The Fig Tree

Ask and Ye Shall Receive

2008-03-11T11:02:00.000-07:00

Acts 5:27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,
Acts 5:28 Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.
Acts 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

The Bible tells us that we are to be blameless in the world, meaning that no one could honestly lay charges of sin to our account and be a reproach to Christ.

In this passage, we find a very different kind of accusation: the best kind! What a great thing to be accused of, filling an entire city with the doctrine of Christ! Notice their chief complaint: "You intend to bring His blood upon us..." or to paraphrase: "Don't make us feel guilty for sinning!"

Being a witness for Christ can be extremely unpopular, or at least the right kind of witness. You will probably not be hated for telling all your friends that God is love, but if you give them the other side of the Gospel (the fact that Christ had to die because their sin was under God's judgment), you might be less likely to be invited to the Christmas party.

So what was the apostle's reaction to the complaining? They reminded the audience that their words came from God, and could not be ignored. Not only did they refuse to back down from their position, but they added more accusation!

"The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree..."

How's your witness this week? Probably not quite this bold, and neither is mine to be honest. So what makes the difference? These were not special people, or even exceptionally gifted people. They were unlearned fishermen. The difference is what came before this account in the previous chapter (4:29):

"And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word"

How could they be so bold and fearless? Because they knew they couldn't be! They had to fall on their face before God and beg Him to give them the courage to speak in the face of ridicule and danger. They undoubtedly remembered His words only a few months before:

"whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, He will give it to you..." John 16:23

Why do we not witness with power and boldness? Maybe we don't ask, and maybe we don't ask believing His promise to hear and answer.

What could this week be like if everyone on our Sunday School class, everyone in our church, got on their knees before God and begged Him to use them to proclaim His name to those who don't know Him, to fill them with truth and boldness? I have a crazy idea... Let's try it and see!

Easter Sunday!

2008-03-08T08:49:00.000-08:00

Easter time is here! As children hunt for Easter eggs, many parents hunt for the right church where they can bring their entire family. Easter is a time when many people who normally do not attend church traditionally look for a place to worship with their families. We believe that VBC is the right place for you and your family this Easter! We will have a special service celebrating the resurrection of Christ, with a great Bible message from our pastor. Make sure your family knows this Easter that there is a place for them at VBC!

For more information, go to http://visionbaptist.com/main/page_events_events_easter.php

Rechabites

2008-02-29T11:59:00.000-08:00

Jeremiah 35 tells the story of a group of people called the Rechabites. 300 years before this chapter, Jonadab instructed his descendents to not drink wine, eat grapes, or live in the cities. 300 years later, they were still obedient to these instructions. In vs. 16 God says this:

"Because the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have performed the commandment of their father, which he commanded them; but this people hath not hearkened unto me"

Even though God had sent prophet after prophet to warn Israel to return to God an obey His voice, they refused to listen. He compared them to the Rechabites, who were willing to obey harsh and seemingly pointless rules just out of love and respect for their earthly father, Jonadab.

How often do we do this! We will obey people we love and respect, but when it comes to our Heavenly Father, we pick and choose which commands and precepts to obey. Think about this: what possible reason could we have to not love and respect our God? He loved us while we were yet sinners, and gave His only Son to die in our place. He bought us out of our sin, and gave us a home with Him. I John 5:3 says this:

"For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous."

He deserves all of our love and reverential fear, and His commandments are not grievous; or, they are not to hurt us or keep us back from any good thing!

If we obey those we love and respect, maybe we need to remember why He deserves that and so much more.

Whirlyball!!!

2008-02-29T11:53:00.000-08:00

It's that time again: the Home Improvement Class has challenged the teens and singles to a winner-take-all match of whirlyball!! Our honor is at stake, and we have the advantage of experience, with the all-stars from last match (Ms Betty and Amy Coffey) lining up on the same team.

We will be playing from 2-4 PM, Saturday the 8th at exit 7 (Holcomb Bridge). The cost is $20 a person, and the satisfaction of trouncing the other classes will make it all worthwhile. Get your tickets now, they are limited and going fast!

Celebration Sunday!

2008-02-29T11:39:00.000-08:00

Vision is 2 years old! March 16th is the day that we celebrate 2 years of great ministry. God has been so good to us in so many ways, and has used us to help get the Gospel literally all over the world through the support of our missionaries.

Make sure you have made plans to be there for our celebration service; we will have great Sunday School teaching as usual, music from the Daybreak Quartet and the Vision singers, powerful verse-by-verse preaching, and a great time of food and fellowship at Will's Park after the service.

The Home Improvement class, taught by pastor Austin Gardner, has been one of the most exciting and fastest-growing class at Vision, and our class goal is 26 people in attendance for this special day. Grab few invitations, and let you friends, neighbours, and co-workers know that Vision is the church for them!

Unloveable

2008-02-19T07:10:00.000-08:00

I was reading in Luke 14 this morning about the parable of the great supper. The servants were sent to invite the noble friends, who all found some excuse for not being able to come, and the master sent his servants out again, but this time to the poor, the maimed, the crippled, and the blind, that they could enjoy the great feast.

God has called us, His servants, to take His invitation to all men. I wondered as I read this passage how many times I have kept the invitation to myself because I didn't think that a certain person was worth the effort. If someone asked me whether I thought the Gospel was for a few or for all, I would immediately say that it was for all. But I don't always live like I believe it.

My problem, and the problem of many people, is that I forget that I was never one of those "noble friends"! I was one the unloveable poor who could never hope to deserve sitting at the table with the King. I forget that I wasn't always a child of the King, and I do not deserve to be.

Do you remember being one of the unloveable ones? Do you remember how it felt to be separated from God, with no hope? We need desperately to remember where we were, not just where we are, if we are going to have a real burden for the world!

My Valentine' Day Card

2008-02-14T14:13:00.000-08:00

Well, its that time of year again. The time when I traditionally join the ranks of the millions of American men who flock to the nearest Wal-Mart (on the day of, of course. Does anyone actually do this before the 14th?) to stand shoulder to shoulder with their fellow clueless man in the card aisle, looking for all the world like a lobotomy patient trying to remember which shoe goes on which foot.

Am I supposed to get the romantic gushy kind, or something that makes her laugh? Should I spend my entire lunch break racking my brain, or just play Russian Roullette and hope that it turns out like a beer commercial?

That was me this afternoon. I couldn't find anything that even remotely resembled our relationship, or even anything that I thought would get a laugh, but everyone knows that you have to buy a card for your lady on Valentine's Day! Or do you.......?

I have decided to break the rules this Valentine's Day, because the only reason I was going to buy a card was because it is what our commercial culture demands. I figure, I know my wife better than any moron at Hallmark (and $5 for a stinkin piece of paper?????), and why not put my card where I can tell the whole world (or the 2 people that read this, thanks Mom and Dad!) how much she means to me! Melissa, I am thumbing my nose at the system. Here goes.

Melissa,

There are no words deep enough to describe how precious you are to me. I thank God every day, because somehow I get to wake up next to the sweetest, kindest, sexiest woman God ever made. I will never deserve your love, but I want you to know how invaluable it is to me. You complete me, you fulfill me, and you captivate me without even trying! Thank you for loving God, thank you for always making me want to serve Him more. You make me feel like I can slay giants, you strengthen me and comfort me more than you will ever know. I love you, happy Valentine's Day.

Your Valentine,
Scott

Fun Marriages

2008-02-13T06:27:00.000-08:00

I was at work yesterday talking with some of my co-workers about what I was going to do for Valentine's Day, and a song came on the radio. I don't know what the song was, but it said something like, "She's my one and only, she's my treasure" . I didn't pay any attention to it, but one of my typically coarser co-workers got a big smile on his face, and said, "That's like you and your wife, right Scott? She's your one and only, that's why you don't even look at other women! I gotta say, I never thought being a Christian could be fun, only being with one woman and everything, but you mak it look pretty fun."

I was pretty well blown away, because I never thought he was listening to a word I said. What a reminder of how important the marriage is! Ephesians 5:25 says,

"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;"

It is so easy to forget that our marriage is supposed to be a picture of God's love. It s so easy to be like the rest of the world and focus on the negatives about our spouse, instead of building them up and praising them in front of people.

Pastor Gardner has been teaching in church about thinking the right thoughts about your spouse. If we think right, we will talk right. If we talk right, our God is glorified! Let people see Jesus in your marriage!

Also, when people complain about their marriage, take that opportunity to tell them about how Go's Word is the best marriage manual you could ask for, and there is even a specific Sunday School class at Vision with a great Bible teacher for married couples.

No Fear?

2008-01-23T06:13:00.001-08:00

I was reading in Isaiah this morning, and this verse stood out to me in a big way:

Isa 29:13 "Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men..."

I have grown up hearing about how amazingly powerful and holy God is. The reverential fear of God is an often preached subject, and it should be, but the question that I have to ask myself is: "Is my fear of God a mental assent to what I have been taught, or is it from my personal experience of His majesty?"

The problem with the Israelites being warned in this passage was not that they were not religious or even moral. They adhered to the Scriptures, they revered the Word of God, but it was all superficial. They had no personal experience with God, only a powerless form of godliness!

I think that a pretty accurate gauge of where our fear, or respect, originates from is:

1) Are we submitted?
When God really shows up on the scene, the reaction is always acknowledging Him as Lord. When confronted by the risen Christ, Paul exclaimed, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" A fear of God stemming from personal encounters with Him is incompatible with a rebellious heart.

2) Are we broken?
When Isaiah saw the glory of the Lord, he said, "Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts."

Moses' reaction was the same in presence: "Who am I??" He knew that he was less than nothing beside a Holy God.

When we really know who He is, in all His holiness, in all His power and grandeur, how could we be anything but broken over how we fail Him constantly? We should not dwell on past sins, but when we recognize an area where we fail, what is our reaction? I know that too many times my attitude has been, "well, God will forgive me, it's OK" That attitude shows only a weak fear of God taught only by precepts and not personal experience.

3) Are we serving?
After God declared Isaiah forgiven and cleansed, He posed a question: "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?.." Isaiah's reaction was instantaneous: "I will go, send me!"

A real experiential fear of God can have lead to only one reaction when given the opportunity and privilege to serve God: Here am I!!! Use me any way you see fit, You are God alone. When I have no desire to serve Him, I know I have forgotten who He really is.

Paul's desire for the church at Corinth was,
"That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God."

Where does your fear come from? Where does your faith stand?

Great New Book!

2008-01-09T05:57:00.001-08:00

Bro. Aaron, missionary to North Africa, has published a very original book: "Ramblings in North Africa". He and his wife Jillian have dedicated their lives to reaching Muslims with the Gospel of Christ, and they have been living in Morrocco for the last year. His book is a compilation of entries from his journal about their first year church-planting among Muslim people. It is an amazing and eye-opening book, make sure to get your copy! All profits from the book will go directly into the church planting efforts of Project North Africa!

Order online at our website: www.projectna.com or by mail: Project North Africa PO Box 519 Braselton, GA 30517. Checks made payable to “Project North Africa” for $14.95 for the book and $3 for shipping.

But after that!!!!

2008-01-09T05:36:00.000-08:00

We at Vision Baptist are preparing for a Revival service this coming week! Evangelist Lou Rossi has graciously accepted our invitation to be our main speaker, and we are looking forward to hearing from this great preacher. The services will be on January 13-17 at 7:oo PM.

If you have not already made plans to come, consider a great reason to be there, and prepare your heart this week:

Titus 3:3-4
"For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared..."

There are certain crucial conjuctions in the Bible that are really exciting, and this is definitely one of them! We were deceived and servants of sin, but after that the love of God came into our lives! A great reason to come is the opportunity to bring lost people with you, to have a part in making sure that they too have an "after that"! What a great privilege and opportunity!

Counsel Without Knowlege

2008-01-09T05:10:00.000-08:00

I was reading this morning in Job 42, and God brought one verse to my attention in a very painful way. Job 42:3 says,

"Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not."

Job, who was very personally knowledgable of God and His ways, realized when he came face to face with Him that He in fact knew very little! He had questioned why God had allowed certain trials to come in his life, and my mind his reaction was certainly understandable. Everything he held dear was stripped away from him in a single day even though he honored God with his life.

I am sure most Christians (myself included) would have reacted much worse than Job did! However, when finally face to face with a Holy God, Job refused to question Him, and repented for ever opening his mouth and speaking in ignorance about things too wonderful and deep for him to understand.

As a loudmouthed opinionated person, this verse is pretty inconvenient to say the least. Convicting would be a better word! As I read this I thought, how many times do I brashly open my mouth and speak confidently about things that should leave me dumb with wonder?

How many times do I open the living Word of God with an attitude of arrogance. "Oh, I've read this passage probably 50 times, and I even wrote a paper on it." The very idea that God would leave His Word on earth and preserve it thousands of years so that I could know Him, and how I can please Him should drive me to my knees is amazement!

How many times has someone asked me about God, and I give them my small-minded pigeon-holed concept of the Creator God of the universe, and fail to impart to them the sense of awe and fear that I should hold Him in?

The Bible says that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. I think that, especially considering that we are preparing for a revival, I need to lay hold of the promise in James: ..."If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not..."

New Year, Old Lie

2008-01-01T15:21:00.000-08:00

Melissa and I had the opportunity the spend New Year's Eve with some friends that we met at her work. They visited our church for our special Christmas service, and they both claim to be born-again Christians.

We had a great time with them and their friends, and discussed everything from politics to sports to different cultures. Their friends were not Christians, and I was praying that the Lord would give me an open door to bring Christ into the conversation, but everytime tried they would divert the subject to something mundane. Finally at about 1 o'clock, Klaus (a Swiss professor) began to speak of his religious views. He claimed to be a Catholic Christian, but was tired of people claiming that their way was the only true path. He was obviously disillusioned with established religion (a good place to start!), and he rejected and mocked the idea that the Bible is the infallible Word of God.

He went on to praise people like Ghandi, Buddha, and Mother Theresa. He went as far as to say that their lives were just as important as that of Jesus Christ's, He was merely a good human being.

As he continued his lecture on the evils of my version of faith, I could not help but notice how he was exactly the same in his message as the vast majority of people that I talk to about the Lord. Interestingly, they all seem to have the idea that their belief system is a new and enlightened way, that previous generations were unable to grasp, but societal evolution has now brought them to a place of wisdom and understanding. There is more than a little haughtiness as they pity their primitive forbears and those pitiful weak minded contemporaries who cannot relinquish their deathgrip on the archaic and intellectually untenable religious anachronisms.

It never ceases to boggle my mind that this message that has been regurgitated and revived for 6,000 years can still be made to seem fresh and innovative. Forget Coca-Cola, the real father of advertising is the Devil!

This humanistic message is the same lie told in the Garden of Eden. The packaging changes periodically, but the lie always contains the same elements:

1) Deny God's Word

"Hath God said...?" The Bible may be granted the status of a good book, a good basic moral compass (in the passages they like, at least), but the holy Word of God? A perfect standard of faith and practice? A living Book that changes and reveals the very nature of the Creator God? Never. This is always the first step on the slippery slope to humanism, and even many Christians struggle with this. They are ashamed to talk about the Bible or treat it with the reverence that it is due, because they are afraid that it really cannot be what it claims it is.

When you throw out the Bible as divinely inspired and the flawless standard, you are left with 2 choices: either God has another standard (ie other sacred writings, philosophies, etc.), or there is no such thing as absolute truth. Either choice suits Satan's purposes very well, because either way it involves man doing what is right in his own eyes.

2) Deny the penalty

"You shall not surely die.." There is no such thing as actual sin, because sin can only be paid for by death. The language of the lie is that it is merely wrong or a mistake if it hurts someone else, and that is why reincarnation is such a popular doctrine: you can pay for your own mistakes! There are no eternal consequences for disobeying a holy God. There is no accounting, no authority to whom one must bow before and acknowledge as sovereign. It is no more than an appeal to men's pride,which leads to the third ever-present principle:

3) Exalt Man to Divinity

"...You shall be as gods.." Interesting that Satan's first victim of this deception was himself, and for 6000 years he has convinced men to believe the same lie. It is easier to accept a concept of God that says that everything is God and God is everything than to accept that He alone is God and Creator of all else. Why? Because if everything is God, then we are God! Man is God! Much easier to accept than believing that you are a sinner who owes his very breath to the one who created you for His pleasure!

What is so frustrating is that Christianity's response to the lie is often to try to make it more palatable and pleasing to people, when the gospel has always been offensive. He is the Rock of offence, the stone rejected by the builders. When we deny the offence of the gospel we deny its power! It only has God's power as long as it remains God's message.

As I kept listening to Klaus's arguments and tirades againstthe Bible, my first impulse was my natural one: open my big mouth and argue with him. But then I remembered what my pastor always says: "You don't defend a sword, you just stab with it!" So I listened, smiled, and then said, "Well, you know that the Bible says this about it." For all his protestations and blustering about how he didn't care what the Bible said, he grew more upset and obviously shaken with every verse I quoted. I kept speaking calmly, but by the end of the night he was literally yelling at me, and I could see fear in his eyes; not fear of me or my words, but that he was wrong and would face a Holy God one day with nothing but his pitiful morality.

Klaus left still rejecting the gospel, but it was an amazing reminder to me of the power of God's Word, and the weakness of the lie. It was also very convicting, and made me realize just how desperately I need to be saturated with His Word.

What a lie, but what a Book!

Tempt or Test?

2007-12-12T12:10:00.000-08:00

Some of the men at my church have been discussing something from the Bible: Does God tempt people to sin?

It is pretty easy to just push that question aside, and say; "Well, the book of James says no, so the answer is obviously no." The pat answer is: God tests people to show them their weaknesses.

Actually, it is a pretty deep question when you think about it! Here are a couple of facts:

1) Men are tempted to do evil

2) God at least allows them to be tempted

3) God knows beforehand what they will do with the temptation, fall or prevail.

Let's run these facts by the Bible:

Men are tempted to do evil:

Jas 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
Jas 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
Jas 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Jas 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

That seems pretty unequivocal! So it is settled then, God does not tempt people to do wrong..... But, there is that OTHER pesky verse...

Gen 22:1 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.
Gen 22:2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

So, God DOES tempt men! So do we say that the Bible is contradicting itself? In the words of the Apostle Paul, God forbid! Let God be true and every man a liar. His Word is completely true and without contradiction, so we need to delve a little deeper.

God at least allows men to be tempted:

Both the Greek word "peraizo" and the Hebrew word "nasah" (the words used in the Bible for "tempt") are used interchangeably for both tempt and test. So God either tempted or tested Abraham, and according to James, He either does not tempt or does not test men. To say that He does not test goes completely against Biblical example. I.E., He set before Israel the choice between life and death, blessing and cursing (Deut. 30:19). Also, James said that He does not tempt men to evil.

So, God does test men, and He does not try to draw men into evil; leaving the question: Who does the tempting if men are tempted, and God is totally sovereign? A good answer lies in Matthew 4:3,

Mat 4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
Mat 4:2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
Mat 4:3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

One of Satan's titles and chief pursuits in the Bible is as the tempter. He is also compared to a voracious lion, who seeks only the destruction of people foolish enough to believe his lies. So why then does God allow Satan to tempt His people to do evil?

God knows beforehand how men will react to temptation:

Let's take the example of the first temptation to man: Adam and Eve are in the garden, and they are tempted to do evil by the Tempter. Some people look at this account and reason that God DOES tempt men, because He created not only the choice to be able to sin, but even the very agent of temptation, Satan. Also, He knew that Adam and Eve WOULD fall! Back to James; that cannot be, and the Bible remain true.

So why then did God create set this stage for man to fall into sin (testing), and how is that different from tempting?

The answer to that question is closely related to the question of why He created man in the first place. I would be a total fool to even try to answer that question based on my own opinions or rationale. His thoughts are higher than mine, and His ways higher than my ways. The only answer I could have to that question in what I find in His Word that He said about it. These verses came to mind:

Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

The short answer is, God wants to bring glory to Himself. What this passage says to me is that the greatest way for God to be glorified is through our willing conscious decision to love Him and walk in His way, and be a part of His family. Logically, we cannot choose Him if there is no choice to choose something else. So, He sets before us blessing and cursing. If a Calvinist reads this, he will probably be gnashing his teeth at this point, but I believe that one the greatest gifts given to us is that of free will! Salvation is all of God, but He does not force it upon anyone.

This is testing: God sets before us His perfect way with all of its blessings and benefits, and then allows Satan to offer his sullied wares. Does God tempt? Don't ask me! Read what He said and see what you think! I would love some feedback..... (even if you are a dyed-in-the-wool Calvinist, but be warned, I will just roll my eyes at you and say, "Bless his little heart.")

Great Reading

2007-10-31T20:23:00.000-07:00

Congrats to the perennially techno-challenged guy! That would be me. I finally figured out how to add a list of other blogs to mine. PLEASE go check these out if you haven't already done so, they are all phenomenal, challenging, and exciting to read. Stop reading this! Click one!

Fight or Flight

2007-10-31T05:44:00.000-07:00

It never ceases to amaze me how Satan uses the same trick over and over again, and somehow manages to make you forget the 300 times he used it before. You would think that human beings would have a longer attention span, but it seems that ADD is not limited to kids hopped up on sugar.

I went to bed last night thinking of all the different ministry opportunities that God has given me, and excited about how He gives me the strength to do everything He asks of me. Somewhere between 11:00 PM and 5:45, that excitement completely drained off. I dreamt of failure after failure, defeat after defeat. By the time I woke up, all I wanted to do was crawl under a rock and die. The very thought of trying to do anything for God filled me with apprehension and fear of failure.

Had I not went to the Lord for my strength, I would have spent the rest of my day afraid, which the enemy would have loved. I opened my Bible, and begged God for His help, and read these verses:

" In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?
For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.
If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?
The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD'S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. "

Any time a Christian stands up and determines to bring glory to the God of Heaven, Satan bends his bow and takes aim. A bird can be safe from the hunter's arrow, but only if he accepts that he can never fly. Satan whispers to the Christian who would fly,

"You will fail. Don't take a chance, don't bite off more than you can chew. Find somewhere safe and comfortable, find your mountain. Go home before you get hurt."

David had the right answer! Why should I listen to you? God is my refuge! My trust is in the Lord, not in my own strength.

David says that if his foundation is destroyed then he could do nothing, but he knew that his foundation was the Rock that could not be moved, much less destroyed! If we can do nothing without our foundation, the opposite is true: with our feet on the Rock, all things are possible. I think Paul might have even mentioned something to that effect...

This psalm is a testament to the sovereignty of God over man and the enemy. God is the sure foundation, the enabler, the One who is forever seated on the throne. He is forever worshipped in His temple, and he watches and cares for His own.

How do you beat fear? Realize who is in your corner, and come out fighting!!!

Who Do You Want To Be?

2007-10-26T08:59:00.000-07:00

Do you want to be remembered, respected, published and known, or do you want to train men and change the world?

In all likelihood, the world will not long remember W. Austin Gardner. Even the relatively small universe of fundamentalists does not and will not know this name. When the day comes that the pulpit is forever bereft of his presence, it is doubtful that he will leave a congregation of thousands in his wake. Unless he is sent to prison, or becomes a hermit, no lengthy Bible commentaries are likely to be written.

What he will leave is a core group of men of the Book; leaders and men-trainers who will change their world; a group whose lives were forever changed because this man chose to invest his time and energy in developing their character and walk with God. His words of wisdom are written on the lives and hearts of people, not paper.

His life work, his ministry, is the building ministries that are not his own; his glory is the glory of others, and thus, God's glory.
Why would a charismatic and gifted leader devote his time, talent, and treasure to build everyone around him; let himself be used and derided, humiliated, scorned, and under-appreciated?

The simple answer is because he has sought to emulate the One that is his life and joy. He leads by example because Christ led by example. He invests because Christ invested. He gives because his Saviour gave all.

The world may not remember W. Austin Gardner, but those who carry a part of his life engrafted on their very soul will never forget him, and the Jesus that he represents. More than this, his God will never forget his sacrifices and labor.

Little glory lays before my Pastor in this life, because he doesn't seek it. In fact, he will in all likelihood "rip my face off" (a great Gardnerism) for writing praise about him, but I know that God will honor him one day, because he has honored God with his life.

At times I am tempted to desire fame and posterity when I think about my ministry, but how much greater to be a true servant, and let God change the world around me with a life of sacrifice!

"Virtual" Reality?

2007-09-04T13:25:00.000-07:00

I was in the Mall the other day engrossed in my alter-ego, "super-husband". I was searching for the perfect gift: one that says, "I am so amazingly thoughtful and loving that I would never stoop to buying crass expensive bobbles instead of something personal and unique." (Loosely translated, "I am broke as a joke, but I would really love some of those brownies with the little nuts on top.")

As I perused some the less expensive stores, (WHY do they never put a Dollar Tree in Malls anymore???) I saw a display in the thoroughfare that said, "Virtual Reality". Kids lined up by the dozen to put on ridiculous looking gloves and hats to fight a bout of "virtual boxing".

Although they were probably having the time of their lives engrossed in their little world, they were completely ludicrous from the perspective of the onlooker. They appeared more than mildly schitzophrenic as they punched at imaginary foes, and even looked at the ground and laughed at their defeated virtual enemy.

As I watched them, my mind went to a verse that I had read that morning. I Corinthians 9:26 says,

"I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air"

Paul here made point that, in his struggle for the cause of Christ, he did not throw punches in the air wildly, but kept himself conditioned so that when he struck at the enemy, he hit his mark.

I think that many Christians and churches fall into the "virtual reality" category. Christ is an idea, or a game, or a philosophy. It is something to be played with, but at the end of the day, the gloves come off and they go back to "real life". There is no real love for the person of Christ, but only for the make-believe religion that they practice whenever it is fun. They don't really believe in the adversary, and they don't really believe in the cause they claim.

When you think about it, Christ is the ultimate reality! This mortal life is called a vapor compared to the eternity that waits for us.

Here are some questions I asked myself when I thought about this:

1- Do I love the concept of Christ, or the person of Christ?

2- Do I think of the battlefield as a constant reality, or a game that I can jump in and out of?

3- Am I satisfied with "beating the air", or do I really want to land some blows for my Lord?

4- Do I really get angry at the enemy for opposing all that God wants to do, or do I give him a little sissy slap and say, "Oh be nice!"

We are supposed to be seeing through a glass darkly, but I think that if we ever cared enough to really try to look though that glass it would radically change our lives, our families, and our churches!

Redeeming the Time

2007-08-23T17:36:00.000-07:00

Have you ever noticed that older people have a tendency to mock inexperience and youth? I chalk it down to rank jealousy of my.. I mean... OUR dashing good looks, and our sharp young minds that are as yet not dulled by the ravages of time. That, and we are better at the meaningful things of life, such as X-Box.

In their obviously biased character sketches of young people, they often say things like, "Those whippersnappers think they are indestructible!" Much as I hate to validate the old fogie types, they might actually have a point. Yes, I said it. Don't worry, they'll probably forget their point before they have time to rub it in!

But in all seriousness, I don't think that it is that we actually believe that we will never die, but we have an inflated case of "Finals Syndrome". Less discplined people than myself will recognize this symptom: you are given a huge assignment at the beginning of the school year. Your first reaction to the explanation of the requirements is a feeling of a crushing weight about to drop on your head, as you contemplate how LONG it will take to finish it. This feeling is immediately relieved, as the teacher then tells you that you have the ENTIRE SCHOOL YEAR to finish it! The fog of impending doom is lifted, as your mind pushes the urgency of the task to a recess of your brain so neglected that even the cobwebs have cobwebs on them. Life then resumes its previous state of bliss, with the most pressing concern being, "I wonder if Hungry Howies still has that $5 large pizza deal?"

As the year presses on, the dread tries to push its way back to the forefront, only to be suppressed. After all, you still have plenty of time! Eventually, you reach the time when you realize that if you start now with a normal amount of work and study, the assignement will be done exactly on time. A very brief period of haphazard and easily distracted work ensues, until the next phase is reached: beads of cold sweat appear on your brow as you think something along these lines: "Holy shnikeys. I am toast." You now know that only a frenzied effort that would put a Viking berserker to shame will result in the assignment being sufficient for a passing grade.

And yes, I know what you are thinking. "If he is one of the disciplined types, how is he so familiar with this syndrome?" Well, maybe I am particularly observant and insightful, ever think of that?

I think we all know this syndrome pretty well, and it is bad enough when it applies only to academia, but at some point in this the rubber does meet the road. That point for me was this past week at work. I work for a Senior Management company, and I transport elderly patients. One lady at the assisted living facility, Beverly, made a habit of chatting with me every time I was there. Some days she was lucid, some less so, but she always recognized me for some reason. I put it down to another syndrome: "Stare at the big ugly guy" syndrome.

One evening I was in her room installing a new bed for her, and I happened to glance at her bookshelf, and saw that it was full of books on Catholicism. Many of them were about Mary, the rosary, etc. I thought, "Maybe I should try to talk to her about the Lord...", but I figured, hey, I've got plenty of time.

The next day, I was sent to the hospital to drop off her things, because she had had a major stroke. When I saw her, it broke my heart. This sweet little lady could no longer speak, walk, or even eat by herself. The doctor said that her mind was probably gone for good. As I took her back to the facility, I looked at the shattered shell that still held her soul, and realized that her choice was irrevocably made. Even though she was still alive, she was living dead. She would never again have the chance to accept Christ and be reconciled to God. My choice was also made. I chose not to tell her. I chose not to try. I decided that it wasn't important enough at the time, and hey, I HAD TOMORROW!!!

We are not promised tomorrow. We are not even promised the rest of today. God give us young and old alike a sense of urgency about what we are left on this earth to do! I know that most of this little story is light and funny, but this is not. Beverly's eternity is not.
Col 4:3 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: Col 4:4 That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. Col 4:5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.

Paranoia

2007-08-16T06:20:00.000-07:00

"You'd be paranoid too, if everyone was watching you!"

Do you ever feel like you are being watched? Believe it or not, that's really not a bad thing. You are being watched, and by more people than you could imagine. Everyone is scrutinized, but scrutiny is multiplied to the nth degree when by word or deed you proclaim yourself a Christian. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid....

Yesterday, my wife and I got into the car to go to work like every other morning, but the car would not start! It had already been a rough morning: the coffee spilled all over my freshly ironed pants, the cat scratched my shin, my hair curler stopped working (ok, that was a joke), and worse than all that, we were late. I HATE being late. In fact, my wife was late, not me. But even that made me mad. I started Baptist swearing, hitting random inanimate objects (my wife suddenly became animate at that point), and generally acting like a fool. Right then, my Indian neighbor (who I had never talked to or invited to church, but that is a different post) came out and offered to jump my battery. After that failed, he gave me a ride to work. While we were in the car, he said "I see you guys every Sunday get up early and go to church all dressed up. That is really great, young people usually don't care about things like that." That was about the time the Holy Spirit hit me with the sledge-hammer in the ribs. PEOPLE ARE WATCHING YOU!

If I had been living every moment in the realization that there is a huge neon flashing sign over my head that says "CHRISTIAN! THIS IS WHAT CHRIST IS LIKE!!!", I doubt I would have behaved that way. That is only one of many examples in my life, and I am sure you can relate as well. You cannot be hid. Don't even try, just accept it and let Christ make your life a billboard for His mercy and grace and glory!

Paranoia isn't so bad, really.....

Faith is.....

2007-08-16T05:55:00.000-07:00

I was listening to a well-known preacher on the radio yesterday, and he said something that really caught my attention. He said,

"Faith is not believing that God can, but rather knowing that He will."

Now, I know that as good IFB's, we tend to automatically think "name it and claim it" philosophy, but there is a good element of truth to what he said. I was reading in James yesterday, and it says that in petitioning God, we must ask in faith, nothing wavering, or we cannot expect to receive anything from Him. That is a great definition of faith! Faith does not waver, faith knows!

Hebrews 4:16 says that we can come boldly before the throne of grace to find help. I think that too many times we are bold in being in the throne room, knowing that we are allowed to be there, but we lack boldness in asking for those things that we need or desire. We can be bold because we know that He hears us, and we know that He will answer prayer.

Personally, I know that many times I will ask my Father for something, but with a sinking feeling that it's really not going to happen. I know He can, but I don't know that He will. That is not faith! If faith as small as a mustard seed can move a mountain, surely a prayer in accordance with what we know that God wants can:

- Bring the convicting power of the Spirit to the heart of an unbeliever

- Stir the hearts of Christians to become laborers in the harvest

- Make our church a beacon of hope for the world, and an example of how the lost can be won all over the world to other churches

- Meet financial needs, personal, church, and missions

- Bring victory over temptation and selfishness

We pray for these things because we know we should, but imagine what God would do in our lives if we believed that He really wants to answer them!!!

We all want to please God, but without true faith it is impossible to please Him. Let's have faith!

Festa Lusofana

2007-08-09T07:14:00.000-07:00

Well it's official! October 21st will be the first ever "Festa Lusofana", or "Portuguese-Speaking Banquet" at Vision Baptist Church. Conservative estimates place Brazilian population in the metro-Atlanta area at 50,000, and Portuguese population at 5000. A sizeable portion of the Brazilians are evangelical, but mostly charismatic, and in need of a solid biblical church. As in Portugal, the vast majority of the Portuguese in the US remain blindly loyal to the Roman Catholic Church. This banquet is above all evangelistic in nature. It is a tool to bring lost people to a place where they can hear a clear-cut unapologetic delivery of the saving Gospel of Christ! Please be praying for this event, and for the people who will be attending.

Last night my wife and I met 4 new Brazilian men while visiting in the Roswell area, and all were very friendly and open when they heard their language being spoken. They are Guilhermo, Paulo, Marciano, and Pedro. Also, a Portuguese couple named Lino and Dadita are interested in coming to the banquet, and have invited us to come to their social gatherings to meet more Portuguese people. Praise God!

Unto the Least

2007-08-09T07:01:00.000-07:00

A young lady named Sally, relates an experience she had in a seminaryclass, given by her teacher, Dr. Smith. She says that Dr. Smithwas knownfor his elaborate object lessons.One particular day, Sally walked into the seminary and knew they were infor a fun day.On the wall was a big target and on a nearby table were many darts. Dr.Smithtold the students to draw a picture of someone that they disliked orsomeone who had made them angry, and he would allow them to throw darts atthe person's picture.Sally's friend drew a picture of who had stolen her boyfriend. Anotherfriend drew a picture of his little brother. Sally drew a picture of a former friend, putting a great deal of detail into her drawing, evendrawing pimples on the face. Sally was pleased with the overall effect shehad achieved.The class lined up and began throwing darts. Some of the students threwtheir darts with such force that their targets were ripping apart. Sally looked forward to her turn,and was filled with disappointment when Dr. Smith, because of time limits, asked the students to return to their seats. As Sally sat thinking about how angry she was because she didn't have a chance to throw any darts at her target. Dr. Smith began removing the target from the wall. Underneath the target was a picture of Jesus. A hush fell over the room as each student viewed the mangled picture of Jesus; holes and jagged marks covered His face and His eyes were pierced. Dr. Smith said only these words.... "In as much as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto Me." Matthew 25:40.

I thought this was a great object lesson, and it reminded me of Galatians 5:14-15:
"For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another."

The only commandment given in Scripture greater than that to love one another is to love God. Christ went as far as to say that love for the brethren is the mark of a true disciple! I suppose that means I will have to moderate the ranting against my fellow man on my blog. Hmmm.....

Let the games begin...

2007-08-09T06:44:00.000-07:00

I know what you are thinking: "Good night, it's about time!" I am border-line internet illiterate, but I've come to realize how great a tool a blog can be. It is great for sharing the jewels from the Word that God gives, focusing your thoughts to apply the Word to life, and most importantly, ranting incoherently against any and all who dare to disagree with me or rouse my ire.

I have entitled my blog "The Fig Tree", from Jesus' encounter with Nathanael recorded in John 1:48,

" Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel. "

Christ referred to Nathanael's time under the fig tree apparently because it was Nathanael's habit to spend time alone searching the Scriptures and seeking Jehovah's face daily under a fig tree. The main purpose of this blog (all ranting aside) is to share the blessings gleaned from my own time with God. Besides, with a name like "Newton", how can you go wrong with figs?