July 29, 2008

I am grateful to the Lord for speaking a strong, loving message to us through Pastor Dale last Sunday. In particular the Holy Spirit dealt with me about prayer, in James 4:2-3-- “You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” I was moved to check my motives in praying. Am I asking wrongly? Do I long for more of God and His will to be made known and done?

Thank you, Dale, for opening the Word to us on Sunday!

Also, please read the following article from Tim Challies (http://www.challies.com/) and be challenged and helped--“Who Is In Control?”
Click Here to be directed to the article.

Blessings of grace to you, Pastor Carey

July 21, 2008

The following article, "Me, Myself and iPhone", is a good example of the difference between "wisdom from below" and "wisdom from above"-- James 3:13-18. Please read it reflectively and prayerfully.

Me, myself, and iPhone

Technology can be an instrument for gratitude or for idolatry Vern Poythress. Ten years ago a few visionaries were predicting the era of
"ubiquitous" computing, when all kinds of appliances would contain computerized links to the rest of the world. Now it is upon us, in the form of cell phones.

A capable cell phone today has more computing power than the computer
that took the Apollo astronauts to the moon. It gives instant access not only to your friends' voices but to all the information on the internet. Are you keeping up or falling behind in the race for the latest electronic fashions?

Science and technology get a lot of attention because of the new gadgets they spin out. I love science, because it displays God's wisdom
(Proverbs 8:22-31). I love technology, because it shows what great gifts God has given to us, and what great human capacity God has given us to exercise dominion (Genesis 1:28-30). But I see hopes placed in science and technology that they cannot fulfill. Science, it is said, will solve the problems of world hunger. It will bring world peace. And more and better technology will solve the problems introduced by lesser technology.

Well, sometimes; and in some ways. Maybe science will find an efficient way to harness nuclear fusion to produce clean power—or maybe not. But we can be awash in technology and still be hate-filled or lonely. You can have 200 friends on Facebook and have no one who really knows you, no one who loves you.

Sometimes science only increases the problem. If, instead of seeing the
wisdom of God in it, you listen to the propaganda of scientism, it will solemnly assure you that you inhabit a faceless, lonely, materialistic universe that is heading only toward ultimate death. And the gadgets of technology become Band-Aids to cover spiritual wounds and empty hearts. One more electronic game or one more DVD movie or one more pop song holds back the slide into boredom and depression. We search for one entertainment after another to keep back the dread of facing the hollow inside.

God will not be mocked (Galatians 6:7). If you sow a "me"-centered
life, you will reap a harvest of emptiness. If you hope in the human wisdom of science, it will fail. Knowledge it may offer, by the truckload. But when such knowledge is detached from the God who gave it, it cannot give you wisdom to know yourself or to know God. The technology in which you hoped will mock you and testify to your ingratitude to God.

We have lost our way. Christ answers, "I am the way" (John 14:6). The
world is founded on Christ, by whom all things were created, in whom all things hold together (Colossians 1:16-17). From Him we can have eternal life in fellowship with God: "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die" (John 11:25-26). His power, manifest in His resurrection, is the foundation for all science and technology. The Bible says that Christ "upholds the universe by the word of His power" (Hebrews 1:3). His upholding sustains the regularities on which science and technology constantly depend. His wisdom is behind the knowledge and beauty in science. What is most astounding is that you can know Him personally, and have your rebellion healed. And then you will know that He, the King of the universe, loves you and understands you. If you are grateful to Him, you will have science and technology in perspective.

—Vern S. Poythress is Professor of New Testament Interpretation at
Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, where he has taught for 30 years

Copyright © 2008 WORLD MagazineJuly 26, 2008, Vol. 23, No. 15

July 16, 2008: "The Tongue and Pride"

God’s conviction in my life concerning the exercise of my tongue (see James 3:1-12) continues. I found a list of “manifestations of pride” and immediately noticed that quite a few of them are directly or indirectly connected with the tongue. James 3:5 says, “So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts (there’s the pride) of great things.”
I encourage you to read over the list prayerfully, inviting the kind, convicting, freeing work of the Spirit to lead you to repent where needed. Here is the list:

1. Complaining against or passing judgment on God (see Exodus 17).

2. A lack of gratitude in general.

3. Anger.

4. Seeing yourself as better than others.

5. Having an inflated view of your importance, gifts and abilities.

6. Perfectionism.

7. Talking too much.

8. Being focused on the lack of your gifts and abilities.

9. Talking too much about yourself.

10. Seeking independence or control.

11. Being consumed with what others think.

12. Being devastated or angered by criticism.

13. Being un-teachable.

14. Being sarcastic, hurtful, or degrading.

15. A lack of service.

16. A lack of compassion.

17. Being defensive or blame-shifting.

18. A lack of admitting when you are wrong.

19. A lack of asking for forgiveness.

20. A lack of biblical prayer.

21. Resisting authority or being disrespectful.

22. Voicing opinions of preferences when not asked.

23. Minimizing your own sin and shortcomings.

24. Maximizing others sin and shortcomings.

25. Being impatient or irritable with others.

26. Being jealous or envious.

27. Using others.

28. Being deceitful by covering up sins, faults, and mistakes.

29. Using attention-getting tactics.

30. Not having close relationships.

“Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you…” 1 Peter 5:5-6

July 15, 2008: Recommended Sermon

In my July 6th sermon I referred to C.J. Mahaney’s powerful sermon about the crucifixion of Christ from Mark 15. I strongly recommend it.

HERE IS THE LINK

Clicking this link will initiate a download of an mp3 file. You can save it to your computer and then double-click to play the file in your default media player. (Windows Media Player, for example)

July 8, 2008 : "Taming the Tongue"

A very provocative, strong statement is found in James 3:8—“No human being can tame the tongue.” Is this true? Does it mean that we are without hope, stuck with a tongue that is a destructive “fire…set on fire by hell…a world of unrighteousness… [and] a restless evil, full of deadly poison” that stains the whole body?

What about your tongue?

Please meditate on James 3:1-12 and prayerfully prepare yourself for the sermon on July 13.

July 3, 2008 : Right Belief Can Be Dead

“You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder” (James 3:19).

“There are many people who give mental assent to the reality of God, mental assent to the reality of Christ, the facts of the gospel. I admit to you that orthodox theology is better than heresy, but orthodox theology may not be enough. You want to know something? There’s no such thing as a liberal demon…All demons believe in the Trinity and the deity of Christ. All demons believe on the death of Christ on the cross for the sins of the world…There is no such thing as a heretical demon. They believe everything orthodox, everything. And they shudder. Why? That word means to bristle, to have the hair stand on end; they are in a high degree of terror. Men have intellectual faith and demons have emotional faith. Men say ‘I believe that’ and it stops. Demons say ‘I believe that’ and their hair stands on end because they understand the implications…The demons go one better than men, they go one better than religious phonies, they shudder, they shake, they’re in grave fear.”

(John MacArthur’s sermon on James 2:14-20)

What kind of faith is yours? Have you been brought forth by the word of truth so that your life produces fruit in keeping with salvation (James 1:18)? “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves” (2 Corinthians 13:5).

The Law of Liberty in James and Galatians

“If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well…So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty” (James 2:8, 12).

“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Galatians 5:13-14)

James does not define the “law of liberty” in chapter 1, verse 12. But in verse 8 he does. And James sounds a lot like Paul in Galatians 5.

“For both of them, love is the natural fruit and the necessary evidence of being justified by faith (Galatians 5:6, James 2:17). Love is the kind of law that governs us when we are freed from condemnation by the blood and righteousness of Christ. And we will be judged under this law of liberty. If we have not loved, we will perish, because there will be no evidence that we are born again and justified by faith.”

“So you can see that James and Paul put partiality…in the context of your eternal judgment. This is not a light thing. How we treat others is the evidence of our relation with Christ. If we have been set free from sin’s condemnation and dominion by Christ, then we live in liberty. And in this liberty there is a law—the law of liberty, that is, the law of love. We will judged under this law. And this law says, “Do not show partiality (favoritism; don’t play favorites!) on the basis of race or riches (or any other thing.)”


(quotes from John Piper’s sermon on James 2, January 18, 2004)

May 12, 2008

I love the missionary heart of Psalm 96:10—“Say among the nations, ‘The LORD reigns!’”

On Mother’s Day, May 11, I encouraged our moms (and dads and grandparents and other adults, too) to “teach and show your children that God is worthy to be made known and to have a heart for the peoples” of the world, and to “encourage your children toward a “Say among the nations, ‘The LORD reigns!’” life!”

Parents, you will be able to do this as you, more and more, embrace this heart and mindset—that the great, big, glorious God of Psalm 96 is worthy to be worshiped and worthy to be declared and made known among all peoples of the world!

What is your dream for your kids? To get a great job and have a nice family, including grandkids you can dote on? To have a huge house and all the amenities of American convenience and comfort? There is a much greater dream to impart to your children—that of being a part of God’s work in reaching all the peoples with the great gospel of Christ!

I know a young man, Mike, (now married and an expectant daddy) who is completing his training for reaching unreached people for Jesus in the Philippine Islands. I’ve known him since he was a pre-schooler and was his pastor for 14 years. During adolescence he went through a rebellious stage for a while; and then God used our youth pastor to impart a vision of God’s captivating greatness and Mike was never the same! He couldn’t be and didn’t want to be! One short-term visit to the Philippines did it and his life’s course was set for spreading the glory of Christ’s great name and gospel to those who have not heard!

I also know Mike’s mother. When her son laid down his rebellion and began headlong pursuit of obedience to Christ, she was thrilled—until she realized that her all-American dream was being supplanted by Mike’s “all peoples of the world with the gospel” dream. It was hard for her to think of Mike (and probably her daughter-in-law and grandbabies) half way round the world for years at a time, living in the wilds of Asia. Hers was a very dear vision of the future and one difficult to give up. “Lord, Mike is yours, I know, but do you really want him over there? Can’t you use him here?” But as a lover of Christ she came to support Mike and will willingly, and sadly, release him and his family to their calling very soon.

What is your dream for your children? Will you encourage them toward a “Say among the nations, ‘The LORD reigns!’” life?

May 6, 2008 : "Pursuing Peace and Pummeling Pride"

Pursuing Peace and Pummeling Pride

I saw it on Sunday morning during our Celebration Service marking “the end of the beginning” of Peacemaker focus at Rocky. It was during that very sweet hymn, “It Is Well With My Soul” and at first I was struggling to sing it from my heart. And this truth came clear—I cannot be a peacemaker and nurture pride at the same time. So, by God’s grace, I confessed my pride as sin before God and sang that magnificent verse:

“My sin—oh, the bliss of this glorious tho’t:

My sin not in part, but the whole

Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more,

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul.”

At the conclusion of the Celebration Service I encouraged all of you to commit yourself to be a Peace Pursuer by implementing the Biblical principles of peacemaking.

“Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil” (1 Peter 3:10-12).

Again, pride obstructs the pursuit of peace with others. In her testimony on Sunday morning Elaine Bandy specifically spoke of overcoming pride so that she could seek restoration and peace with her long-time friend. Pride is at the root of unforgiveness, self-justification, “punishment” of those who have offended us, destructive bitterness (see Hebrews 12:14-15), and self-righteousness (or the need to “right” instead of righteous in God’s sight).

Therefore, as you seek and pursue peace I urge you to pummel pride! Be a Peace Pursuer and a Pride Pummeler! How can you pummel or beat down pride? Two Biblical thoughts:

1. Captivate yourself with God and humble yourself before Him!

“For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, who name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite” (Isaiah 57:15).

Be amazed at God! He is the High and Lofty and Eternal and Holy One, Who dwells in the High and Holy Place, and also with those who are humble before Him!

2. Live out the gospel!

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:30-32).

“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other, as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful” (Colossians 3:12-15).

April 24, 2008

Following last Sunday’s Peacemaker sermon from Luke 15, I recommend an excellent book from Dr. John MacArthur. A TALE OF TWO SONS:THE INSIDE STORY OF A FATHER, HIS SONS, AND A SHOCKING MURDER. You may buy it on line at Christianbook.com, or at other booksellers.