of requirements, expectations, etc., please contact: Stuart Mitchell North Star Bible Camp, Box 4 Willow, AK 99688 ph: 907-892-4199 or 907-232-9729 email: nsbcdirector@gmail.com web: northstarbiblecamp.com
HEALTH CARE DIRECTOR Horton Haven Christian Camp in Chapel Hill, TN is looking for an individual to serve this summer as Health Care Director. Candidates need to have a nursing degree and will oversee the health center including caring for health needs of campers and staff, administering medications and working with nurse volunteers who assist at variON HORSES AT HORTON HAVEN ous times during the summer. Camp starts Jun 1st and concludes Aug 3rd. Contact: Matt Phelan (please see contact details below (*).
Facilities Director in tennessee Horton Haven Christian Camp is also looking for an individual to serve as Facilities Director. This is a year round position with responsibility for the care of the grounds, buildings and equipment. Candidates need to have the ability to plan, budget and organize volunteers while being an integral part of our team with the purpose of reaching children with the gospel. * Contact: Matt Phelan, Horton Haven Christian Camp, Box 276, Chapel Hill, TN 37034 ph: 931-364-7656 email: matt@hortonhaven.org web: www.hortonhaven.org
STEP 2012 in California
Good News on the move
Summer Team Evangelism Partnership is a ministry opportunity Jun 16-Jul 2 for those eighteen years of age and older that will give a flavor of God's work in Mexico, Central and South America without needing a visa or passport. Benefit from teaching and training in Bible, evangelism and cultural issues, along with practiTHE STEP PROGRAM cal hands-on experience working among Latino children. Contact: John Duckhorn email: justducky@aol.com
Prayer is requested for the Lord’s blessing and guidance on GNOM’s field training ministry. Leaders and team members are continuing on a revised vision of this program, spending longer periods in fewer regions to facilitate better follow-up. Emphasizing discipleship, follow-up and soul winning, the team is now in KS. To receive weekly updates from the team, subscribe at www.uplook.org Contact: Jerry Denny ph: 336-432-3284 email: jerrydenny@bellsouth.net
MISCELLANY recorded spiritual songs
Cross Canada Cruisers: 2012 Cross Canada Cruisers was blessed with another encouraging season in 2011, and, in the will of the Lord, plans are being set for 2012. C3 runs from June through August, 2012. Locations are being determined, but we need to know if you are interested! Eager to reach out with the gospel in Ontario? Are you a male over age 18, well reported of in your assembly? We are seeking young, committed, spiritual men, and evangelistically minded assemblies to work beside each other for the gospel's sake. Web: www.teamc3.info
THE C3 Team in 2011
Interested in C3? Contact: Randy Hoffman email: randyhoffman@sympatico.ca or email Fil Capuano: fil@chatsworthproject.ca
To help saints sing spiritual songs together, MP3 files for more than 140 spiritual songs are available for free download at www.SaintsServing.net The recordings are four-part vocal and/or piano for each song, and some songs also have separate alto/tenor/bass recordings to help to teach harmony when singing parts.
HEAD COVERINGS A variety of head coverings are available to view and purchase from the web site: www.headcoveringsonline.com Contact: Susan Crowe email: pandscrowe@gmail.com ph: 905-640-4218
NOTE: NEWS SUBMISSIONS The news editor reserves the right to determine those items best suited for the magazine. Editorial decisions are final. Photos accepted. News items are also posted online when time allows. Send news items to: frontlines@uplook.org
UPLOOK | APR 2012 7
One devoted man
New Beginnings
The Noahic Covenant and the Post-Flood World
by KEITH KEYSER
N
oah’s life straddles the pre- and post-flood worlds. Its duration spanned an epoch of violence which was so brutal that it merited the severest divine judgment since Adam’s fall. Yet the darkest times offer opportunities for the light to shine more brightly (Jn. 1:5). The twin attributes of God’s white-hot holiness and matchless mercy were equally displayed in the life and times of Noah—a man who lived to see the fulfillment of his name’s meaning: “comfort” or “rest.”1 He grew up amid unprecedented wickedness and endemic cruelty between human beings.
preventative spiritual medicine Genesis 9 begins with language that is reminiscent of the first creation: “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth” (Gen. 9:1). How different things are now from what they had been at the dawn of creation! In Eden, everything was filled with promise. Ruling as God’s representative, Adam was commissioned with bringing the earth to its full potential in cooperation with the Almighty’s plans. The garden was his training ground where he learned to tend, guard, and cultivate, as well as to depend on his Creator for guidance and wisdom (Gen. 2:5, 8, 15).
in the restrictions placed on bloodshed, for man was created in God’s image (Gen. 9:6). Mindful of the violence of the pre-flood world, human life is protected from man and beast. If either animals or humans shed a man’s blood, then they are subject to capital punishment—an early manifestation of divinely ordained government (Gen. 9:5; cf. Rom. 13:1-4). Graciously, God reiterates His command, pointing to a new and fruitful world: “And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein” (Gen. 9:7).
Nevertheless, his post-diluvian experience opened up a new world of hope based upon the Lord’s gracious promises regarding the entire created order. Noah’s times furnish an outstanding example of man’s iniquity and God’s abiding, providential mercy as seen in His covenant. His gracious dealings with those ancient eight souls prefigure His mercy and righteous government over the world as it currently is and shall be in the future. The rainbow that Noah first saw remains as a testimony to God’s restraint, mercy, and redemption.
Sadly, Adam chose his own way by sinning against God’s Word, thereby ushering in centuries of pain and unfulfilled potential as his descendents repeated his errors and engaged in increasingly vile iniquity (Rom. 5:12-14). Thus the realization of the divine plan for the earth awaits the return of the last Adam, who will make the world blossom as it never has before (Isa. 65:17-25).
Gracious promises In Genesis 3:11-13, God asks Adam if he has disobeyed, giving Adam a chance to confess his sin. But instead of confessing, Adam blames Eve. Then God asks Eve, also giving her a chance to confess, but she blames the serpent. So, in pronouncing a curse, God goes in the order in which humanity ascribed blame, starting with the serpent and working His way up to mankind’s federal head.
8
UPLOOK | APR 2012
According to Genesis 9, certain changes are present in the post-flood world. Animals are now provided for food, but the sanctity of human life is maintained
As Noah and his family faced a world of new beginnings, what could give them
When I see the bow
the assurance that everything which they built would not be eradicated anew by another global deluge? In grace, God promised never again to destroy the earth with a flood (v. 11). To visually augment this promise, He created a rainbow to accompany the storm clouds. As Mackintosh eloquently articulates it: “...it is happy to bear in mind, that when the bow appears, the eye of God rests upon it; and man is cast not upon his own imperfect and most uncertain memory, but upon God’s. ‘I,’ says God, ‘will remember.’ How sweet to think of what God will, and what He will not, remember! He will remember His covenant, but He will not remember His people’s sins. The cross, which ratifies the former, puts away the latter. The belief of this gives peace to the 2
troubled heart and uneasy conscience.”
He further elaborates on the rainbow: “The beams of the sun, reflected from that which threatens judgment, tranquilize the heart, as telling of God’s covenant, God’s salvation, and God’s remembrance. Precious, most precious sunbeams!
ing from amid the darkness; and in those words it recognizes the perfect ratification of God’s everlasting covenant, not only with creation, but with the tribes of Israel and the Church of God.”3
over and under the rainbow Later scriptures associate the rainbow with God’s glorious throne (Ezek. 1:28; Rev. 4:3) and the angel announcing the culminating judgment of the Tribulation (Rev. 10:1). It is a tremendous blessing that the Almighty’s moral government is undergirded by His redemptive mercy. “The Judge of all the earth” (Gen. 18:25) is also the merciful redeemer (Eph. 1:7). Isaiah calls judgment the Almighty’s “strange work” (Isa. 28:21). God only pours out His wrath after His longsuffering grace has been repeatedly spurned by His wayward and rebellious creatures. In all of His administrative dealings with the universe, the same compassionate and holy restraint that He demonstrated to Noah is at work. For all eternity, the riches of His grace will be showcased through the object lesson of the church (Eph. 2:7).
Deriving additional beauty from the very cloud which reflects them. How forcibly does this bow in the cloud remind us of Calvary. There we see a cloud indeed—a dark, thick, heavy cloud of judgment, discharging itself upon the sacred head of the Lamb of God—a cloud so dark, that even at midday ‘there was darkness over all the earth.’ But, blessed be God, faith discerns, in that heaviest cloud that ever gathered, the most brilliant and beauteous bow that ever appeared; for it sees the bright beams of God’s eternal love darting through the awful gloom and reflected in the cloud. It hears, too, the words, ‘It is finished,’ issu-
fairs (Mt. 24:37-39; Lk. 17:26-27). Like the pre-flood world, however, they are sadly mistaken and will be overtaken by judgment. Like Noah and his family, the Lord will deliver the believing remnant of Israel through the trials of that terrible period. Through it all, the One whose throne is encircled by a rainbow will continue to manifest His incomparable righteousness, love, and grace towards those who receive Him by faith. endnotes 1. “The etymology of the name, n_a_, is uncertain, though many commentators connect it with the root nw_, ‘to rest’. In Genesis (5:29) it is associated with the verb n_m (translated ‘comfort’ in AV and RV; ‘bring relief’ in RSV), with which it is perhaps etymologically connected; though this is not necessarily required by the text.” T.C. Mitchell, “Noah,” in Wood, D. R. W., and I. Howard Marshall. New Bible Dictionary (Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 1996), p.826. The ESV Study Bible says: “Lamech’s comment on the name ‘Noah’ (Hb. noakh), which strictly speaking means ‘rest’ (Hb. nuakh), introduces the related concept of ‘comfort’ (Hb. nakham).” The NET margin elaborates: “They are not from the same verbal root, and so the connection is only by sound. Lamech’s sentiment
Unfortunately, mankind has not learned from the mistakes of Noah’s day. Like their ancient counterparts, they give themselves over to violence, perversion, and licentiousness. Generally, they exhibit a lack of concern towards their Creator. In the Gospels, the Lord Jesus used the spiritual oblivion of the antediluvians to illustrate the indifference and apathy of future people prior to Christ’s return in judgment. They form marriage alliances, conduct business, and generally live as if the Maker of the earth will never intrude upon their af-
reflects the oppression of living under the curse on the ground, but also expresses the hope for relief in some way through the birth of Noah. His words proved to be ironic but prophetic. The relief would come with a new beginning after the flood.” Kidner remarks: “The allusion to 3:17 may be a sign that he treasured the promise of 3:15.” Derek Kidner, Genesis: An Introduction and Commentary (Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 1967), p. 87. 2. C. H. Mackintosh, Genesis to Deuteronomy: Notes on the Pentateuch (Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers, 1972), p. 55. 3 Ibid.
UPLOOK | APR 2012 9
passionate pursuit
House God Devotion to the of
T
here is a challenge to every aspect of divine truth, and we see it in 1 Chronicles 29. David is coming to the end of his life and preparing the way for his son Solomon to succeed him to the throne of Israel. Although it had been David’s exercise to build the temple, a habitation of God, it was to be Solomon’s task and not David’s. However, what this chapter unfolds to us is the preparation that David had made in anticipation of the work that Solomon would fulfill. What spiritual legacy are we leaving for those who, in the will of God, will follow us? Is it not remarkable that the God who created and sustains the universe, who is awesome in His power and purpose, should be interested in establishing a relationship with His creatures? Throughout these verses, David speaks of God as “my God” (vv. 2-3), and we must emphasize something of David’s appreciation of his God.
10 UPLOOK | APR
2012
by
He is the sovereign God—“whom God alone hath chosen” (v. 1). God’s choice is not dependent on another, nor is it in any way subject to anything else. It was Daniel who spoke thus of God to Nebuchadnezzar: “And He changeth the times and the seasons: He removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding” (Dan. 2:21). He is the eternal God—“the Lord God” (v. 1). As the Newberry margin indicates, this is the divine title Jehovah Elohim. He is Jehovah, the eternal One, which was, which is, and which is to come, without beginning or ending. He is the Triune God—“the Lord God” (v. 1). Again, Newberry gives the symbol to indicate that the word God is plural. You will note that in the Hebrew there is singular, dual, and plural. This is not one, singular, or two, dual, but three, plural—the persons in the Godhead: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
John Bennett He is the holy God—“the holy house” (v. 3). The house in which He is to dwell among His people is holy, so it befits the character of the one who dwells within it. Indeed, the psalmist wrote, “Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh Thine house, O Lord, for ever” (Ps. 93:5). But let us think primarily of the implications of David’s knowledge. It would be easy to regard this as a theoretical exercise. It could be one of mental exploration to enhance the intellect. However, we see here a wholly different response in the heart of David. His love for his God is seen in the preparation that he made for the building of the temple.
Desire not duty “I have prepared with all my might” (v. 2). As you go down the list of items that David contributed to the work, you can see how systematic and thought-
God is worth it
ful he had been. He had no blueprint, no plan from which he might work to provide the resources. This task was to belong to Solomon and those whom God had gifted for the work. Yet, as David spoke in 2 Samuel 22:33, “God is my strength and power,” so he committed that strength and power to this work of preparation. This was a work into which David put maximum effort. His appreciation of his God affected the way in which he worked for God. There is a challenge for every believer here. Does the way in which we work for God demonstrate our appreciation of God? The danger may be that we contribute so little to the Lord’s work in time, effort, and expense that it manifests our lack of appreciation of our God. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “And will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved” (2 Cor. 12:15).
Affection not appearance “I have set my affection to the house of my God” (v. 3). It is clear that the reality of one’s affections can be determined only by the manner in which one gives. We can give coldly, out of duty and with no real sign of desire. We can give grudgingly, with no real sign of affection. What David means here is that the concept of the building of the house of God was something that brought him pleasure and in which he took personal delight. There is nothing more encour-
aging as a parent than to see your child grow and develop. From the moment of their first smile, to their first steps, to their first words—all these memories are cherished. The house of God in New Testament terms is not a building but a group of people, a called out company that belongs to the Lord. Does the development of individuals within that company bring delight and pleasure to our hearts? Do we have a genuine affection for all the Lord’s people? Paul wrote, “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver” (2 Cor. 9:7).
Sacrificially not sparingly “I have given…I have prepared” (v. 3). It would be easy for David, as king and national leader, to have provided that which he had levied in some form of taxation from the people over whom he ruled. Or as victor over the nations around him, he could have given from the resources that he accrued from his victories. But this is not the way for David. He can say, “I have given” (v. 3). There has been a personal cost to David! We have seen that David prepared with all his might. We now see that he has given generously from his own resources that the work of the Lord might be advanced. It is one thing to observe the amounts that individuals give to the work of the Lord, but it is quite another
to see what people give in terms of their time and their effort, as well as their financial resources. There is a reminder of the giving of the poor widow who put two mites into the treasury. The measure of her giving was this: “She of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had” (Lk. 21:4).
Giving the best “The gold of Ophir…refined silver” (v. 4). Yes, there was gold given. Yes, there was silver given. But for David, he gave of the gold of Ophir, and of the refined or purified silver. The gold of Ophir was prized as the purest, most refined gold that was available. The purified silver, like the gold, was that which had borne the hottest of fires to provide its purity. Only the best was good enough! The measure of 3000 talents means very little to us. If we were to convert it into tonnage, it would weigh 114 tons. It can be compared with that which was given by the leaders of the nation from the tribes, which was 5000 talents, making David’s contribution at least 3/8 of the total but, in monetary terms, worth probably the same as that given by the people. What do we contribute to the building of the house of the Lord, the local church, today? Based upon our appreciation of our God and our knowledge of His character, are we prepared to give out of a genuine desire and a heartfelt affection, and to give generously of the best that we have?
UPLOOK | APR 2012 11
foundation, formation, function
devoted to the
Apostles’
Teaching T
he place was Jerusalem. The time was the first celebration of Pentecost after the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, a mere seven to ten days after He returned to the Father (Acts 1:9-11). At this time and place, a remarkable event occurred: the church was born, the same church about which the Lord had spoken after the pronouncement of Peter that He was “the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Mt. 16:15-19). From that day until today, believers would be part of the church— those about whom the Scripture says, “in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body” (1 Cor. 12:6). At the time of salvation, each believer would now be baptized into the body of Christ, irrevocably joined to this body over which Christ is the head (Col. 1:18). The remarkable events which mark the foundation of the church in the first part of Acts 2 are followed by a simple yet profound statement, a statement which should be both pondered and put into practice. “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:42). While the people who were part of this new creation devoted themselves to at least these four practices, our purpose is to consider the one listed first.
12 UPLOOK | APR
2012
by T.J. Marinello
What is this apostles’ teaching to which the early church was devoted, and what significance should it have in the local church today?
The centrality of the gospel First, devotion to the apostles’ teaching certainly includes the centrality of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This message was preached clearly by the apostle Peter in Acts 2 at the birth of the church. Peter thus obeyed the command of the Lord Jesus which He had given just before He ascended to the Father (Lk. 24:45-48; Acts 1:8); Peter was indeed a witness. A number of years later, the apostle Paul also emphasized the centrality of the gospel when he characterized it as of “first importance” (1 Cor. 15:3-4). The matter is simple: the most basic element of the apostles’ teaching is the message of the gospel. Question: Are we committed to being witnesses to this most basic of the apostles’ teaching? Do we commonly practice a witness of words and works by which all know we are followers of the Lord Jesus? “Of course!” most might say. But is our witness to the work of Jesus Christ a natural part of our walk
with the Lord and part of the DNA of our assembly, or is it only a scheduled, occasional activity? Also, is the gospel something for which we are especially noted, or are we only known for other peculiarities and practices?
The teachings of Scripture Second, the apostles’ teaching is more than just the gospel. While it is the foundational message, it is only that—a foundation. When the Lord Jesus commanded the apostles to go and to make disciples, He included an explanation: “teaching them all I have commanded you” (Mt. 28:20). The building of the church of Jesus Christ included a process whereby the believers were to know and put into practice the teachings of Scripture. Question: Are we as individuals, and is our local assembly, devoted to learning the teachings of Scripture? Do we spend our private and corporate time considering merely the ideas of men or the content of the Word? Lest any think otherwise, this question is not one which is intended to disparage time spent in formal programs of study, or the use of commentaries and other
words into action
“From childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” 1 Timothy 3:15
study helps as we delve into Scripture. But as we ponder the Word and seek to learn more of the Person and work of the Lord, as well as our responsibility to such understanding, are we using tools which are merely the recitation of men’s thoughts, or are we using tools designed to unfold the actual Word of God? A related question would concern the manner in which we use the Scriptures as they are taught. As many a wellgrounded believer has noticed, the simplest method by which the teaching in a passage can be ascertained is by observation, interpretation, and application. We need to know what is found in a passage before we can begin to try to make sense of it, and only then can we make the attempt to apply it in our life and then the lives of our listeners. Sadly, many a speaker moves directly to the application because “everyone knows what is found in this passage,” and the resultant message does not match the text. When we stand to preach or teach, do we accurately reflect the apostles’ teaching in the passage, or is it a “truth” which can only be uncovered by believers who practice a very peculiar form of hermeneutics? The same applies when we privately study the apostles’ teaching.
Clearly communicating the message Third, we need to maintain, or perhaps recover, the importance of the apostles’ teaching in the life of the local assembly, not only in its content but in its communication. Historically, such assemblies were known both for the weekly celebration of the Lord’s Supper and the solid, noteworthy content and character of the messages presented from the podium and in corporate Bible studies. Question: Can this positive assessment be made of our consideration of the apostles’ teaching in our local assembly? Are these times of the public presentation of the apostles’ teaching the result of haphazard planning and preparation, or is it the result of a careful, prayerful consideration of the passage presented? Is the preaching and teaching in our assembly the hallmark of a job well done, or is it known as a time to be endured by the listeners? The solid, noteworthy presentation of the apostles’ teaching becomes especially significant when we consider two of the Apostle Paul’s final charges. The first is in 2 Timothy 2:2: “And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” We
have a responsibility not only to find those to whom we may transmit this message, but to have a message that is apostolic in nature, not one of our own making. And 2 Timothy 4:1-4 takes this a step further: “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” Are we scratching itching ears with the latest trendy wind of doctrine or are we unfolding sound teaching? Again, this is not a plea to never reexamine what we think, but it certainly is a warning for us that we never move away from the apostolic message. So, are we truly devoted to the apostles’ teaching? Both in the content and delivery of the apostles’ teaching, will we be happy to see the One who is coming to judge the living and the dead? Is the gospel presented faithfully, clearly, and regularly? Does the teaching we present accurately match what the Bible teaches? Do we present this teaching in a well-communicated fashion which is the result of careful, prayerful preparation? “Devoted to the apostles’ teaching”—let it be as true of us today as it was of the believers in Acts 2.
UPLOOK | APR 2012 13
devoted to worship
lord’s
The O
supper
n the night before He went to the cross, the Lord invited His disciples to join Him in celebrating the Passover feast. He had arranged all the details for this memorable evening in the privacy of a borrowed room, aglow with warm lamplight. At the very outset of the meal, the Lord revealed the yearning of His heart to share this Passover with them before He suffered (Lk. 22:15). But unknown to the disciples at the time, this was a farewell meal in which Christ looked forward to his death and its saving consequences. “Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He should depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end” (Jn. 13:1).
Celebrating the Passover was a reminder that God had promised the Israelites that when the destroying angel came down in judgment on the unbelieving Egyptians, He would pass (hover) over every household that had applied the blood to the entrance of their home, sparing those households. Now, the truly perfect Lamb of God was about to
14 UPLOOK | APR
2012
by MIKE KELLY
be sacrificed for them, demonstrating a measure of love that men had never known. This was the ultimate Passover to which the shadow of all other Passover feasts, offerings, and detailed instructions pointed.
our thoughts are directed by the Spirit of God to glorify the Son by declaring His beauties through prayer, the reading of Scriptures, and the singing of hymns. The feast is a fresh salvation message each week!
A New Reminder
The meal was, and continues to be, a collective gathering around two simple emblems. By eating the bread and drinking the cup, believers are expressing our faith in all that those items signify: His body, in which He came to earth and accomplished all of His Father’s will, and His blood which was shed for us. Everything about the Lord’s supper—its significance, its pictures, its content—reminds us that the prophecies of the suffering Servant of Yahweh who poured out His soul to death and bore the sin of many (see Isa. 53) were completely fulfilled in the Lord Jesus. This is the basis of the new covenant prophesied by Jeremiah. Only through the sacrifice of Christ could the Lord cleanse men from their sin and bestow forgiveness and deliverance from the power of sin.
This was the setting in which the Lord instituted a new feast. Paul would call it “the Lord’s supper” (1 Cor. 11:20); Luke called it “the breaking of bread” (Acts 2:42). Just as the Passover before it had pointed Israel to the death of the Passover lamb (and, ultimately, to the death of the true Passover Lamb), so, too, the Lord’s Supper points us to the death of the Lord Jesus. The function of the Lord’s supper is to proclaim, or declare, the death of the Lord until He returns (1 Cor. 11:26). The passover meal points to Christ and speaks of His death in simple terms, a constant reminder to us of God’s willingness to forgive and to receive ruined man. The emphasis is entirely on the Lord and what He has done for us. As a local gathering of believers meets to remember Him,
But though the focus of the supper is on the death of Christ, we commune
The wine how rich the bread how sweet
with the Risen Lord. He is the Host who presides over the meeting. The knowledge and sense of His presence make the meeting precious.
Preparation With such a profoundly important meeting, it is vital that we come prepared in heart. Coming unprepared and out of mere habit is really an insult to the seriousness of the meeting. David stated he would not offer burnt offerings to the Lord with that which had cost him nothing (2 Sam. 24:24). How do we prepare? To begin with, Paul states that we are to examine ourselves (1 Cor. 11:28-32). This includes our relationship with the Lord, ensuring that we keep short accounts by confessing any known sin. It also includes our relationship with others. All efforts should be made to settle disputes or conflicts with other believers (Mt. 5:23-24). Failure to follow this instruction can lead to judgment such as weakness, sickness, and even death (1 Cor. 11:30).
women at worship It is sometimes suggested that men who speak audibly at the Lord's supper are "exercising their priesthood." However, all saints, men and women, function as priests before God. Every believer is welcome inside the veil, and is expected to bring offerings of worship to the Lord. The Lord is not listening to our voices but to our hearts. Healthy silence is appropriate at times, not because the men are not spiritually exercised, but because the Holy Spirit is
But beyond that, it is crucial to realize that we can’t prepare merely Sunday morning. We can only truly be ready to remember Him if we have spent the week feeding on His Word, enjoying His presence in prayer, and experiencing His hand in our lives—moment by moment—through witnessing, trials, struggles, and victories (Col. 3:16-17). If we don’t walk with Him day by day, we will not be able to properly worship Him on Sunday. Having come to know the glorious Passover Lamb ourselves, we are to show our gratitude by living lives that are pleasing to Him. As we gather together with hearts filled with love and devotion for Him, we commune with Him, and He faithfully continues to sustain, protect, and transform us by His Spirit into His own image.
opens his mouth to speak at this blessed meeting, he should consider whether what he is about to say is in keeping with our Lord’s request. There are valid times and places to talk about ourselves, the needs of others, the work of the assembly, and so on. But the Lord’s supper is a time to briefly put those thoughts aside and simply remember Him. As we do so, we can’t help but be taken up in worship. A. W. Tozer defined worship as: “a humbling but delightful sense of admiring awe and astonished wonder… It is delightful to worship God but it is also a humbling thing; and the man who has not been humbled in the presence of God will never be a worshiper of God at all. There’s an awesomeness about God which is missing in our day altogether; there’s little sense of admiring awe in
The believer’s communion with the Lord is a continuous, daily experience, but there are high points in the relationship, special moments of intimacy, and one of these is gathering for the Lord’s supper. Our attitude towards that meeting and our behavior in it say a lot about the health and state of our local church.
Remember Me The Lord’s simple request is that we celebrate the Lord’s supper in remembrance of Him (1 Cor. 11:24f ). As we gather together to break bread, it is a privilege to take that little while to stop thinking about ourselves, our concerns, and this world, and, instead think simply of Him. To this end, before a man ever
the church of Christ these days…That we are to feel something in our heart that we didn’t have before we were converted; that we’re going to express it in some way and it’s going to be a humbling but a most enjoyable sense of admiring awe and astonished wonder and overpowering love in the Presence of that most ancient Mystery.”1
True worshipers worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such to worship Him (Jn. 4:23).
Endnote 1 A.W. Tozer, Worship: The Missing Jewel (Christian Publications, 1996), pp. 8-9.
providing opportunity for sisters (and others) to praise the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
UPLOOK | APR 2012 15
inside the veil
Devoted to by Bruce Lemmen
PrayeR
I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty…I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
1 Timothy 2:1-2, 8
P
erhaps you’ve heard the familiar quotation, “The family that prays together, stays together.” While there is no biblical statement along this line, we have both scriptural direction and example as to the importance of prayer in the assembly. In the Acts of the Apostles, we read, “These all continued with one accord in prayer” (1:14). At the birthday of the church, they were “all with one accord in one place” (2:1). After the first addition to the church of about 3,000, we read, “They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and to breaking of bread, and to prayer” (2:42). With the first hint of persecution, the apostles returned to “their own company” and reported what
16 UPLOOK | APR
2012
threats hung over their heads, and the church “lifted up their voice to God with one accord” (4:24). It could hardly be questioned that the beginnings of the church were accompanied by much fellowship in prayer. Their united and earnest communion with the glorified Lord was a continual source of comfort and power. “When they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the Word of God with boldness” (4:31). When Peter was imprisoned, Luke records that “prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him” (12:5). Many have assumed that the believers were praying for his deliverance, and by their response to his unexpected appearance at the door showed that they really didn’t believe that their prayers would be answered. Actually, it is very unlikely that what they had in mind as God’s will was his deliverance, and, therefore, were probably praying that, as James had been faithful to the end, so Peter would not eventually deny his Lord, as he had before. But God granted far above what they could ask or think.
Thus the church was born steeped in prayer—united, urgent, believing, effectual prayer. They met together. There is certainly adequate scriptural warrant for the assembly meeting together in one place at regular intervals for united, fervent prayer. Later in the history of the early church, Paul wrote to his son in the faith, whom he had left to shepherd the assembly at Ephesus, to instruct him in how to order the affairs there until Paul himself could return. In the first chapter (1 Tim. 1), there is warning against false teaching and an account of Paul’s own calling. Then Paul launches into the first order of business: “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made” (2:1). Paul is saying to Timothy that the first and most urgent order of business in the assembly is the matter of prayer. Qualifications of elders and deacons, matters of discipline, aspects of spiritual teaching, and practical ministry, such as to the widows, come after. But first of all, there should be the matter of prayer.
“ There is no power like that of prevailing prayer, of Abraham pleading for Sodom, of Moses standing in the breach, of Elijah doing battle at Carmel, or of David heartbroken with remorse. Such prayer prevails. It turns ordinary mortals into men of power. It brings fire. It brings rain. It brings life. It brings God.” Samuel Chadwick
It is not a suggestion; he does not even beseech; he says, “I exhort.” In the assembly, prayer is the first thing on the agenda. It is not just the first item—sort of an invocation or tipping your hat to God—it’s a good way to conclude the meeting, too. However, Paul exhorts us first of all to make supplications. This is a form of prayer that involves earnest request from a real sense of need. Here is where the assembly activity starts, and this is the way it should be carried on. He goes on to mention “prayers,” that is to say, petitions or asking; “ intercessions,” which is praying for the needs of others; and “thanksgiving,” the heartfelt expressing of appreciation for who God is and what He has done. These are not necessarily all that should make up assembly prayer, but they touch much of what should be involved in our corporate prayer life.
After a slight digression, Paul returns to his topic: “I will therefore that men pray” (v. 8). It is the primary responsibility of the men to lead the assembly in prayer. Note that Paul does not say that just the elders or deacons should lead in prayer—it is men, all the men. Paul mentions women who pray (1 Cor. 11:5), and how we thank the Lord for the fervent, faithful prayers of the sisters! But in the assembly, it is the duty of the men to lead in prayer, acting as representatives (image, eikon, v. 7) before God. Praying out loud and on behalf of the church is work, and the men should take up the labor. And there should be no shirking, letting someone else bear the burden. When we come to prayer meeting, we should come prepared to shoulder the load. To come to prayer meeting and not be prepared to lead in prayer is to punch the time clock with no intention of going to work.
Bible helps in prayer We sometimes hear brothers say in prayer, “We just don't have the words…” It is true that God's gift is indescribable, but it should be noted that the Bible is full of words—God-given words, accurate words, rich words, thrilling, descriptive words—provided by the Holy Spirit through the inspired prayers of the people of God through the ages. Surely these prayers are recorded so we may incorporate them into our own prayers, not as empty repetitions, but to “help our infirmity.” See Hannah's magnificent prayer in 1 Samuel 2, where she is the first one recorded in history to speak of Jehovah Sabaoth, and the first to use the term “Messiah” (Anointed). Then see how Mary, in her Magnificat, borrows and elevates the language of Hannah's prayers, making them her own (Lk. 1:46-54). The apostle Paul has left on record about 15 model prayers for the church. We know they exactly match the will of God and therefore will be answered in His own time and way. If we feel “we don't
Paul says, “I will therefore that men pray everywhere.” The old Jews thought that the temple or the synagogue was the only fit place to pray. Whenever and wherever the Christians gather, the men should pray. When there is a visitation, a Bible study, or a work day, men should pray. When there is a conference, a missionary meeting, or a planning session, men should pray. “Lifting up holy hands” demonstrates lives that are pure and undefiled in the daily tasks. “Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord?…He that hath clean hands and a pure heart” (Ps. 24:3-4). “Without wrath” tells us that there is no place in assembly prayer to call on God to strike down, judge, or correct men with whom we have a quarrel or who wrong us. Love should motivate our prayers, as all our other thoughts and actions. Men should pray without “doubting.” James tells us about the “prayer of faith” (Jas. 5:15). He also says, “Let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.” To those that do have doubts as to God's faithfulness and willingness to help, he says, “Let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord” (Jas. 1:7). The early church was devoted to prayer (Acts 2:42; Rom. 12:12; etc.). This is clearly modeled in the book of Acts and explained in the epistles. May this commitment to biblical assembly prayer be the pattern of our churches today.
have the words” to pray as we ought, perhaps making these mighty prayers our own, and praying them back to the God who inspired them will lead us into richer fields of blessing. See, for example, Paul’s seven maximum requests for the saints in Colossians 1:9-12. Now that's praying! —J.B.N.
UPLOOK | APR 2012 17
www.whyweweb.com
PRICES: (After MARCH 31) Attendee: $40 / Spouse: $30 Teen (19 & under): $15
The INTERNET is everywhere and as Christians we have both responsibilities and opportunities that never existed before. This one day conference will focus on various topics related to the internet and the Christian life. We will discuss how to use the internet effectively and responsibly. Bring your laptops, tablets and smart phones to get the full impact.
KEYNOTE & ELECTIVE TOPICS: > Living in Exciting Times > The Internet, Personal Life Online > Safety First: What You Should Know > Using Social Media For the Lord > Help! I'm A Digital Refugee > Enhance Your Ministry the Web Way > Join the Media Craze > Study the Bible Like Never Before > Connect with the Digital Generation > The Power of the Internet in Missions > Catch the Blogging Bug > Presentations with Pizzaz
SPEAKERS: > Paul Bramsen > Jesse Gentile > Sherri Jason > Keith Keyser > Crawford Paul > Robert Sullivan > Steve Sanchez > Scott Thomson
OPTION: STAY FOR DINNER
PLUS 4 BREAKOUT SESSIONS IN THE EVENING (+$10/PERSON).
York, Pennsylvania is an excellent place to visit. Links to nearby attractions at: www.whyweweb.com
why we web tech tech talk talk with withaspiritual spiritual goals focus
<What Title does a free web site cost you?>
T Y
he ou202-pageaaI would thinkberro the answer maximpoto this question rum ea coreribusae is simple: Nothing, nonsequ right? iducillit I hear this ligenim all the quos time, molupti “We have ustibus theconse website the volupta way quamus it is because reptate it doesn’t labor atem cost us sint. anything.” Am assequoWhat bearunt theyiatibus are really et lam saying rate is esthat delento theyblat don’t pelhave iumto eapay num any rempormoney to estihave cus the moswebsite a enias active remoluptis on the est, web. qui There cum reria are many dolorefree voluptur website remporeptas systems, some quambetter sam ario than eatae others. idel The evelibus, problem omis mod that, et most et od of ut the ratitime, quundit a free officium website idit doesn’t accus repratur come without aut volorum a cost.endio. Sure itBus may not dolupti costuressum anythingelestibus, financially, offic but toreri there might dolupta be aque far worse non nulpa priceesent to pay quo foriducia “free” endit, simolum website. eos ducim con esequia con It non has always cuptaquam, amazed voloressit, me that people officit et think eos abor nothing mi, andit of spending modis assuntium hundredsestis of dollars sus, eos(or dendenihil more) every imilyear modipsa on phone ntorbook estio blaborem listings, newspaper sed endist,ads, sedand eturem even billboards, ipsunt voluptas and yet inum they volo think occust thatunt paying quisaese small eum feequatese for a website porumquo is tooeaqui much. Considering cus explique that plamthe voloreicil majority is of esectatum people research apitate precepe online,repudiorit, this way ofsequid thinking mi, doesn’t cuptatusmake molectiatquo sense. Here dolupta are some vel etconaut siderations aut faccatur,when secaepta choosing veles whether est, saped or not quiaeptinum to use a free sitas website quidussystem. mincture dia cuptatae 1. The cost possi of officiderum a poor design.ullabo. Many Ut free website dolupta systems que non donulpa not offer esent up-to-date, quo iducivisually endit, simolum appealing eoswebsite ducim con designs. esequia The cost con non of having cuptaquam, a free design voloressit, that’sofficit “good et enough” eos abor mi, might andit be modis turningassuntium people away. estis If sus, your eossite dendenihil isn’t appealing, imil modipsa peoplentorwon’t stay estiotoblaborem read it. sed endist, sed eturem ipsunt 2. Thevoluptas cost of cheaper inum volo technology. occust unt Free or quis cheap ese eum web quatese hosting can porumquo be very eaqui flaky. Sometimes cus expliquethe plam website voloreicil is up and is esectatum sometimes apitateit’s precepe down. This repudiorit, is problematic sequid mi, because cuptatusyou molectiatquo don’t knowdolupta when someone vel et autis
visiting your website. should up and aut faccatur, secaeptaItveles est,be saped running 24/7.sitas This quidus is especially true if you quiaeptinum mincture dia have a gospel Your ullabo. site might cuptatae possiwebsite. officiderum Ut be reaching over thenulpa world, andquo it’s impordoluptaallque non esent iducitant that it’s accessible all the time. endit, simolum eos ducim con esequia 3. non The cuptaquam, cost of difficult updating.officit It’s been con voloressit, et my that manyassuntium people who eos experience abor mi, andit modis estis opt free system eventually sus, for eosadendenihil imil modipsa stop ntorkeeping it up-to-date because updating estio blaborem sed endist, sed eturem the website is too difficult. And so ipsunt voluptas inum volo occust untthe website goes quatese for months or yearseaqui with quis ese eum porumquo no cusupdates. explique plam voloreicil is esecta4. The costprecepe of time. In many cases, tum apitate repudiorit, sequid believers spend countless hours mi, cuptatus molequo quatus simtrying alitati to set up and maintain website. Often accae nonsequ assequaea niti sit, officaethis jobqui fallsdeniet into the of someone who pudam estelap rehendu saepero has little knowledge of developquovery modic tempore periatus etur adis ing websites. The frustration that goes rerchil id qariorrovitam aut maio. Ximusae idellan along with turionet it can beestem a reason eseque why necta many nobitup. veliquo volupti onserspedio give By spending a few dollarsconsed on a quasi quunt, sitatur sit use, evenihi website that is easy to youlluptatur can free amtime nosapic idescimi, am non con pliquat up to devote to other ministries iniende bitaes ut laboreicius aut provid and efforts. unto 5. The dellorepudi cost of going rerum it alone. ne autemol Many free uptatur ressund systems do not provide electemmuch, landania if anyilligni endebit thing inisthe platibus way ofetsupport aditemwhen et molupit things hilla vero teQuestions sequaspedis unt. unango wrong. remain Edis sollores autem. Otasi omnit swered, and, once again, theut website eost etur adbecomes mostrumout-of-date. et is ex ex estrum suffers and rectis I’m ium oftenfuga. asked, Nam “How dolupturite much does venihil a luptiur? cost?” There is usually a setup website fee, Edsoquam plan quo to budget voluptur $500-1000 atem restoet volore get thepreriss site going itaqui (more cumifautem you want comniet a as eum estorporiam, custom design). Afterod that, etureium you should est doluptatur expect to pay sit anywhere vel ius. from $20-$50 perEhendae month on porum yourint, website, alibusdepending pere nihil ilitata on thetibusa level of nat functionality ati ditatur, iumquiat needed.
arum dolupta eperchil illuptae volor re sed ut et, qui dem aut etur, nem lam, optate eiuntur? Quia que porerae ipidesti reprovid exceper spedia pro berum quiae nus et earum nulpa corporererum autae vel ium faccumet enderna tistotas moditam aut landiae perferibus aut que nam re eaquiam dolorempore voluptur, id quas sam volorro molorehentis quas magnia quia sunt volutem aliasperibus et alit faccatus, vitecto nus Disclaimer: Theredelluptum are peoplere within eum fugiam essitis sequiate voluptam many local churches who know how to vellupta quo vel is dionsequas asitmake offic program websites, and they can temque volorum, arum these free systemssumque work tosam their advanraecusThis quibus senia quibus tage. article is ipienihicit not for those skilled doluptas sit,but quifor nam sin eicae developers those who ipiciae don’t have pelestem volorempor atur, nimet, quae the necessary expertise within their parchil itibusc iduntis in estorest, si local church. adipsum, vent volo sequi apiciatur If you would like et to vit, know about more maximaximped estis rem qui quae qui options for setting upne and maintaining a occulpa volorpore dicilig molore website, please contact usendant at mySonlight id quo tet aut qui corunt renit, si would dolor(info@mysonlight.com) and we rum c ipsaper sperspe llupit be happy to explain them to qui you.sumque nullorio volor aspel—Crawford es ne volupta tiusam Paul arum, quidebit aliaspe roribernam, esti rehent vel suggestions molorro et eaque mo quis unThese for getting tio. started Nam quionline nit odiscip itiant prae lant have been compiled by our friends at mySonlight. If you need additional assistance, please contact them about their services.
Easy tools for your ministry.
www.mysonlight.com
UPLOOK UPLOOK || MAR APR 2012 19
just like Jesus
Devotion
by Gary mcbride
to every good work
F
or most of us, the word addiction has negative connotations. It brings to mind the excessive use of drugs or alcohol, or some type of anti-social behavior. But a family mentioned in the New Testament, the household of Stephanus, was addicted (1 Cor. 16:15-16). The KJV says that they were addicted to good works, while the NKJV says that they devoted themselves to the ministry of the saints. What a wonderful addiction! All other addictions put self first, but this addiction is all about other people. The issue of good works is given a high priority in the New Testament, likely more than is realized by most believers. Although good works have no place in salvation, they have every place in service. Salvation is of the Lord and was done for us; good works are for the Lord and must be done by us. Good works do not precede salvation but are the product of salvation. Who should engage in good works? The answer is related to the purchase price and those who were redeemed. When the Lord Jesus died, He paid the price to “redeem us from every lawless deed” and to “purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works” (Titus 2:14). They are peculiar in the
20 UPLOOK | APR
2012
sense that they are different from the people of the world. One of the hallmarks of this difference is to have zeal, a strong desire to do good works. In Ephesians 2:1-10, Paul outlines the progression from dead works in verse 1 to good works in verse 10—from walking according to the course of this world to walking in good works, that is, to order our life in the sphere of good works. Our lives were once under the control of “the prince of the power of the air” but are now made alive to do the will of God. It is God’s predetermined will that the direction of our Christian lives should be in the sphere of good works. This is the outworking of God’s purposes in the believer’s life. Paul prays for the Colossians not only as individuals but also as a group in Colossians 1:9-11. His prayer is that they may “walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him.” Then he adds these words: “being fruitful in every good work.” The requests flow together in the sense that it would be impossible to walk worthy and to please the Lord without being involved in good works. Paul says that it is a matter of fruitfulness. In John 15:16, the Lord Jesus says that believers are appointed to bear fruit.
Why should believers engage in good works? The subject of good works is a priority in the New Testament. In the Gospels and in the book of Acts, the emphasis is by example; but in the Epistles, it is by exhortation. The Lord Jesus is specifically said to be an example to us in two areas: • In His suffering (1 Pet. 2:21) • In His service (Jn. 13). The Lord puts a priority on service and tells us that this is one of the defining signs of discipleship. In Acts, the early church was characterized by a number of activities, one of which was meeting needs. When the Greeks complained about the widows in Acts 6, the apostles made decisions and resolved problems with a practical commitment to good works. Paul’s letter to Titus has an emphasis on good works, perhaps because of the national culture and background of these believers. In quoting from one of their own poets, Paul calls them “lazy gluttons.” Part of their transformed life would be the testimony of good works—faith in action as opposed to inaction. Titus was to remind
they couldn’t help themselves from helping
these believers of the importance of good works and to exhort them to have a mind-set that was ready to do good deeds for the sake of others. Titus was also to constantly affirm that all believers should engage in good works as part of their lifestyle. Ultimately, good works are done for the glory of God. The Lord Jesus said that our testimony, letting our light shine, is tied to good works. As believers do good things for others, people will take note and glorify our Father in heaven (Mt. 5:16). All that a believer does is to be done to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31), as all service is to be for the Lord because believers serve the Lord Christ (Col. 3:23-24). It is worthwhile to abound in good works, for the assurance is given that our labor will not be in vain (1 Cor. 15:58). What are the believer’s good works? The issue of good works must not be left in the realm of exposition and exhortation but must be translated into experience. One must not merely hear the Word but must also be a doer of it. It is not just a matter of the head and heart but it should also touch the hand. Paul told Titus to teach the saints to maintain or continue in good works “to meet urgent needs” (Titus 3:14). In Ephesians 4:28, Paul encourages honesty and hard work so that wages might be used to minister in a practical way to those in need. To the Galatians, he says, “Let us not grow weary in doing good…therefore as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, espe-
cially to those who are of the household of faith” (Gal. 6:9-10). Good works by their very nature must be done to and for others. That presupposes that there is a heart of care and concern for people and a desire to meet needs and so bring glory to God. Paul told the Philippians that he loved them with the affection of Christ (Php. 1:8). To the Thessalonians, he said, “so affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us” (1 Thess. 2:8). To put others first is to have the mind or attitude of Christ. There are a number of “one another” statements in the New Testament that give practical examples of what can be done for others. There will always be needy saints—you will always have the poor with you. Christians are called upon to meet the practical needs of
“Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another.” Rom. 12:10 “Through love serve one another.” Gal. 5:13 “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Gal. 6:2 “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.” Eph. 4:32 “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works.” Heb. 10:24 “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” Jas. 5:16
other saints (Rom. 12:13). This could be in the form of money, food, clothing, or lending a hand. Hospitality is commanded but has perhaps become the forgotten command in the Western world. The Word of God directs us to open our homes and invite people in for fellowship and, perhaps, food. A number of times in the New Testament, believers are exhorted to be hospitable. It is an activity that is to characterize elders and also widows who qualify for support from the assembly (1 Tim. 3:2; 5:10). The commands to be kind, be tenderhearted, give preference to, and show brotherly love, must be made visible in order to be obeyed. There must be a practical investment of energy and effort poured into the lives of others. Christianity cannot be lived or seen in isolation. It is a lifestyle that must be involved in the lives of others. It is impossible to be a servant without actually serving; and, since believers are not to be self-serving, this life must be exhibited in good works. The life of the Lord Jesus was all about others. He stated that He did not “come to be served but to serve” (Mk. 10:45). A servant is not greater than his Master! The Christ-like life is one of service done to others; by definition, it is a life of good works. “Others, Lord, yes others! Let this my motto be: Help me to live for others, That I might live for Thee.” —Charles D. Meigs
UPLOOK | APR 2012 21
God says, “I remember”
The devotion “Go and proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord, “I remember concerning you the devotion of your youth, The love of your betrothals, Your following after Me in the wilderness, Through a land not sown. Israel was holy to the Lord, The first of His harvest. All who ate of it became guilty; Evil came upon them,” declares the Lord.’” Jeremiah 2:1-3
O
n occasion, we read something in the Bible which is so amazing that if it were not written in the very Word of God, we would not believe it. In Jeremiah 2:2, we see God recalling the early days of Israel’s love for Himself as we read, “I remember the devotion of your youth.” What is most amazing about this passage is that the word translated “devotion” is the Hebrew word hesed, which is usually translated as “lovingkindness” and directed from God towards men or between men. When directed towards God, it has the sense of strong and intense devotion. Indeed, only six of the 239 occurrences of this word are unambiguously directed towards the Lord (2 Chron. 32:32; 35:26; Hos. 4:1; 6:4 and Neh. 13:14 towards the temple). It is amazing to
22 UPLOOK | APR
2012
think that mere humans can have such lovingkindness towards God, but this is what we find in the Old Testament. We do not live in Old Testament Israel, but there are two main applications for us today. First, we should consider the devotion which the church has to God. In considering this crucial subject, we must recognize that the church does not replace Israel in God’s great plans. However, we can draw some parallels between the people of God in the Old Testament and the people of God in the New Testament. For our second application, we need to assess the devotion of young believers to God. devoted CHURCHES The devotion of the universal church ref lects the devotion of each local church, so it may be most helpful to consider the devotion of local churches. A local church typically starts when a group of believers are convicted of their need to gather together to remember the Lord and to support each other in the Christian life. It typically begins with a rush of enthusiasm and joy. Not only is something new being created (and I don’t mean a new building), but there is a special sense of closeness to the Lord. In that all the believers have this closeness to the Lord, unity is visible.
But as time goes by, this sense of youthful devotion can be lost. The reality that the local church is made of fallen (but redeemed) individuals weighs heavily. Some ministries of the church are hard to maintain, while others are difficult to end. The local church may become larger, but not everyone shares that initial sense of devotion. A church can fall prey to the “What programs are you offering?” mentality of consumerism, resulting in terrible weakness. Indeed it is possible for a church to limp along for many years in such a state. This church is like the one in Ephesus, which is described as having lost its first love (Rev. 2:4). It is left with a decision: repent and return to its initial devotion or give up on being recognized as a church by God (Rev. 2:5). This is a serious and sober matter, and yet it is also one that should give us encouragement. The downward slide is not inevitable. The Head of the church wants great spiritual revival to break out in the local church, initiated by widespread repentance. Perhaps some of us have seen this firsthand in a church that is dying, unenthusiastic and apathetic, going through the motions, only to find a great move of the Holy Spirit breaking out among them. No local church is perfect, but
of our
YOUTH b y s h awn a b igail
if we could recall our youthful devotion, repent, and seek the Lord in prayer, we would see this happening in local church after local church. devoted YOUTH But for our second application, we need to consider the case of young believers in their devotion for God. The Christian life starts with a blaze of devotion, newness, joy, and enthusiasm, much like the start of a new local church. But, also like a new local church, over time, that devotion can wane. Perhaps we have settled into a comfortable pattern. Or maybe the cares of life are pressing upon us. Or it could even be that our affections are cooling and we have made compromises with the world. In any case, we do not have the same devotion to God that we once had. We’re not exactly backslidden, but something is definitely wrong. Believers are eternally secure, so we cannot lose our salvation. But we can settle into a pattern of life that is joyless for us and useless to the Lord (except as a warning to others). Thankfully, the prescription for the individual believer is the same as that for local churches: repent and do the things we did at first. Note that the first step is to repent. In other words, we need to have a change of heart. It is not sufficient to start with the “do the things we did at
first” part. Our problem is not primarily about doing; our problem is one of the heart and mind and volition, not a problem with the hands. Repent first, and then show the fruit of repentance by doing the things you did at first. But we would be remiss if we didn’t spend some time considering the spiritual disciplines which will serve young people well and prevent them from becoming apathetic as the years go by. Rather than reviewing the specifics of prayer, Bible reading, attending meetings, and sharing our faith, let’s address a misunderstanding that some young people might be laboring under. When we look at Lamentations 3:27, we read, “It is good for a man that he should bear the yoke in his youth.” When I was a university student, I thought I was very busy and couldn’t wait to graduate so that I would have more time and energy to serve the Lord. But when I graduated and found a job, I discovered I was even busier than before, and I looked forward to being married. I thought that as a married man I would have more time for serving the Lord, with the two of us taking care of household tasks. But of course it didn’t work out that way, and so I found myself even busier. And then children came along. Then my secular employment became more demanding. And by this time I was of an age where
I was expected to take on more responsibility in the church. At every point in life I thought I was busy, but as life has gone on, I have only become more and more busy. And so it really is true that it is good for a man that he should bear the yoke in his youth. When you are thirty or forty or fifty years of age, you will not have time to study the Bible from first principles. You will need to draw on the well of material that you studied when you were in your teens and twenties. If that well is deep, you will be able to make the most of your service in later years. The devotion of your youth will serve as a foundation for the service of your middle and later years. The day will come when your local church will need you to take on some task, but that is not the time to start preparing yourself. The time is now, to bear the yoke in your youth, to demonstrate the devotion of your youth. This is something that is pleasing to the Lord and will be satisfying to the spiritually-minded Christian young person.
UPLOOK | APR 2012 23
evidences a reasonable faith
The Water Cycle
W
hat a strange winter this has been! The winter of 2011-2012 will go down as one of the most unpredictable in years. In the American Northeast, we had a major snowstorm a couple of days before Halloween. Around six inches fell in New York, New Jersey, and parts of Pennsylvania. Close to a foot fell in Connecticut and Massachusetts. Even more snow blanketed areas farther north.1 Though there was still another seven weeks of autumn left, many expected that this was a pre-cursor to a rough winter. Well, with spring in sight, I can say that this has been the mildest winter I have ever experienced. New York has had only two snowfalls since then—both of which were little more than dustings. And the temperature barely dropped below 32 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the whole season. Of course, if you are reading this in the American or Canadian Northwest, you’ve probably never seen as much snow as you have this year. The town of Cordova, about 150 miles east of Anchorage, Alaska, received about 18 feet of snow during one stretch in early January.2 Eastern Europe has experienced a cold-spell drubbing not felt in our lifetimes.3
24 UPLOOK | APR
2012
All of this has added to the usual round of mocking that the poor meteorologists are subjected to this time of year. The fact is, however, that meteorology has become a sophisticated science, and the field saves many lives each year. In April of 2011, we saw the greatest outbreak of tornado activity in recorded history.4 From April 25 through April 28, 343 tornados were confirmed by the National Weather Service. 5 Twenty-one states across the Union and one province in Canada were struck. 321 people lost their lives. Yet, as terrible as that number is, far more might have been lost. The National Weather Service was able to issue tornado warnings at least 20 minutes ahead of time for 90% of the tornados.6 There is no doubt this reduced the loss of life. It has been only in relatively recent times that mankind has begun to understand how weather patterns work. The science of weather is a lot younger than some peer fields in the earth sciences. Central
to meteorology is the water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle. This cycle is based on the premise that the oceans and lakes are ultimately the source of the precipitation we see in the world, whether it is in the form of rain, snow, hail, or sleet. In short, oceanic (and lake) evaporation is the source of the world’s precipitation. One of the earliest to theorize this was a Roman architect and engineer by the name of Marcus Vitruvius who lived in the first century BC. Leonardo da Vinci came to the same conclusion 1,500 years later. Proof however wouldn’t come until the pioneers of modern hydrology came on the scene in the persons of Pierre Perrault (16081680), Edme Mariotte (1620-1684), and Edmund Halley (1656-1742).7 “By measuring rainfall, runoff, and drainage area, Perrault showed that rainfall was sufficient to account for the flow of the Seine. Mariotte combined velocity and river cross-section measurements to obtain discharge, again in the Seine. Halley showed that evaporation from the Mediterranean Sea was sufficient to account for the outflow of rivers flowing into the sea.”8
He draws up water… and pours it down…
It wasn’t until the seventeenth century that modern science proved oceanic evaporation to be the source of the world’s precipitation—which is absolutely profound. Now I find this of particular interest: over 2,650 years earlier, King Solomon wrote: “All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; to the place from which the rivers come, there they return again” (Eccl. 1:7). Imagine that! The water cycle was in the Bible all along! Solomon, moved by the Holy Spirit, wrote that the place the rivers return to (namely, the oceans and seas) is ultimately the source of those very rivers. It’s just what Perrault, Mariotte, and Halley found so many centuries later. The prophet Amos records a very similar thought in approximately 750 BC: “The Lord’s home reaches up to the heavens, while its foundation is on the earth. He draws up water from the oceans and pours it down as rain on the land. The Lord is His name!” (Amos 9:6, NLT) The Bible is a supernaturally engineered book whose Author transcends our time-space-matter universe. He is the One who created the universe and set its laws in motion. This includes the earth and its associated water cycle. Thus, He could casually mention these details in passing, centuries before any of His creatures figured it out. Yet more evidence showing the Bible is the Word of God! – Robert Sullivan
endnotes
Photo / Graphic sources:
1 http://wxch.nl/Oct2011Storm
http://istockpho.to/water-cycle-illustration
2 http://bit.ly/digging-out-alaska-storm
http://bit.ly/pumpkin-snow-hat
3 http://bit.ly/thousands-trapped-snow
http://bit.ly/corova-driveway-snow
4 http://bit.ly/april25-28_2011-tornado
http://bit.ly/tornadoes-in-alabama
5 http://1.usa.gov/zv7fbo
http://on.doi.gov/xTF3dl
6 http://wxbrad.com/?p=1107 (source NOAA) 7 http://bit.ly/new-world-encycl-hydrology 8 http://bit.ly/new-world-encycl-hydrology
If you would like to learn more on this topic, please visit the Christian Evidences website at www.christianevidences.org Christian Evidences also has a Facebook page: www.facebook.com/christianevidences
UPLOOK | APR 2012 25
He is enough
The Simplicity that is in Christ
Mark Kolchin
“But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 11:3
O
ne of the outstanding aspects of the gospel is its simplicity. To understand that salvation is simply a matter of acknowledging our need of Christ and looking to Him through faith alone to remove the penalty of sin and to make us citizens of Heaven is nothing short of amazing. Well can we sing the words of that enduring hymn, “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me!” Indeed it is amazing grace, and the heart that is fully occupied with the Lord Jesus and His gracious work toward us will never tire of singing those glorious strains. How grateful we are for our salvation and what a debt we owe! His love has been shed abroad in our hearts so that it can be shed abroad from our hearts. It fills us with praise and adoration, making us instant in season to proclaim the gospel to all around so that they too can enter into the same love and appreciation for the Savior.
26 UPLOOK | APR
2012
We do not rely on our own wisdom or elaborate explanation to win people to Christ, but strive to be like Paul who confessed to the Corinthians: “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God" (1 Cor. 2:1). False teachers had attempted to corrupt their thinking; we should be on guard lest our thinking (and preaching) is also corrupted through reliance on our own wisdom and strength. The gospel does not need to be propped up, nor does it need to rely on our powers of persuasion or cleverly-packaged programming, but rather on the plain, unadulterated Word of God. We should preach with this in mind and leave the results with God. The apostles and other servants of the Lord did so; we should do the same. When the Apostle Paul traveled to Athens and stood on Mars Hill before an antagonistic crowd (Acts 17), he unabashedly presented the Person of the Christ and the exclusivity of the gospel as the only means of salvation. In the midst of rampant idolatry, he boldly proclaimed, “Him declare I unto you” (v. 23). It was a simple message that stood
in contrast to the various religious and philosophical sophistries that resided atop the Areopagus and nearby vicinity. He did not map out a “seekersensitive” strategy before he preached but instead, swung the gospel hammer (Jer. 23:29) and broke through stony hearts to the glory of God. Certainly we can do the same. Not only is it important to emphasize the simplicity of the Gospel in our preaching, but we should stress it in our worship as well. We should be like that leper in Luke 17 who being healed of his dread disease, rushed back to thank the Lord for the miraculous work that God had done in his life. We too have been healed of a dread disease—sin. We should return to give Him thanks regularly. The early disciples worshiped together on a weekly basis (Act 20:7) and were occupied with but one thing—the Lord Jesus. Peter and John’s boldness was recognized as a result of being with Jesus (Acts 4:13); when we are taken up with Him and not filling our meetings with other matters, people will also recognize that we too have been with Jesus.
Moses' face was radiant after being in the presence of the Lord (Ex. 34:29) and we will be radiant as we spend time in the Lord’s presence and realize afresh all that He has done for us. Simply put, the worship meeting is not about performing, but rather about prostrating ourselves in the sacrifice of praise. When the OT priests entered the Tabernacle to worship the Lord they saw themselves in the mirrors that made up the base of the brazen altar (Ex. 38:8). When we come to worship, we cannot help but “see” ourselves in the light of gospel truth— what we were and what we are now in Christ. Amazingly, we are what we are now, despite who we were then. Without reservation we can say: “We love Him, because He first loved us.” Not only do we love Him, but we look to Him because He is our Shepherd and we daily need His help and guidance. We also live for Him because we know that there are others who are watching our lives closely and could ask us at any time about the hope that lies within us (1 Pet. 3:15). We love Him and look to Him and live for Him. Therefore it makes perfect sense that our gatherings should emphasize Him and not allow anything to dilute or distract from that emphasis. There is nothing that thrills our souls more than when we set our affections, and focus our attention, on the Lord. We are not like those who are taken up with religious trappings—ceremonies and rituals and traditions of man, but rather we are taken up with Christ. We should be like Simeon of old who, upon entering
the temple where the Lord Jesus was being presented as a little child (Lk. 2:2535), embraced Him and blessed Him, proclaiming, “Mine eyes have seen thy salvation” (Lk. 2:30). Simeon’s actions underscore the truth that salvation and heart-felt worship are not centered in a place or in performance, but in a Person. When I first entered through the doors years ago where a NT assembly gathered to worship the Lord, one of the first things that stood out to me was the simplicity of the meeting. There were no stained-glass windows, no relics, no icons, no special titles, no priestly vestments worn by those who addressed the audience, no candles, and no religious symbols on the wall. In many respects it was a regular looking room. There was a verse on the wall, however, which read: “For God so loved the world that He gave His begotten only Son...” Coming out of an unsaved background and not yet a believer, these words were easy to understand and, in conjunction with the simplicity of the meeting, were actually refreshing and far less intimidating than I had supposed it would be when I first walked through the doors. What also stood out to me was that there were no offerings taken. When I kept looking around trying to figure out who was in charge, I could only guess since all the men seemed quite normal from my vantage point and were dressed in suits, not in flowing robes. When the speaker got up to
address the audience, he spoke in such a clear and simple way that I understood completely what he was saying, even though I knew nothing about the Bible. It was as though he was talking directly to me. As he spoke of Christ, tears trickled down his cheeks, though he remained calm and dignified. His voice did not quiver nor were there any histrionics in his manner. I had never heard nor had I ever seen such a thing in my life, which made quite an impression on me. No one cornered me as I left; on the other hand, they didn't have to, since I was planning to return anyway. Like John Wesley, my heart was also “strangely warmed." One thing was sure; more was “said” by what I saw. That was my first experience with a NT assembly and its simplicity truly made a difference to me. As our world becomes more technologically advanced and we are “wowed” at every turn by new and eye-popping innovations, there will always be subtle pressure on the Church to borrow from its store to make the gospel message more impressive and less offensive, and make the Christian life more palatable to the natural man. But what will speak more powerfully to the world around us will be a changed life as a result of the simplicity that is in Christ. This always needs to be protected. It will be demonstrated by a genuine relationship with the Lord Jesus, adorned not by ecclesiastical traditions, but by a transparent life manifested by simplicity in worship and the plain declaration of God’s Word and His great love for all the world.
UPLOOK | APR 2012 27
Built up together
Devotion to Fellowship by Jack Spender
S
hortly before He went to the cross, the Lord Jesus spent time with His disciples in what has come to be known as the Upper Room Ministry, recorded in John 13-17. Several disciples asked questions of the Lord, but the one that drew forth the longest and most detailed answer focused on a difficult subject for those men. The Lord was going away, and yet, somehow, would meet with them so that the fellowship they had come to love might continue. His answer to them involved two great teachings that have profound significance for our subject. First, in order for the Lord to manifest Himself, His followers must show their love for Him by obeying His commands, and, second, His presence in and among them would become possible through the coming of His Spirit, the Holy Spirit of God. To understand the significance of all this, we must remember that virtually every account of the Lord’s time with His disciples was spent with them as a group. In a few instances, He took a smaller group, but we do not read of Him spending time with each person individually. This is important because when they spoke of seeing Him again after He departed, they had to be think-
28 UPLOOK | APR
2012
ing collectively: a meeting of themselves as a group with Him in the midst. Herein is the essence of fellowship. New Testament fellowship The book of Acts begins with the fulfillment of His promise to come to them! The Holy Spirit was given, and the church was now a reality: a company of individuals called out of the world, gathered together to enjoy His presence and to express their love for Him by doing what He asked. Luke sums up the activities of those early Christians in Acts 2:42. It is interesting that in the final chapter of his earlier book, the gospel of Luke, all four of these activities were present. The Greek word for fellowship, koinonia, refers to something shared in common and always implies the existence of a relationship. To really understand the word, one should not begin with Bible commentaries or present day church social functions, for it is clear in both that many are confused about what fellowship is. Often the impression is given that fellowship is merely a catch-all word for miscellaneous religious social activities. If we study the early chapters of Acts, we will note that the key to fellowship is
centered on the disciples’ coming together around the Lord and then working together in harmony on the mission He had assigned to them. The key word is harmony. Everything depended on relationships, as shown by the expression “with one accord.” Through fellowship, the Holy Spirit worked powerfully to “convict the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment” (Jn. 16:8), with dramatic results. Next, we should observe that the order of the items listed in Acts 2:42 is significant. God speaks first (teaching), and the result must first be in relationships—both to God and among people (fellowship). Once loving unity is a reality, worship can go up to God (the breaking of bread). (Incidentally, the Lord Jesus endorsed this order in Matthew 5:23-24 when He taught that relationships must be restored before worship could be real.) Finally, the church expresses its dependence upon the Head (prayer). Fellowship today In this simple order, not only are the joys of life in Christ found but also the key to evangelism. The disciples would remember the strong connection
between unity and outreach made by our Lord in His great prayer for His own in John 17. Has this truth been adequately grasped by the church today? In my travels, I occasionally come into contact with small, struggling assemblies, often dwindling in numbers. When enquiring of the elders what they believe to be the greatest need to bring hope and new life in their situation, the answer is always the same: “We need more evangelistic outreach into the community.” Now this is a good thing. But I have never once heard anything like this: “If we had a more practical grasp of fellowship, just like in the early chapters of Acts, there would be an attraction to the Lord stemming from the love of His people.” Let me illustrate. Years ago, a small assembly we knew was discussing ways to encourage the work. The suggestion was made to gather some tables into a square downstairs and put chairs around them. When the people came down for coffee after the Breaking of Bread, they were encouraged to sit and share what was going on in their lives: what people they
were working with, needs for prayer, exciting events in the lives of their children, etc. It would be a family time. The idea caught on and worked well. One time when we were visiting, I saw a man I didn’t know enjoying the whole thing. Clearly he had not been at the breaking of bread. Later, I mentioned to the elders that I had not seen him at the Bible hour. The reply was interesting. “Oh no, he doesn’t come to the meetings yet. Somehow he found out about the family time and is starved for fellowship, so he comes just for that.” It was not free coffee and cake he was seeking but someone to care that he existed, someone to listen. I never forgot it. The incident brought to mind a quotation from a small book I had been given many years ago. “We will win the world to Christ when we learn that fellowship is the key to evangelism.” That quote summarizes the early chapters of the book of Acts, and it changed my life and my ministry. Think again of the story of the Lord Jesus meeting the woman at the well in John 4. He did not immediately pronounce her a sinner and preach at her. He began where she was. Her present interest was in water. He spoke about that.
Her longing was to be needed, as she was an outcast. He asked her for a drink. What grace! With this same thought in mind, go back and read again the record of the earliest days of the church. Men were empowered to speak the Word with conviction. When persecuted, the witnesses went immediately back to the gathered church and brought it to the Lord “with one accord” (Acts 4). When problems arose over material things (Acts 5, 6), these were dealt with swiftly and decisively. In both cases, the presence and work of the Holy Spirit are specifically mentioned and critical to the outcome. Fellowship, then, is much more than a catch-all term to describe informal social functions in the church. It is laboring together in God’s work. It is the healing of marriages, of families, of once warm friendships soured by pride and unforgiveness. It is the thawing out of frozen traditions so that the flexibility of softened hearts can work together and the needs of people be heard. Finally, since the other three activities in which the early Christians continued steadfastly were often expressed as meetings of the church, it might not be a bad idea to think about the practicality of a meeting for fellowship! Would that assemblies, who have been known for solid preaching and spiritual worship, might also become known, in these dark days, for warm and living fellowship!
UPLOOK | APR 2012 29
science & you worlds without end
Once in a Lifetime
S
omeone once wryly observed that even a broken clock shows the correct time twice a day. But there is more to this catchphrase than implying that even the unskilled or uninformed can occasionally be right by chance alone. Before the digital age, clock springs had to be wound, or weights repositioned by hand so that gravity would keep the movement tensioned. A stopped clock meant that either the mechanism was broken or no one was taking care to ensure the clock was working correctly. Some years ago, an older man in my local church died. In the aftermath of the funeral, almost no one noticed that the clock at the back of the meeting room had stopped. The few who did, didn’t appreciate what the clock was trying to tell them. One person soon pointed out to the many that, for years, the man who had just passed away had quietly and faithfully cared for the clock on the wall, ensuring it always displayed the correct time for the benefit of any who cared to consult it. And so it was for those in the past who gazed up at the heavens. Many looked but did not see or understand. A few, of the type that we now call astronomers, also looked, and wondered how it all worked and what it was that the heavens were trying to tell them. Building on lifetimes of careful measurement of the time and movements of the divine celes-
30 UPLOOK | APR
2012
tial clock, the few began to understand the size and grandeur of our solar system and the care and clockwork-like precision with which it was constructed. So how does one check the celestial clock to make sure everything is running on time? The planets and moons of our solar system move through time and frictionless space to obey invisible laws with mathematical precision. Matching their actual appearance and alignment with the charts of predicted celestial events gives a visible and measurable assurance that the Creator—the great Clockmaker—is really there and has taken care to build our solar system and our universe with marvelous precision. Alignments of the sun, moon, and earth create solar and lunar eclipses fairly frequently. By contrast, other celestial alignments occur so rarely that they are literally once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to check the clock. The “transit” or crossing of the face of the sun by Venus is one of the rarest, but most useful, of predictable celestial events. Occurring in pairs of transits eight years apart, separated by either 105 years or 121 years, it was first observed by the Englishman Jeremiah Horrocks in 1639. The most recent transit was in 2004; and, at this writing, the 2012 transit, the last in our lifetime and the sixth since 1639, is only a few weeks away on June 5-6, 2012. Today, even the average person who cares to look could view
“It seemed to me that nothing could be more noble than to contemplate the manifold wisdom of my Creator, as displayed amidst such glorious works.” —Jeremiah Horrocks
at least a portion of the upcoming transit using various methods (1-3) and see for himself the Clockmaker’s hand of care for His creation. —Michael Windheuser
endnotes 1 www.transitofvenus.org 2 www.astrosociety.org/uitc; The Universe in the Classroom No. 78, Fall 2011 3 William Sheehan and John Westfall, The Transits of Venus (New York, NY: Prometheus Books, 2004).
mega-truth God’s BIG ideas
Ultimate devotion “We are the Lord's” –Romans 14:8
D
id anyone notice the carpenter, his weathered hands holding two birds, or the young wife beside him, gently carrying her child through the Temple Mount crowd? Only forty days had passed (Lev. 12:2, 4) since that momentous night when the Ancient of Days entered time and the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God from His face illuminated this dark planet. Joseph and Mary had come "to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord" (v. 22). The One who would be known to His own as the Kurios was to be presented to the Kurios. And at the other end of His days on earth, when He would ascend up in glorious triumph beyond the heavens, we read, ‘The Lord (Kurios) said to my Lord (Kurios), “Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool” (Mt. 22:44). And He will!
The epitome of devotedness Jesus was not only a lord in the sense that many teachers, sages, and masters were given the title "lord" ("as there are…many lords," 1 Cor. 8:8). No, concerning the Child presented that day, His Father—at the crescendo of human history—with joy "will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords" (1 Tim. 6:15). The Lord taught us a crucial principle regarding true devotedness. He evidenced by everything He did that He was a Servant to men but, always and in every way, a Servant of God. Only in this way could He say after three short years, "I have finished the
work" because He was not doing what everyone wanted Him to do, adding, "which You have given Me to do" (Jn. 17:4). Believers are warned not to act as lords over their brothers (1 Pet. 5:2-3) because “One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren" (Mt. 23:8). Instead we are to act like our Lord who "did not come to be served, but to serve" (Mk. 10:45), and did His service only for God's glory (Jn. 17:4).
Devotedness in the church This is so clear in the life of the early church. Notice how everything they did was carefully attributed to their Kurios: 1. Salvation was described as turning to the Lord (Acts 9:35; 11:21, 24) or as being added to the Lord (5:14; 11:24). How important to rediscover this way of communicating the gospel; not that sinners merely acknowledge a series of Bible ideas but that they turn and embrace the Lord Himself! 2. Stewardship was described as giving to the Lord. The Macedonian believers, stellar examples of the grace of giving, "first gave themselves to the Lord" (2 Cor. 8:5) and in this they followed their Lord (v. 9) who, in giving Himself for us (Gal. 2:20), gave Himself to God (Eph. 5:2; Heb. 9:14). Paul never thanks the saints for their gifts; rather he thanks the Lord for them (1 Cor. 1:4; Phil. 1:3), the giver of everything good. 3. Service is described as follows: "Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the
servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men" (Eph. 6:67). In fact, such service will be reimbursed by the Lord since it was done for Him (v. 8). 4. Submission is always linked to the Lord, as in "Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord" (5:22) and "Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord" (Col 3:20). The Lord never asks us to do what He did not do Himself; He veiled Himself; He submitted Himself; He obeyed His imperfect parents, the only perfect Child in history. 5. Sanctification is clearly associated with our devotedness to the Lord. "He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord… He who eats, eats to the Lord… For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s" (Rom. 14:6, 8). Decision-making is simple, if not always easy. It is only a question of "finding what is acceptable to the Lord" (Eph. 5:10).
In conclusion Therefore the faithfulness of the first century believers in all that they did— evangelism, good works, prayer, worship, fellowship, and their obedience to the Word—was not devotion to these activities per se, but devotion to the Lord Himself, manifested in so many eloquent ways. May all we do also be faithfully "ministered to the Lord" (Acts 13:2). —Jabe Nicholson
UPLOOK | APR 2012 31
If the outlook is dark, try the uplook.
The Devotion of Mary “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.” Proverbs 18:10
Then she met the Master Who the strong man bound; Rescued her from Satan’s grasp, Now on holy ground.
Others may wend homeward, Mary had no home But the Savior-tower Now hid in the tomb.
From that very moment Love controlled her heart; Captive now of Jesus, Nevermore to part.
Leaving last Golgotha, First to the garden came, But the grave was empty! Who could be to blame?
Hadn’t Jesus said that? “Everlasting life!” Those who trusted, He would End all fear and strife.
There! She saw the gardener! Surely he would know; Where could be His body, He who loved her so?
Bound with seven demons, Who could set her free? Mary of Magdala On blue Galilee.
But she stands with others, There at Calv’ry's tree; Watched Him bleeding, dying, O how can it be?
“Mary!” One word only, Spoke the Master there, And her whole world blossomed, Hope bloomed from despair.
“Migdal” means a tower, But where could Mary flee? Who could be her hiding-place By sweet Galilee?
Death came; and two others Took His body down; Laid Him in the darkness Of the rich man's tomb.
Mary at that moment Knew, as no one knew, Love no death could conquer And what He said was true!