A Goody From Woody

September 11, 2010 is coming. It has been nine years since the attack on America by Islamic terrorists called al-Qaeda. Four commercial jet airlines hijacked and crashed into the Twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon in Arlington VA, and a field near Shanksville PA.

When 9-11-10 comes this week I’ll be reflecting on the difference between Islam and Christianity. Consider some of our differences.

Islam claims that Jesus and Mohammad were both prophets sent by Allah.

If Allah sent both Jesus and Mohammad then they would never contradict each other. But they do in major ways.

Consider Mohammad first. He was born in 570 AD. When he was forty years old he had a “revelation” in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. That was recorded in what we now know as the Koran (Qur’an). In 622 he fled opposition; this was the beginning of Islam. When Jesus and Christians rejected his teachings he returned to Mecca. He denounced the idols that surrounded the famous black stone or Kaaba Stone, and declared that it represented the one true god, Allah (formerly the moon god).

When Mohammad was 25 years old, he worked tending a caravan. The woman he worked for was a widow who was 15 years older than he was. She fell in love with him and asked him to marry her. She was wealthy. They married and had two sons (who died young) and four daughters. After the children came along Mohammad’s life was more of leisure and his duties were limited to running the family produce stand in the market.

At age 40, he had his first “vision.” He interpreted this as his call to be a prophet from Allah. At this time in Arabian religions there was no concept of either a “prophet” or “apostle.”

The term “prophet” was used in the hope that the Jews would accept Mohammad as the next prophet, while the term “apostle” was likewise used in the hope that the Christian would acknowledge him as the next apostle.

Mohammad’s appeal worked for pagans (polytheists) who followed his leadership, but both Jews and Christians rejected him and his teachings.

The concept of “revelation” in Islamic thought is very different than it is for Christians and our Bible.

The word “revelation” in Arabic literally means “handed down.” It means that the Quran did not come “through” or “by” any man, in this case, Mohammad.

There are therefore no human authors of the Quran. Allah speaks through Gabriel to man, and man is the receiver and not the originator of the Quran.

This is in contrast to the biblical authors who even identified themselves as the ones who wrote their particular books. Christians have no difficulty in saying Jeremiah wrote the book of Jeremiah or Luke wrote the book of Luke. They do not feel that this lessens or limits the inspiration of the Bible in any way.

But with the Quran there is the denial of any human or earthly sources for the material that was handed down from heaven by Allah through Gabriel.

While Mohammad was rising to power, and under pressure from family and friends, who were polytheists, he decided to allow and admitted it was OK to pray and worship the three daughters of Allah: Al-Zat, al-Uzza, and Manat (which is polytheism).

This led to the famous “Satanic verses” in which Mohammad, in a moment of weakness and supposedly under the inspiration of Satan (according to early Muslim authorities), succumbed to the temptation to appease the pagan mobs in Mecca. (Sura 53:19).

The story of Mohammad’s temporary appeasement of the pagans by allowing them their polytheism cannot be ignored or denied. It is a fact of history.

Many Muslim scholars say that Mohammad was sinless. But this refutes that completely.

While at Medina, he decided to go back to Mecca and force everyone, the polytheists, the Jews and Christians, to follow Allah—whether they wanted to or not. So riding on a camel with a vast array he rode into Mecca with a sword in his mouth to conquer by force.

Consider now Jesus. According to the Old Testament, Jesus’ birth, life, death and resurrection were foretold. (See Micah 5:2 to see where he would be born. Isaiah 40 and Micah 4 tell us his coming would be broadcast by John the Baptist.)

No soothsayer or prophet announced Mohammad’s coming.

The birth of Jesus was miraculous—a virgin born Savior. Not so Mohammad.

According to the New Testament, Jesus Christ lived a perfect and sinless life (2 Cor. 5:21).

Even in Jesus’ trial before Pilate, no charge could be found. They had to lie to come up with a reason for his arrest.

But Mohammad was not so. He was a natural human being who had all our sins and afflictions and therefore needed a Savior just as we do.

Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey with palm branches waving to the cry “Hosanna.” He did not come as a conquering warrior. He came as deliverer from the bondage of sin and death.

During Jesus’ life on earth, He performed many miracles. He healed the sick, cast out demons, raised the dead, and stilled storms and the seas.

According to the Quran in dozens of places such as Sura 17:91-95, Mohammad never performed a single miracle.

According to the New Testament, Jesus Christ was unique in that He was divine as well as human. This is why Jesus is called “God” in John 1, 8, 18; 20:28; Acts 20:28; Romans 9;5; Titus 2:13, Hebrews 1:8, 10; 2 Peter 1:1, etc.

When we turn to Mohammad, we find that he was only a man.

According to the New Testament, Jesus preached the love of God and was the greatest example of that love: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16

In contrast, we have no record in the Quran of Mohammad preaching on the love of God.

Jesus never instructed His followers by way of example, command, or precept to kill in His name, to rob in His name, or to subdue enemies in His name.

But Mohammad did. Mohammad even took his adopted son’s (Zaid) wife. And then he had a “revelation” that Allah said it was OK for the prophet to take a daughter-in-law for a wife. He had 15 wives.

Lastly, Jesus was crucified, and resurrected from the dead. He conquered sin, death and the grave. He physically rose again on the third day in the same body that had hung on the old rugged cross. He died for our sins in order to justify us. Romans 4:25

But when Mohammad died, he remained in the grave. He did not rise again. Mohammad is dead but Jesus our Savior is alive forever.

Forgive the long blog, but these are just the fragments of differences between Mohammad and Jesus.

Pray for the followers of Islam and Mohammad. Love not hate is the secret. Use what you’ve discovered here to talk about our differences as a tool to witness.

God Bless,
Woody

Last weekend I gave lots of thought to Dr. Jay Adams’ book, A Call to Discernment, Distinguishing Truth from Error in Today’s Church.

What led me to think about Dr. Adams’ book was listening to a few minutes of Mr. Glenn Beck and his rally called “Restoring Honor” at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C.

The “blogs” last weekend went wild over Mr. Beck’s rally. People love him or hate him but few people are neutral in referencing him.

Just a bit of background on Mr. Beck. He grew up in Everett, Washington and was raised a Roman Catholic. He became a disc-jockey at the age of 13. His mother died and the family moved to Bellingham. Beck moved 4-5 times from one radio station to another, and married and divorced his first wife. He struggled with drug and alcohol abuse for a season and in the mid 90’s went thru recovery. He married his second wife, Tania, in 1999. They decided before marriage they wanted to be members of a church. With encouragement from his daughter from his first marriage, Glenn and Tania joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

No one can doubt Beck’s popularity, his love for his country, conservative values, love of our constitutional form of government, etc.

The irony of last weekend was a Mormon calling American Christians back to revival. Worse yet, non-discerning Christians proclaiming “Amen.” Christianity and the Mormon Church (they prefer to be called The church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but most of the devout call themselves Mormons—no offense intended) are theologically not in the same category.

Christianity sees Mormonism as a cult. Joseph Smith, Jr. (1805-1844) founded the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints in 1830 in New York. The headquarters for the organization is in Salt Lake City Utah. The Mormon Bibles are the book of Mormon; Doctrine and Covenants; Pearl of Great Price; The Bible (KJV only or Smith’s “Inspired Version”); and authoritative teachings of Mormon prophets and other LDS “general authorities.” When you ask the question “who is God?”, Christians say “the One God is Triune (one God in three Persons, not three gods): Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Often the title, “God” designates the first Person, God the Father. God is a spiritual being without a physical body. He is personal and involved with people. He created the universe out of nothing. He is eternal, changeless, holy, loving, and perfect.

A Mormon would have a totally different answer. “Jesus is a separate god from the Father (Elohim). He was created as a spirit child by the Father and Mother in Heaven, and is the “elder brother” of all men and spirit beings. His body was created through sexual union between Elohim and Mary. Jesus was married. His death on the cross does not provide full atonement for all sin, but does provide everyone with resurrection.

You can see we are not talking the same language as Mormons.

My point from the beginning is simple. American Christians are not discerning the call to revival that Mr. Beck is asking for. How can a Mormon who believes what he does about God, call American Christians, who do not agree with Mormon beliefs, to revival? And revival to what—the God of the Bible or the god of Mormonism?

Pray for the Becks. Pray for America.

Ask the God of the Bible for revival—not a political or economic change, but a heart change toward Christ—for His glory and our benefit.

God Bless,
Woody

P.S. Dr. Russell Moore at Southern Seminary in Louisville has written a great blog on God, the Gospel and Glenn Beck. I commend it for your reading. (Go to www.russellmoore.com.)

I sit today and have this question in my heart about the contemporary church and Christians generally. Are we ashamed of Christ?

Consider the foundation of my question. In 2 Timothy chapter 1 (please read both chapters one and two for a great understanding of Paul’s appeal to the young preacher Timothy), Paul says, “So then, don’t be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but rather share with me my suffering for the good news by the power of God.” 2 Timothy 1:8

Consider where Paul was when he wrote this epistle. He was in prison for preaching Christ. But this verse tells us Paul wrote he was not a prisoner of Rome, but of Christ.

Suffering, or the possibility of suffering for Christ, had caused both Phygellus and Hermogenes to run away from Paul. We can understand their fear of being jailed or losing their life, but still they have to be labeled as “ashamed of Christ.”

Living in a “postmodern” world where Emergent church leaders have “conversations” with the people of our culture, I get the impression that these leaders are ashamed of Christ. I seldom read about their use of the word “sin,” “salvation,” “heaven,” or “hell” (most would argue hell doesn’t exist.)

Heaven help the church today if these leaders abandon Christ and the absolutes He communicated to all men and women to be saved.

Not only do I wrestle with why people want to “talk” but why not talk about the “star” of our show—Jesus?

Recently I read Charles H. Spurgeon’s work on “Eccentric Preachers.” In this work he gave the definition of “eccentric” (quoting from Dr. Samuel Johnson’s dictionary): “It signified deviating from the center, or not having the same center as another circle.” Spurgeon noted, “The word has come to mean singular, odd, whimsical and so forth.” Spurgeon noted for preachers and Christians we move in a circle not quite coincident with that which is followed by the majority.

I was blessed by reading Spurgeon’s work. He was called the “Prince of Preachers.” He was labeled and made fun of by many. But in his lifetime he preached to 10 million people (1834-1892) without a sound system.

I suppose Spurgeon, by moving in a “different circle” than his London culture, really was eccentric. I would say he was not ashamed of Christ.

Ask yourself today, “Do the people that know me know of my love and devotion to Christ? “Does the person at the grocery store, gas station, school, work and department stores know I am not ashamed of my Master?”

If the answer is they don’t know that about me, then why not? Either you are ashamed of Him or you are not a believer in Christ.

Paul’s appeal to young Timothy is my appeal to you who follow Christ today (in our postmodern world): “Do your best to present yourself to God tried and true, a workman who won’t be ashamed, handling the Word of truth with accuracy.”

God Bless,
Woody

If you have read a newspaper, magazine, or listened to radio or TV, you have heard in the last six months the word “Sharia.” Sharia, or Islamic law, means literally “the path to a watering hole.” The Guardian newspaper in UK describes Sharia as, “…a religious code for living, in the same way that the Bible offers a moral system for Christians.” Sharia is the legal code practiced in all Muslim countries and is based on two sources:
• The teachings of the Quran—the Muslim holy book that they believe is the Word of God, as dictated to the prophet Muhammad by the angel Gabriel.
• The Teachings from Sunna—the custom or practice of Islam based on the life of the prophet Muhammad as recorded in the hadith (the report or narrative of what the prophet said or did in his life.)

These Islamic principles of jurisprudence create a real problem for people in non-Muslim countries. Even though we live in a republic that has a Constitution and Declaration of Independence, the question is can the two legal systems co-exist, since Sharia deals with day-to-day life, from family, sexuality, hygiene, politics, economics, banking, business, contracts and social issues?

What America is facing today is what happened in Europe in the last fifty years. Well, just a slight bit of difference. What happened in European society was a creeping Sharia but in the U.S. it is nothing less than overwhelming.

If you think I exaggerate, please note the stories coming to us:
• Foot-washing facilities at airports at tax payer’s expense. This is also being done at many universities across America at either state expense or student fees. Question: Is this not a violation of our Establishment Clause? This seems one religion is getting preferential treatment over other religions in America—just the opposite of what the First Amendment is all about.
• Muslim taxi drivers all across the U.S. have refused to carry passengers who are carrying alcohol or who have been drinking. They also refuse to pick up blind people who are accompanied by seeing-eye dogs, since dogs are dirty or unclean to their faith.
• The building of prayer rooms to accommodate prayer time for Muslim at Tyson Foods in Shelbyville, TN. The holiday of Labor Day is a work day now but the Muslim holiday of Eed al-Fit (end of Ramadan) in the fall is now the norm at the same plant.
• Should I mention the proposed mosque at or near ground zero in Manhattan? There is a groundswell of opposition to building or expanding Mosques across the nation according to the New York Times (August 7, 2010). From Murfreesboro, TN to Temecula, CA to Sheboygan WI there is a pushback.
The Times said, “In all the recent conflicts, opponents have said their problem is Islam itself. They quote passages from the Koran and argue that even the most Americanized Muslim secretly wants to replace the Constitution with Islamic Sharia law.”
In America we believe in the freedom of religion—but what if Islam is not just a religion but about a political agenda? Then what?

The struggle today is our Constitution and natural law versus Sharia. (See my blog of two weeks ago to understand where our law comes from.)

Lastly, you may want to pray and think more about the latest episode of “creeping Sharia.” Feisal Abdul Rauf, the Iman trying to build the Mosque at Manhattan is now an envoy for the United States. President Obama has chosen this Iman who said 9/11 happened because of U.S. policies. He also refused to say Hamas is a terrorist organization.

However, Rauf is now our envoy to Muslim countries for the next twelve months. The “outreach” to Muslim countries means he will travel the world at tax payer expense creating good will.

As I think about and pray for our country this morning, my thoughts and prayers for the U.S. are this: 2 Chronicles 7:14. “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

God Bless,
Woody

For more information, please visit the following websites: http://www.americanthinker.com (Top ten reasons why sharia is bad for all societies) http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications (Sharia Can Never Happen Here?

July 28, 2010

President Abraham Lincoln once said, “The philosophy in the schoolroom in one generation will be the philosophy of the government in the next.”

How we Americans think about creation affects our view of the laws of our country. The Founders of our country understood this and therefore could write that “all are created equal” and that all people possess God-given “unalienable Rights” based on the law of Nature, which proceeds from “Nature in God.”

The concept of law (legal theory) is built on the relationships between law and morality. Natural Law is a view of law that sees God as Creator who gives people through eternal reason the ability to understand Natural Law because as people we are created in His image (imago dei) and we as people have intrinsic value based on God creating us. This view helps us really understand the effect of creation on what we think and the laws we create in regard to abortion and euthanasia. Because we are created in God’s image we will protect life.

Our country has had the benefits of Natural Law through most of its history. A new philosophy of law has appeared over the years and it is called Positive Law. This view of law sees man with temporal reason creating laws that are relative and subjective. They do not believe that God is involved in this process or product at all. Because they do not believe in creation man does not have intrinsic value and is left with only human reason to create social norms or power over people through law. This group finds it easy to support abortion and euthanasia.

How did America shift from Natural Law to Positive Law? If you look back in history you’ll find three reasons. They are:

1. Influence of Friedrich Nietzsche, the German atheist (1844-1900) who created a philosophy that “God is dead” and mankind is self-sufficient.
2. Utilitarianism. This is a moral theory that sees an action as morally right if and only if it produces at least as much good (utility) for all people affected by the action or any alternative action the person could do instead. This means there are no absolutes in law. It all depends on the person.
3. Charles Darwin (1809-1882). His writings on the Origin of the Species and his philosophy and teaching that mankind is basically a high functioning animal. Darwin was also an atheist.

If you put the influence of all three of them together you’ll see we as a country have shifted to Positive Law based on the rejection of God as Creator and with that the elevation of mankind to a place where only God belongs.

Next time you are reading about judges or lawyers or congress and the word law is used, it might be wise to know -- are they referring to law as our Founding Fathers believed it to be, Natural Law (based on God as Creator and therefore people having intrinsic value) or Positive Law where man is the center of it all and does not have intrinsic value.

By the way Positive Law changed its title to “legal realism” or “critical legal studies.”

The person nominated to be a Supreme Court Judge by President Obama is in her own words a “legal realist.”

Man-centered law that attempts to cut God out of the picture and ignore his laws will be out of step with reality. Pray for all those who lead us! Pray and put into practice Romans 13:1, “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established…”

John Owen, perhaps one of the sharpest theological minds in Puritan history said, “Without absolutes revealed from without by God Himself, we are left rudderless in a sea of conflicting ideas about manners, justice and right and wrong, issuing from a multitude of self-opinionated thinkers.” (Owen 1616-1683)

I’ve been thinking lately, as most American are, about our economy. Two ideas are on the stage for acceptance: capitalism or socialism.

Throughout world history these two ideas of social organization have squared off against each other. Either collectivism or individualism will prevail. Collectivism has taken many forms: fascism, welfare-statism, socialism and even communism. I left out Nazism—add that also. The only social system that has worked for individualism is laissez-faire capitalism. (The French term means “let do” or “let it alone” in reference to the economy. In 1680 it was first used to advocate for leaving industry alone—to be free from government intervention.)

For the average Christian in America it is obvious that the battle to lead our country to socialism is in high gear. If you interviewed college professors, politicians and main-stream journalists, you would hear the callous and base put-down of capitalism. They believe socialism is “morally” superior to capitalism.

Dr. David Noebel, in his book The Battle for Truth, writes “The Christian worldview embraces democratic capitalism (laissez-faire) for a number of reasons. The Bible not only grants man the right to private property, but also calls for man to be a good steward of his property, and the free enterprise system affords man the most opportunity to act as a responsible steward by creating wealth and opportunity. Further, the competition in a free market works according to the principle of comparative advantage, which affirms the inherent worth of every individual.” (Page 295)

Which system is more just? Dr. Noebel writes, “Capitalism is also more socially just than socialism. While the socialist calls for economic equality, capitalism respects the Biblical requirement of equality before the law. This does not, as the socialist contends, cause the rich to get richer and the poor poorer. Rather, it encourages the rich to create more wealth, thereby aiding all of society. The policies of redistribution, including welfare systems, only multiply the problems for the poor—creating needless bureaucracies and concentrating too much power in the hands of the government. Conversely, capitalism encourages freedom in the political sphere. This removes the danger of granting sovereignty to the state instead of God.” (Page 296)

If the Christian understands the battle over the economy today in worldview terms, he or she will end up in favor of capitalism and free enterprise. This truth was very evident to Frederick Engels (the father of communist theory) who said, “If some few passages of the Bible may be favorable to communism, the general spirit of the doctrine is, nevertheless, totally opposed to it.” (Page 296)

Socialism does away with private property and even individual responsibility. (Read Isaiah 65:21-22; Jeremiah 32:43-44; Acts 5:1-4, and Ephesians 4:28 supporting capitalism.)

The only theology I know supporting socialism is called “Liberation Theology,” misreading and misunderstanding Acts 2:44-45. Personal salvation is based on a relationship with our wonderful Savior. Liberation Theology is “collective” salvation from so-called economic, political, and social conditions. Personal salvation from sin or social collective salvation from economic, political, and social problems? The government “saves” us, or we will choose salvation from sin through Christ. You can’t have it both ways.

In a culture that has abandoned “absolute” in relationship to God, moral laws, ethics, etc. in favor of relativism, it is great to be reminded of what John Owen wrote, “Without absolutes revealed from without by God Himself, we are left rudderless in a sea of conflicting ideas about manners, justice and right and wrong, issuing from a multitude of self-opinionated thinkers.”

God’s truth is by its very nature absolute. It does not depend upon any time, place, or condition to be true.

Jesus said, "There was once a rich man who had a manager. He got reports that the manager had been taking advantage of his position by running up huge personal expenses. So he called him in and said, 'What's this I hear about you? You're fired. And I want a complete audit of your books.' Jesus went on to make these comments: If you're honest in small things, you'll be honest in big things; if you're a crook in small things, you'll be a crook in big things. If you're not honest in small jobs, who will put you in charge of the store? No worker can serve two bosses: he'll either hate the first and love the second or adore the first and despise the second. You can't serve both God and the Bank.” Luke 16:1-2, 10-13 9 (The Message)

God Bless,
Woody

One of my favorite quotes is from C. H. Spurgeon, who said, “The religion of both Old and New Testaments is marked by fervent outspoken testimonies against evil. To speak smooth things in such a case may be sentimentalism, but it is not Christianity. It is a betrayal of the cause of truth and righteousness.”

So, with that in your heart and mind, let me bring up the name of a deceased radical who still reigns in our world—Saul Alinsky. Alinsky was a community organizer from Chicago who traveled the U.S. and gave lectures on college campuses and union halls, to persuade people to follow his socialism. He wrote two books, Rules for Radicals: A Pragmatic Primer for Realistic Radicals (this was dedicated to Lucifer, the first radical), and his second book, Reveille for Radicals.

Rules for Radicals was published in 1972. Alinsky’s favorite word in this book is “change” and his next favorite was a phrase “Community organizer.”

Alinsky wrote, “What follows is for those who want to change the world from what is to what they believe it should be. The Prince was written by Machiavelli for the “Haves” on how to hold power. Rules for Radicals is written for the “Have-nots” on how to take it away.”

Alinsky was born in 1909 to Russian Jewish immigrant parents. His parents were “strict orthodox Jews” and so was Saul, until he was 12 years old. He said he had kicked the habit of orthodoxy by that time.

What makes Alinsky noteworthy, even though he is dead (1972) is his influence on organizing for more power today.

When Alinsky said he “believed in change,” Brannon Howse stated, “Alinsky means revolution.” “Alinsky said we need to have a socialist communist revolution. We need to do away with private property, free enterprise, free market, capitalism. But we do it over time, by penetrating every institution and changing their worldview.”

Alinsky called for radicals to defend their agenda by ridiculing the opposition. He wrote, “Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon. It is almost impossible to counter attack ridicule. It infuriates the opposition, who then react to your advantage.”

Robert Knight said of Alinsky, “he is all about using deception, manipulation, and raw power to bring about a communist future.”

Who has been influenced the most by Alinsky’s writings? Hillary Clinton and President Barack Obama are high on the list. Clinton wrote her senior thesis at Wellesley College on Alinsky. The title of her paper was, “There is only the Fight, An Analysis of the Alinsky Model.” She wrote, “If the ideals Alinsky espouses were actualized, the result would be social revolution.”

President Obama taught at least four years of the Alinsky model as a community organizer in Chicago. Obama did his primary work by building coalitions of black churches.

Interesting to me is that Alinsky’s ideas were not original. They started with a Neo-Marxist in Italy by the name of Antonio Gramsci. Gramsci said a guns and bullets revolution never works but he said “gradualism, infiltration and the dialectic process” was a sure thing.

A final thought on Alinsky. He was deeply influenced by the social science insights of his times, one developed by his professor at Chicago: that the pathologies of the urban poor were not hereditary but environmental. This idea, that people could change their lives by changing their surroundings, led him to take the obscure social science phrase, “the community organization,” and turn it into, in the words of Alinsky’s biographer Sanford Horwitt, “something controversial, important, even romantic.”

Don’t overlook this idea. Change my surroundings and you change me. The Bible tells a different story. God’s Son came to change our hearts even if the environment never changed. We call that salvation from sin, not liberation from a job, community or government.

In case you haven’t paid attention to the TV news or news magazines, the assault on Biblical absolutes and Christian values has been the threat for Alinsky and followers since 1972.

What can you do to change this slide toward socialism? C. H. Spurgeon’s quote at the beginning of this blog says it all. Call it evil!!! Read your Bible every day! Learn to use the Word of God daily to see how
1 Chronicles 12:32 can be used in your life!
1. “Understand the times”
2. “Knowledge of what to do”

God Bless,
Woody

To check out the 11 Rules for Radicals, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rules_for_Radicals

I have been pondering over 2 Timothy 2:2 lately. Paul states: “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”

To put this another way, “a truly great teacher lives on in the lives of his students!”

As I think about this idea, several men from church history come to mind. One man stands out clearly: Charles Hodge. Mr. Hodge was educated at the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) and Princeton Theological Seminary. He married the great-granddaughter of Benjamin Franklin.

Mr. Hodge graduated in 1816 from Princeton and became a professor there in 1822. He started the Princeton Review in 1825. He excelled in NT exegesis and didactic theology.

During his lifetime, Mr. Hodge taught more than three thousand students. Thousands of people heard him preach and even more read his words. Most notable of his writings is his three-volume set of Systematic Theology.

I was amazed at a tradition Mr. Hodge started at Seminary graduation in 1868. After the benediction was pronounced, the graduating class made a circle around Charles Hodge at the middle of the front campus. They sang several verses of the hymn, “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name.” Then, making a tighter circle with each graduate crossing his arms across his chest and grasping the hands of the students on either side, they sang together “Blest Be The Tie That Binds,” followed by the doxology. After Hodge pronounced a benediction, he shook hands with each student, and all went their separate ways to minister the gospel as pastors, missionaries, and church leaders.

Three of Mr. Hodge’s children became pastors, two became faculty members where he taught, and a grandson, C.W. Hodge, Jr. also taught for many years at Princeton Theological Seminary.

Charles Hodge invested his life in his students. I believe he was doing what Jesus commanded His followers to do: make disciples and then invest your life in them.

Think with me about the people in your life and in your sphere of influence—friends, family, co-workers, neighbors. Whom do you believe God has given to you in whom you can invest your life?

“So, my son, throw yourself into this work for Christ. Pass on what you heard from me—the whole congregation saying Amen!— to reliable leaders who are competent to teach others. When the going gets rough, take it on the chin with the rest of us, the way Jesus did. A soldier on duty doesn't get caught up in making deals at the marketplace. He concentrates on carrying out orders. An athlete who refuses to play by the rules will never get anywhere. It's the diligent farmer who gets the produce. Think it over. God will make it all plain.” 2 Timothy 2:1-7 (The Message)

God Bless,
Woody

P.S. A great quote from Charles Hodge is this: “The ultimate ground of faith and knowledge is confidence in God.”

I had the privilege of hearing Dr. Ergun Caner preach in Florida a few years ago. Dr. Caner is president of Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, and a great writer. Oh, by the way, did I tell you he is a convert from Islam to Christianity?

I was reading his book called, When Worldviews Collide recently and came across a significant insight. He writes that our culture is in chaos. Everywhere you look you see on TV, media, government and in our public schools, the same. Canter writes (page 29), “It is the world in which we live, and it isn’t pretty.
• A culture of victimization: no one is responsible.
• A culture of syncretism: all religions are the same.
• A culture of relativism: all religions are equally true.
• A culture of confrontation: how loudly people state their opinion is more important than the content of their messages.
• A culture of hyphenation: people are invested in movements and causes, based on their subgroup or movement, and they define themselves by this hyphenation.
• A culture of medication: we treat the symptoms but not the core diseases of yearning, guilt and pain.”
Canter calls these thoughts the “modern-day theater of the opinionated.”

When I did graduate work I read H. Richard Niebuhr’s, Christ and Culture. He outlined positions typically held by Christians in regard to culture. He listed:
• Christ above culture: Christians are oblivious to culture around them.
• Christ against culture: Christians take an adversarial stance against anything culture offers.
• Christ of culture: Christians attempt to mimic anything popular in culture.

I believe St. Paul has a better idea on how to deal with our culture (which is very postmodern). In Acts 17:16-21, Paul is deeply imbedded in his culture. He is in the marketplace, and there he offers Christ to common people and philosophers. He was in the real world. He was not running from a fight, nor was he afraid. What did he do with his culture? He gave them this:
• Christ confronting culture: Christians neither hiding from evil nor assimilating it. As Canter, in his book, stated: “Surrounded by sin, Christians confront it and persuade the sinful to come to Christ. This is a believer’s stance. We are not oblivious to culture, nor do we shrink from it. We are not silenced by culture. Instead, we present Christ with every available tool in every possible context.”

Think with me, please. How are we being silenced? In our work, at home, in the church, in our culture, is there anything that prevents you from communicating the good news of the Gospel? If there is, get rid of it. Move on. We are God’s answer to the chaos in our culture. Give them Christ! God will be glorified if you do and Satan will be delighted if you don’t.

God Bless,
Woody Church

P.S. Don’t forget—go and read Acts 17:16-21. The tools for confronting our culture with Christ will leap off the pages of God’s Word!

Goody from Woody

I’ve been thinking a lot lately on the subject of Political Correctness. I have three books on the meaning of words like: Why You Say It, by Webb Garrison; The Jewish Book of Why, by Alfred J. Kolatch; and The Christian Book of Why?, by John C. McCollister. None of these books helped me understand the roots of political correctness.

What comes to your mind when you hear these words? You are probably thinking, like me, of words that are full of PC: tolerance, multiculturalism, diversity, and feminism. Where did the ideas come from?

If you unpack the word tolerance, it means that one person never expresses an opinion or judgment about someone else’s ideas, beliefs, or values from a worldview of biblical Christianity (absolute truth). Does this mean someone demands that we only accept another worldview—anything and everything but that Christian Worldview? Tolerance is not very tolerant of biblical Christianity.

How about diversity? Isn’t that like preaching that homosexuality is just as valid as all other forms of sexuality? If we disagree, we prove that we need sensitivity training and help in being normal.

What about multiculturalism? Isn’t that valuing many cultures? No—it can only mean criticism of our Western culture and our ideas of being a melting pot of people from all the world.

Multiculturalism rebels at the notion that we as a country were founded on a very distinct Christian worldview. Especially troublesome for these folks is the notion of patriotism.

What about feminism? Isn’t that about equal rights for women? No—it is about the destruction of what was once a patriarchal society (all OT and NT thru 1980’s), to matriarchal society. The goal of this group is very anti-family and anti-father. Who has taken the father’s place in this new shift in American culture? The welfare state!!

I have read from dozens of authors—both Christian and not—that believe political correctness is a masking term for cultural Marxism. It is a movement that would rob all of us of our freedoms of speech and all of our other liberties.

How should a Christian respond to political correctness (cultural Marxism)?

The only answer is to follow God’s Word! If God calls homosexuality a sin, we should also. If anything, including feminism tries to destroy our homes and families; we should call it what it is—sin! Call out sensitivity training for what it is—an attempt to destroy freedom of speech and freedom of religion.

If you have time, you might want to find the articles written by William Lind, a history professor who wrote about this topic at www.academia.org. Also, you might want to read Grave Influence, by Brannon Howse. It is extremely helpful.

Lastly, don’t we fight sin with truth? Jesus said in John 8:31-32, “So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, ‘If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’”

God Bless,
Woody

In the early 1900s, Charles Darwin’s (1809-1882) theory of evolution was very popular. He had written Origin of Species and The Descent of Man. Adolf Hitler embraced the teachings and ideas of Darwin and evolution. In the 1900’s people began looking for fossils that could be missing links between apes and human beings.

In 1912, three men claimed they found one of these missing links near Piltdown, England. The skull looked like an ape’s skull, but it also had human features. The fossil soon became famous around the world.

But the skull was a fake. This find was a hoax!! A German scientist closely examined the skull and the finds near it—an orangutan jaw, an elephant molar, a hippopotamus tooth, and a canine tooth from a chimpanzee. It took 40 more years after people were made to believe it was true to know the truth. There were even 500 scientific essays written supporting this find.

Every April 1 (April Fools’ Day), I remind myself that things may not be as they are portrayed.

Darwin was committed to naturalism, the belief that all that exists is the natural world. To him there is no spiritual world, no Creator God.

As Brannon Howse states in his book, Grave Influence, 2009 (p.218):
“If there is no God or Creator, then everything happens by chance or mistake.”
“If there is no God, then man was not created in His image.”
“If there is no God, then there is no right or wrong.”
“If there is no God, there is only the natural world.”
“If there is no God, then man does not have an eternal soul and there is no life after death.”
“If there is no God, life has no meaning.”
“If there is no God, man does not have a free will, for he is the product of his environment.”

When I think of Darwin, I think of Psalm 14:1. “The fool has said in his heart, there is no God.”

The Bible is clear—the “fool” is a person not necessarily lacking in “mental power”, or has intellectual deficiencies. It is rather a person who is morally deficient. The person chooses to ignore the God who created the world and everything and everyone in it. That person is spiritually blind.

Proverbs 14:9 states, “Fools don't care if they sin, but honest people work at being right.”

Don’t be fooled today! One of the ways to not be tricked is to do this—trust Christ. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” This can be the prayer that you pray today.

God bless,
Woody

Extra credit: Look up Jeremiah 17:1

I heard a sermon a few weeks back by my son-in-law, Scott Luck. He used a reference from Joshua chapter 3. The Jewish people had been led out of Egypt—where they had been slaves for 400 years. Over a million Jewish men, women and children waited at the Jordan River to cross over to the “Promised Land” that God said would be theirs. Their future hope and home was across the River which was at flood stage since it was harvest time.

Joshua had told the people to follow the priests into the River when the priest carried the “Ark of the Covenant” before them.

No doubt all the Jewish men, women and children were wondering if they would die in the Jordon River or would God make a way through it.

Joshua chapter 3 tells us that God was “working upstream” at a place called Adam where the Jordan River had started to back up. By the time the Jewish people crossed the Jordon, they were able to walk over on dry ground. Amazing!

God knew the need of His people before they did. Crossing a swollen Jordon River at flood stage is impossible for man. But God, in His Providence was “working upstream” to stop the Jordon River. In everyday language God is always “working upstream” for His people.

I have been at the Jordon River during harvest season, and it really does flood. But God was working ahead of His people to do what He had promised.

Do you believe God is “working upstream” in your life today? I sure do!

Not long ago I visited one of my doctors to deal with a minor physical problem. I had not planned on seeing that doctor or his staff for another month. But one of the workers had lost a friend in a car accident and was grieving. She said she needed to know how to talk to the children of the deceased man. I knew then that God had been working upstream because I have talked many, many times to children about the loss of grandparents and parents. In fact, I’ve done workshops on the topic. That day was a reminder that God had worked in my life for years (working upstream) to help the people in that office.

What problem are you facing now? God is working even if you can’t see evidence of it today. (The Jewish people couldn’t see 15-20 miles upstream either).

The sure confidence of Romans 8:28-29 came to mind. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” Did you see that God works all events in the lives of His people for their good?

Providence means “to see before”. God sees before us and behind us. He knows all things—and He works it all together for our good and His glory. (Read, at your leisure: Ps 104; Hebrews 1:3; Col 1:17; Acts 17:28; Neh 9:6.)

So where is God working “upstream” in your life?

God Bless,
Woody

P.S. Did you know that Roger Williams in 1636, who was a religious exile, named a city in Rhode Island “Providence”? He was struck by “God’s merciful Providence” which he believed God had allowed the early settlers to find and enjoy.

Do you know the name of Wilbert Awdry? He was a pastor and served in Wiltshire England. As a little boy he tagged along on pastoral visits with his father who also was a pastor. Wilbert loved riding the train and engaged railroad workers in conversation everywhere he went.

Wilbert was not a great academic student and barely graduated from college. Wilbert was not very successful as a pastor. In fact, he was fired by his church and at that time considered leaving the ministry. He loved God and he loved people.

Something happened to Wilbert when his son Christopher was a child suffering with measles. Because his son was confined to his bed, the pastor amused his son with a story he made up about a little train engine that was sad because he hadn’t been out of his train shed for a long time.

Christopher begged his father to tell him the story over and over again. Wilbert finally wrote the story down and illustrated it with some crude line drawings of trains with faces on them.

Wilbert’s wife, Margaret, saw more in the children’s story than family entertainment. She urged her husband to take the little book to a publisher. Wilbert was shocked that they liked the book and wanted to publish it. The little book called, The Three Railway Engines, was first published in 1945.

Twenty six books about train engines followed—all with different names. Do remember Thomas or Gordon? Edward? Terrence or Bertie? All these stories were about little train engines with different personalities who interacted in very simple, but very human dramas. Every story had a moral lesson. These train engines, like people, had good and bad times. They learned to laugh, love, give and receive. Wilbert always wrote about redemption—taking selfish or sinful actions and getting God’s help to redeem the people.

Wilbert Awdry said of his little train stories, “The important thing is that the engines are punished and forgiven—but never scrapped”.

Even though he was not a successful pastor, Wilbert Awdry took the gospel message of grace and redemption to all the world. Ask any child if they’ve heard of Thomas the Train or Thomas the Tank Engine and you’ll see how successful the pastor really was.

When Wilbert Awdry was asked what he wanted engraved on his tombstone, he said, “He helped people see God in the ordinary things of life…and he made children laugh.” What a legacy! He died in March 1997.

May I ask a probing question of you? What will be your legacy? How will you be remembered? Will you leave a lot of money to your children and friends? Will they remember you as kind and grateful? Will they consider themselves rich (not in money) for being friends with you? We all will leave a legacy. I’ve been thinking about this. I hope you will also.
A final word from St. Paul in Colossians 3:15-17, “Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.”
God Bless,
Woody

You have heard, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” Let me explain. Matthew 24:2 says, “And He said to them, ‘Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.’”

Now look at this picture. What do you see? It is the Western Wall, or at least what remains of the old second Temple in Jerusalem. Jews had prophetically predicted the destruction of Jerusalem—which took place in 70 A.D.

Today this wall is treated like an outside or outdoor synagogue. I’ve been there at the Western Wall on two trips to the Holy Land and watched the devout Jewish men or boys bowing in prayer repeatedly. Everyday hundreds of religious Jewish men go there to pray and meditate and mourn.

Why do they mourn? They continue to grieve over the loss of the Temple—the place where they worshiped and sang and prayed. They lament the destruction of what was the site of countless blessings from God.

The Western Wall is sometimes called the “Wailing Wall” or “Place of Weeping.”

You will recall the Muslims who controlled Israel for many years tell us (tradition) that their prophet Muhammad tethered his famed horse there at the wall. His horse was named Buraq. So Arabs call the Western Wall, “Al-Buraq.”

Even though women and kids may not go down to the Western Wall to pray, they all (men, women and children) can assemble at the perimeter and weep over what has been lost.

This wall from 70 A.D. to the 1967 six-day war was controlled by other people. But on that day when the Jewish people regained control over old Jerusalem, they regained control over the wall. On that day, according to Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin, “There was one moment in the Six-Day War which symbolized the great victory: that was the moment in which the first paratroopers - under Gur's command - reached the stones of the Western Wall, feeling the emotion of the place; there never was, and never will be, another moment like it. Nobody staged that moment. Nobody planned it in advance. Nobody prepared it and nobody was prepared for it; it was as if Providence had directed the whole thing: the paratroopers weeping - loudly and in pain - over their comrades who had fallen along the way, the words of the Kaddish prayer heard by Western Wall's stones after 19 years of silence, tears of mourning, shouts of joy, and the singing of "Hatikvah" (which means hope).


What does all this mean for you and me? It means our God who is Sovereign over all things and people allowed Jerusalem to fall, including the Temple. Even the 21st century Jewish people wait and pray for Messiah.

But Messiah Jesus has already come and it is He who said the destruction of Jerusalem would happen. And it did. What has God promised for you and me for this moment in history? Acts 1:11 tells us, “They also said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.’” The New Testament ends with these words from Revelation 22:20, “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming quickly’ Amen Come, Lord Jesus.”

Be on your guard! All He promised will take place!

God Bless,
Woody

Goody from Woody
April 7, 2010


Arthur Guiterman (1871-1943), was a famous American poet. One of his most famous works is as follows:

"First Dentistry was Painless”
First dentistry was painless;
Then bicycles were chainless
And carriages were horseless
And many laws, enforceless.
Next, cookery was fireless,
Telegraphy was wireless,
Cigars were nicotineless
And coffee, caffeineless.
Soon oranges were seedless,
The putting green was weedless,
The college boy hatless,
The proper diet, fatless,
Now motor roads are dustless,
The latest steel is rustless,
Our tennis courts are sodless,
Our new religions, godless.


Did you see that last line, “Our new religions, godless”? Now before you say he was wrong, think about Friedrick Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844-1900), the European philosopher who declared, “Gott ist tot!”—German for “God is dead”. Nietzsche attended one semester of seminary training but dropped out and said he had lost his faith. (His father was a Lutheran pastor, and his mother a school teacher.) What prompted this loss of faith and later declaring “God is dead”? I believe it might have been his reading of David Strauss’s Life of Jesus. The author Strauss had argued that Jesus was human but not divine. Ideas have consequences.

Fast forward to the twenty-first century. Two years ago, at Easter time, Gretta Vosper, a United Church of Canada pastor released her book, With or Without God—Why the Way We Live Is More Important Than What We Believe. This postmodern liberal theologian contends for the idea of the removal of authority and symbols in Christianity. She removed the cross from the worship center in her church, and she took the bible and its stand off the communion table. The communion table with the words, “Do this in Remembrance of Me”, was turned around so you could not read the words.

This Canadian pastor is trying to create a community that is non-exclusive.

But even Nietzsche knew that without God there is no morality.

What’s the point? We are living in an age where even, in some churches, language, symbols, the Bible and authority are being rejected.

I believe the poet Guiterman was a prophet: “Our new religions, godless.” Today we call this the Emergent Church (or postmodern theology).

Jesus talked about these people in Matthew 7:15, “Beware of the false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inside they are plundering wolves” and in Matthew 24:11, “And many false prophets will be raised and will cause many to err.”

How do you guard against false prophets (religious leaders)?

March 31, 2010


A couple of years ago I picked up a news item from a religious service. The title of the article was “No Yahweh” in songs, prayers at Catholic Masses, Vatican Rules.

I was rather intrigued by the article since our children grew up singing, among other songs, “El Shaddai” sung by Amy Grant, and written by Michael Card and John Thompson. Of course El Shaddai is Hebrew for “God Almighty.” So why did our Catholic friends take the name “Yahweh” out of their prayers and songs at Mass? I wanted to know the answer since we taught our children from early on that God had a personal name, and it was “Yahweh.” We taught them other Old Testament names for God that described His attributes and character qualities. Some of those names are from Hebrew: El Elyon, “Lord God Almighty”; Adonai, “Lord, Master”; Jehovah Nissi, “The Lord My Banner”;
Jehovah Tsidkenu, “The Lord our Righteousness.”

I think you will appreciate why the Psalmist wrote, “Let them praise the name of the Lord: for His name alone is excellent; His glory is above the earth and heaven.” (Psalm 148:13)

But the name “Yahweh” was removed for what reason? The Vatican wanted to be sensitive to Jewish people who do not pronounce YHWH (God’s name may be written this way – four consonants called the Tetragrammaton.)

Interestingly, without the vowel marks or sounds, no one knows how to pronounce the four letters. William Gesenius (1786-1842) suggested “Yahweh” as the most probable vocalization, based on history of Hebrew and Greek and Samaritan traditions.

I believe Christians want to reverence and respect God’s name. So as I was pondering all this I went back and said, “How did David refer to God in Psalm 23?”

David uses God’s personal name!!! He wrote “Yaheweh” is my Shepherd .…” Why did David do that? He could have several dozen names for God. I believe the answer is this is God’s name—His personal name. I may be called pastor, teacher, Biblical Counselor or even papa, but my personal name is Woody.

Political correctness may get me in trouble with people, but when you cry out in love, worship or praise to our wonderful God, don’t be ashamed to pray, “You ‘Yahweh’ are my Shepherd!”

God Bless,
Woody

The name Lloyd Douglas may not register with you unless you are over fifty years old. But for some of us, it brings fond memories. Mr. Douglas was born in Indiana and even lived in Florence Kentucky for a short time. He graduated from Wittenberg College and pastored churches in Indiana, Ohio, and Washington, D.C.

When he was fifty years old he left the ministry and started a writing career. He wrote three of my favorite books: The Robe, The Big Fisherman, and Magnificent Obsession.

While still in college and living in a boarding house, Mr. Douglas tells several wonderful things he remembered. On the first floor, a retired wheel-chair-bound music professor resided. Each morning Douglas would stick his head in the door of the teacher’s apartment and ask the same question, “Well, what’s the good news?” The old man would pick up his tuning fork, tap it on the side of his wheelchair, and say, “That’s middle C! It was middle C yesterday; it will be middle C tomorrow; it will be middle C a thousand years from now. The tenor upstairs sings flat. The piano across the hall is out of tune; but my friend, that is middle C.”

If I had a gift to give all people on planet earth (other than salvation), this would be it: enough change!! We all need to know that we’ll not have more changes in our health or in relationships or jobs or church. Even the weather changes. Sometimes we like that and sometimes we do not.

Don’t you love the truth of Hebrews 13:8? “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

God is in charge! He is still in the business of being Sovereign and we can still call on Him for help, comfort, encouragement and peace. Why? Because He changes not.

He is our middle C!

God Bless,
Woody

Statistics tell us a lot about our times. Currently two million Americans live in nursing homes. Fifty million Americans alive now are expected to spend their last days in a nursing home.

The population of Americans over sixty-five will grow from thirty-four million to fifty three million by 2020, according to the Census Bureau forecasts. The over-eighty-five-year-old population will nearly double to seven million by 2020.

When you think of “age” do you think Biblically? Listen to a few words from Scripture:

“You shall rise up before the grayheaded and honor the aged, and you shall revere your God; I am the LORD.” Lev. 19:32

“Wisdom is with aged men, with long life is understanding.” Job 12:12

“King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had served his father Solomon while he was still alive, saying, ‘How do you counsel me to answer this people?’” 1 Kings 12:6

“O God, You have taught me from my youth, and I still declare Your wondrous deeds.
And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me, until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to all who are to come.” Psalm 71:17-18
All our times are in God’s hands! God’s gift of time and age is unknown to all of us. That is why we are to redeem time—use it for God’s glory and other’s benefit. Paul said it this way, “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5:15-16
Do you remember the famous line by the comedian Groucho Marx? He said, “Age is not a particularly interesting subject. Anyone can get old. All you have to do is live long enough.”
Age is a touchy subject for people—even Christians. We try to hide it, camouflage it, deny it, and lie about it. Why? Are we not at peace with this gift from God—age?
My prayer for you today—no matter your age, is this: “God, teach us to number our days, that we may present to you a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 96:12
God Bless your time!
Woody

Two thousand years ago this story occurred.

“Six days before Passover, Jesus entered Bethany where Lazarus, so recently raised from the dead, was living. Lazarus and his sisters invited Jesus to dinner at their home. Martha served. Lazarus was one of those sitting at the table with them. Mary came in with a jar of very expensive aromatic oils, anointed and massaged Jesus' feet, and then wiped them with her hair. The fragrance of the oils filled the house.”

“Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, even then getting ready to betray him, said, "Why wasn't this oil sold and the money given to the poor? It would have easily brought three hundred silver pieces." He said this not because he cared two cents about the poor but because he was a thief. He was in charge of their common funds, but also embezzled them.”

“Jesus said, ‘Let her alone. She's anticipating and honoring the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you. You don't always have me.’” --John 12:1-8, The Message

As we look back 2000 years at this story, did you see, hear and smell?

Did you smell the pint of pure nard used to anoint Jesus’ feet? The whole room was full of the fragrance of Mary’s love and devotion to Jesus.

Did you hear the outrageous comments of Judas? Judas tells us it is a waste to use this expensive nard on Jesus’ feet. (It was equal to 300 denarii or approximately 300 day’s wages.) Listen to Jesus’ response to Judas, “Let her alone. She’s anticipating and honoring the day of my burial.”

Do you see the contrast? Judas is full of the deadly sins of greed and covetousness and even dishonesty. Do you see the generous gift of Mary of Bethany at the opposite side of the room? She loves and adores her Savior. She is devoted to Him. Money is only a tool to surrender to God so that others are benefited and He gets the glory. Mary was not stingy but extraordinarily generous.

Do you remember the C.S. Lewis quote that fits Judas here? Lewis wrote, “Of all bad men religious bad men are the worst.”

Go out and give generously of your money, time, and energy for the glory of God!!
God Bless,

Woody

I can’t get 1 Chronicles 12:32 off my mind. God’s Word says: “Of the sons of Issachar, men who understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do . . .”

Do you pray God will grant us Godly men and women who understand the times in which we live? Have you seen a lot of Godly wisdom displayed lately? In the church? The world? The congress?

Issachar is the tribe that Deborah came from in the time “when every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6).

The Sanhedrin during Jesus’ day was from the tribe of Issachar. The Sanhedrin was known for its wisdom. We need Biblical wisdom today!!

When David became King of Israel, the people who were united behind him are listed (chapters 1-9 of 1 Chronicles). Every person and leader was important—they were all connected to what God was doing with a new King and new beginnings in Israel.

Proverbs 10:21 says, “Fools die for lack of wisdom.” The contrast in Proverbs is “wise” people—God’s people looking to Him in their salvation and God makes them “wise.” The opposite are “fools,” people who have no relationship with God or His Son, Jesus.

“Head knowledge” is everywhere around us. But true wisdom, which is a “knowledge of the holy” (Proverbs 30:3) and the fear of the Lord, is greatly lacking today.

There is an ignorance of the Lord and lack of sensitivity to sin in our day.
What can you and I do to change this? Try Paul’s words. Paul understood this need to “understand the times” in which he lived. He was wise. He said, “But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” –Philippians 3:7-11 NASB.
God Bless,
Woody

Quote: “If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this.” -C.S. Lewis

Last week, a friend asked me a great question about prayer. She said, “I’ve been raised a strict Baptist and know that we’re supposed to pray. But, I’m struggling with why. God knows my thoughts, wants, needs, and my prayers and thoughts for others.” Why pray?

Let me answer this question of why with a definition of prayer – It is personal communication with God. Prayer includes requests for ourselves and others (called petition and/or intercession). It also includes confession of sin, adoration of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and praise and thanksgiving. Prayer is worship!

Let me also say prayer is not offered to God so God can find out what we need. Jesus tells us, “Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him” (Matt. 6:8).

1. God wants us to pray because prayer expresses our trust in God. And this trust can grow and increase with time. We are to pray with faith, which means dependence and trust in God’s plan for our lives.

Think about the attitude of a child trusting their dad and mom. We as Christians really are dependent on God for everything. Prayer is a way of expressing to God our attitude of dependence and our loving thoughts to Him. It is right and proper to pray to God and express our thanks and praise in His salvation. It is right to tell God we want to be like the Savior.

Remember the opening words to the Lord’s prayer? “Our Father who art in heaven…” (Matt. 6:9). This is the model prayer and it teaches dependence and trust.

2. God wants us to pray and love Him in dependence, but He also wants us to pray so we can enjoy fellowship with Him. If you enjoy friends on earth, don’t you long, when apart, to come together in Christian fellowship? So does God!

3. A third reason why we pray is that prayer allows us believers to be involved with activities that have eternal importance. When we pray correctly we are involved in asking God to increase His church, advance missions to reach lost people, and for “His kingdom to come on earth as it is in Heaven.”

Let me say a final word. Prayer is not “natural.” It takes a divine touch (salvation) (cf John 4:24). Prayer is “supernatural.” Scripture teaches God does not “hear” every prayer. The biblical doctrine of prayer always begins with God’s character, the necessity of man’s salvation in covenant relation with God, and entering into both the privileges and obligations of that relationship.

As a boy, growing up in eastern Kentucky, I heard a radio program called, the “Cadle Tabernacle” out of Indianapolis, five days a week at 7 AM. I heard these words:

“Ere you left your room this morning, did you think to pray? In the name of Christ our Savior, did you sue for loving favor, as a shield today?”

What a challenge! What a joy! What an honor to pray to God about everything!

Thanks for reading!! Go pray!!

Woody

In everyday language, Jesus says in Matthew 5:11-12, “Give a cheer!” Is He serious? Let’s read this in the Message. "Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don't like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.”

Do you see both the problem and the solution Jesus is talking about?

When people oppose us (and the Gospel) we find it easy to become hard and angry. If we go on the defensive we are likely to forget the goal (salvation) and lose our joy in the process.

May I suggest the solution in the words of Eugene H. Peterson? “When we dance our faith, the enemy is disarmed and drawn into the celebration. Leaping joy is the sanity of blessing in a lunatic society. “ (Daily Readings)

What do you have that God has given you for which you can rejoice and be glad? Can you give a cheer in His name? Go ahead—say it quietly, but sincerely, “Yeah God!!!”

We are not called to fight the world, the flesh and the devil with this world’s weapons. We are called to be “witnesses” for Jesus—witnesses who love Him passionately and will witness with love, peace, and joy!

Don’t quit. Don’t give up. As Jesus says it, “You're blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God's kingdom.” (Matthew 5:10)

“So when that happens – give a cheer, even! For though they don’t like it, I do. And all heaven applauds.” (Matthew 5:12)

God Bless,
Woody Church

Would you like a C. S. Lewis quote? “I think we all sin by needlessly disobeying the apostolic injunction to ‘rejoice’ as much as by anything else.”

In high school at graduation, I received an award – the W.W. Sebald Self-Reliant Award. It was money to be spent on my college education. When they gave me this reward I thought to myself (a young Christian), I really deserve this—I worked hard in school, played sports and worked after school and on weekends.

I really was self-reliant and self-sufficient.

But Jesus said, “Apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

Jesus also said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:3).

Am I self-made, self-reliant, self-sufficient? No! No! No! That is a fantasy world. That type of self-world is empty of God completely.

The opposite view is a world where people are poor in spirit and deeply aware of being God-made and God-sufficient—everything comes because of the goodness, mercy and grace of God.

As a teenager I thought I was independent and could do it all by myself. I no longer believe that. As a Christian, I believe differently now. Everything comes from God. He is independent. I am dependent. He is complete. I am incomplete. I am nothing without Him.

To be able to receive anything from God, I must choose Him and my attitude must be to see myself in all dimensions—physically, spiritually, mortally as “poor in spirit”.

That’s the way I see it!

What does poor in spirit mean to you? Where’s your focus? Self or God? My challenge to you today is simple: empty yourself of you. See yourself as nothing, so that whatever God gives to you, you can be open to everything from His hand.

I am nothing today but I am also lost in wonder and praise for all God is to me and in me.

“To conclude, in one word; as often as we call God the Creator of heaven and earth, let us remember that the distribution of all the things which he created are in his hand and power, but that we are his sons, whom he has undertaken to nourish and bring up in allegiance to him, that we may expect the substance of all good from him alone, and have full hope that he will never suffer us to be in want of things necessary to salvation, so as to leave us dependent on some other source; that in everything we desire we may address our prayers to him, and, in every benefit we receive, acknowledge his hand, and give him thanks; that thus allured by his great goodness and beneficence, we may study with our whole heart to love and serve him.” [Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin translated by Henry Beveridge; Book One, Chapter 14, Section 22]

God bless,
Woody

Some people are guilty of propagating a false gospel! I’ve heard Pastors and lay people say God’s will for you is to be “healthy” or “prospering” or “successful.” I’ve searched the scriptures and the scriptures don’t say that. What they do say is this: “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler.” —1 Peter 4:12-15, NASV

This means Christians suffer losses, financial reversals, accidents, sickness and even death. Christianity does not teach a “health and wealth” gospel. It does teach that we are called to suffer—to suffer like Christ. 1 Peter 2:21 says it correctly, “For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps.” Christ suffered and left us an example in how to go through this ordeal, walk the way He walked, faithful to His Father in all ways. I fear at times Christianity has been sold the false gospel of “Hallmark Christianity”—if you follow Christ you get a sweet greeting card from on high every day. You’ll never feel bad or sick or, heaven forbid, die.

False gospels always distort the truth. Christ is always made to look weak and helpless. Real gospel saves, and the real gospel sanctifies us; it prepares us to live for Christ no matter what crisis, pain, or problem or suffering. If we could see what our great God is doing behind the scenes we would bless, adore, and praise Him. He is completely in charge. Isa 55:8-9 tells us, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”

Reject the false gospels and stand for Christ. If need be, suffer like a good soldier for Christ. “You're all I want in heaven! You're all I want on earth! When my skin sags and my bones get brittle, GOD is rock-firm and faithful.”
- Psalm 73:25-26 .

Somewhere in our future a faithful God will say to us (if it is true of us) “well done good and faithful servant…enter into the joy of your Master.” - Matt 25:21

God bless,
Woody

My daughter, Marianne Cox, sent me an email a few days ago. I read her words and two words crashed upon my heart, “no regrets.” Think with me about those words, “no regrets” and your life. Let the words sink into your soul. No regrets physically—a famous baseball player comes to mind with his confession that he used steroids but denied it for years. No regrets emotionally—a famous candidate who ran for President admitted this week he fathered a child but had denied it for two years. Another example would be a world-famous golfer who is on the verge of losing his wife and kids because of numerous adulteries. No regrets spiritually. What if you spent your entire life on earth and rejected God at every turn? No church, no prayers, no Bible, no confession of sin, no knowledge of spiritual reality—and then you died. When that happens you will discover that you were wrong—eternally (never ending)—and that will leave you with the biggest regret of your entire life! Mercedes Lackey wrote, “If only. Those must be the two saddest words in the world.” No regrets. That is my prayer for you today.

Psalm 107:4-22 says it best:
“Some of you wandered for years in the desert, looking but not finding a good place to live,
Half-starved and parched with thirst, staggering and stumbling, on the brink of exhaustion.
Then, in your desperate condition, you called out to GOD. He got you out in the nick of time;
He put your feet on a wonderful road that took you straight to a good place to live.
So thank GOD for his marvelous love, for his miracle mercy to the children he loves.
He poured great draughts of water down parched throats; the starved and hungry got plenty to eat.

Some of you were locked in a dark cell, cruelly confined behind bars,
Punished for defying God's Word, for turning your back on the High God's counsel—
A hard sentence, and your hearts so heavy, and not a soul in sight to help.
Then you called out to God in your desperate condition; he got you out in the nick of time.
He led you out of your dark, dark cell, broke open the jail and led you out.
So thank God for his marvelous love, for his miracle mercy to the children he loves;
He shattered the heavy jailhouse doors, he snapped the prison bars like matchsticks!

Some of you were sick because you'd lived a bad life, your bodies feeling the effects of your sin;
You couldn't stand the sight of food, so miserable you thought you'd be better off dead.
Then you called out to GOD in your desperate condition; he got you out in the nick of time.
He spoke the word that healed you, that pulled you back from the brink of death.
So thank GOD for his marvelous love, for his miracle mercy to the children he loves;
Offer thanksgiving sacrifices, tell the world what he's done—sing it out!”
-- Psalm 107:4-22 (The Message)

Today, live for Jesus. Love Him, serve Him, worship Him! Live for Him and live with no regrets.

God bless, Woody

Just started a book by Eugene Peterson called, TelI it Slant. It’s about the words Jesus chose to communicate the glorious truths of God’s Good News to all mankind. Peterson argues that Genesis 3 was the beginning of our “language catastrophe.” Certainly Adam and Eve’s sin changed everything. Nothing is the same because of that event. Have you ever thought about how our words—our communication—has been affected by sin? Dr. Albert Mohler, on one of his recent plane trips, accompanied by colleague Matthew J. Hall, was lamenting with sadness the people around them on the plane and the communication they were using. Two young men behind Dr. Mohler and Mr. Hall were expressing their ideas in a very crude way—discussing the quality control on pornography. It is a true statement that “our words reveal our spiritual maturity or lack of it.”

If I encouraged you to watch your language I would only be focusing on the negative. If you want to change how you say something, on thing is essential: you must spend more time in deep fellowship with your savior. We can’t be in intimate fellowship with him and continue to use words or ideas that are not Christ-honoring. St. Peter says this in 1 Peter 2:1-2, “Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.”

James 3:1-6 says this: “Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment. For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well. Now if we put the bits into the horses’ mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their entire body as well. Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires. So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is on fire by hell.

James really says it well and says it all. Let’s guard our hearts in 2010 and let’s begin with our words.

God bless,
Woody"The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.” -Luke 6:45

Over the Christmas break my son-in-law, Pastor Scott Luck, told me a great equation. “Change of place plus change of pace equals a change of perspective.” (He had heard that from a pastor.) How very true and appropriate the statement is. As we begin 2010, we do not want to be thinking and acting the way we did at certain times in 2009. Many times we can look back and say, “I should not have been thinking that or doing that or even saying something unkind or not Christ-like.” All the more reason to remind ourselves and others, “God does not change” (Mal. 3:6) but He expects us to change daily!

Consider these changes for 2010:

1) What you need to give up in 2010 “change of place” to put you in a different place. Stopping TV watching or you fill in the blank, and start a Bible study or read a new book to show you a different understanding of life from God’s perspective.

2) Perhaps you need to give up a relationship that does not honor Christ. Any person that hinders your “pace” for Christ needs to be evaluated in sincere prayer. Are they influencing you for Christ or vice versa.

3) Lastly, remember time is important! We only get 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You can’t do everything. Remember what the great Christian missionary martyr, Jim Elliot, wrote shortly before his death? “Only One Life, Twill Soon Be Past, Only What's Done For Christ Will Last.”

Ponder these thoughts about change - your change - no one can to it for you. It’s only you. “Change of place + change of pace = a change of perspective.” Change now for the glory of God and your benefits.

God bless,
Woody