Almost

I’ve been “surfing” the blogs and notice how summer cuts into the discipline of writing for many bloggers, myself included. Someone might well say, “I blog almost every day…” “Almost….on Monday, almost….on Tuesday, almost….on Wednesday….” (You get the point.)

How many times does “almost” appear in the Bible? Bible Gateway lists 16 times. Let’s consider a few of these references and make a few comments.

Exodus 17:4
Then Moses cried out to the LORD, “What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.”

Leadership is like that, isn’t it? Frustrating at times for the leaders and for those being led. The best thing to do is to cry out to the LORD. Ask Him to show you what to you when you are at your wits end, when you have reached the end of your limited knowledge and ability, you haven’t reached the end of God’s.

Job 10:20
Are not my few days almost over? Turn away from me so I can have a moment’s joy

When you’re young, your birthdays never come - when you’re older they never stop coming. Can you believe it is 2008? Doesn’t Y2K seem like an ancient potential problem? How quickly our days march on! We must redeem the time and make the most of every opportunity God gave us. God allowed me to head to Cuba several times in a preaching and teaching ministry, but for now that door is closed.

Acts 13:44
On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord.

What an impact God’s Spirit brought about in that city as these early missionaries preached. Why has Canada never had a national revival? Why has there been no “second great awakening” let alone a first? Are we too content, too nice, too self-satisfied to realize our desperate need for God? Let us join with the prophet who prayed to the LORD, “O that You would rend the heavens and come down.”

Philippians 2:30
because he almost died for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for the help you could not give me.

I have been challenged by Robert Murray M’Cheyne who really was burnt out at the age of 34. We are called to be wise, but how many risks are we willing to take for the work of Christ? I recall a conversation with a businessman who was considering missions. He felt he didn’t have enough money yet to serve Christ. His needs would come first, Christ’s would come second. The kingdom of God will never be built on such a lack of faith and such a self-centredness. Lord, free us from ourselves and make us willing to risk our lives.

Whenever I think of the word “almost” I am reminded of the old hymn of P.P. Bliss, entitled “Almost Persuaded.”

Hymn Stories at Gospel Piano gives the details of a well-known hymn adapted from the response in Acts to the testimony of the Apostle Paul.

” Almost Persuaded” was written by Philip Bliss after he had an inspiration following a sermon he had just listened to. The Reverend Brundage ended his preaching with a sentence that rang in his ears. He said, ” He who is almost persuaded is almost saved, and to be almost saved is to be entirely lost.” After hearing this, Bliss was very impressed and later that afternoon set on the composition for the hymn, “Almost Persuaded.” This composition is one of the most compelling that Bliss wrote.

On one occasion, the power of this hymn was demonstrated. In 1874, it was sung at the close of a service at London’s Agricultural Hall. At the end of the sermon, the congregation bowed their heads as “Almost Persuaded” was sung. The audience of over fifteen thousand was touched in such a dramatic way by the lyrics of the composition. The crowd became still and silent as many made decisions for Christ.

“Almost persuaded” now to believe; Almost persuaded” Christ to receive;
Seems now some soul to say, “Go, Spirit, go Thy way,
Some more convenient day On thee I’ll call.”

“Almost persuaded,” come, come today, “Almost persuaded,” turn not away;
Jesus invites you here, Angels are lingering near
Pray’rs rise from hearts so dear; O wand’rer, come!

“Almost persuaded,” harvest is past! “Almost persuaded,” doom comes at last!
“Almost” cannot avail;  “Almost” is but to fail!
Sad, sad, that bitter wail- “Almost,” but lost!

If you are reading this blog and have not yet trusted Christ turn to Him.   What will you do with Jesus who is called the Christ?

C.S. Lewis Institute

On my drive home yesterday afternoon I listened to WDCX and Neil Boron, a former pastor who now serves as afternoon host on this station. He had a guest from the C.S. Lewis Institute, one of the Senior Fellows, who gave a fascinating interview. Check out the site and see especially the current issue of their journal which profiles some of A.W. Tozer’s life and influence.

10 Valuable Blessings of Seminaries

Tony Kummer at Said at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary lists 10 blessings of being at a Seminary. God has allowed me to share in the ministry of Toronto Baptist Seminary since July 2004. I wonder if our students share the sentiments that Tony expresses here. I’ve added my brief comments in italics after each of his statements.

What’s So Great About Seminary?

1. It’s a great privilege to be instructed in God’s Word by godly men. The best professors are those who love the Bible and love God’s people. Such pastor-scholars are abundant at Southern Seminary. I am grateful to God for colleagues who unashamedly love God’s word and God’s people.

2. It’s one way to become competent in many skills useful in ministry. You can’t learn everything in the classroom, but there is much you can learn. Seminaries don’t call or produce leaders. God calls leaders and we are given the privilege of having a part in their training.

3. It’s an opportunity to make lifelong friends who will encourage your ministry. This is something I was slow to figure out. Making friends is much more helpful than making the grade. Neglect friendship and you neglect the “iron-sharpening” offered to you by God through friends.

4. It’s a intense experience that will train you in perseverance, a quality essential for pastors. If you can learn to manage the pressures of seminary, you will be more prepared to survive the pressures of the pastorate. I’ve watched students collapse under pressure. Some drop out, in fact I have often wondered if the years of training don’t weed out those who don’t have the character to last in ministry.

5. It’s a safe setting for theological reflection and to confirm the reliability of the scriptures. On the many secondary issues, students will often try on several positions before they settle on a firm conviction based on God’s Word. As much as possible, this development should be done outside the pulpit. Woe to students and faculty who “jump all over” those who are expressing their doubt, who acknowledge an uncertainty in some particular area. “Be merciful to those who doubt!”

6. It forces most students to live in greater dependence upon God. I’m always amazed at the young couples who move across the country to attend Southern. This type of faith and sacrifice will produce pastors who are willing to serve in hard places. In Lamentations we are reminded it is good to bear the yoke when you are young. If we serve “by faith” we must live “by faith.” Can we honestly sing, “I’ll go where you want me to go….”

7. It’s a time to clarify the mode of ministry to which God is calling you. Many young men come to seminary with an open-ended sense of God’s calling. As they step out in obedience, their path becomes increasingly clear.

8. It’s a chance for younger men to gain valuable maturity. Those extra three years of following Christ are one of the greatest benefits of coming to seminary. It sometimes feels like a holding pattern, but spiritual maturity is measured in decades - not years.

9. It’s a system that screens out many who are unqualified for the ministry. There are many students who withdraw from seminary, often questioning their fitness for the pastorate. While this is sad, it would be much worse if their unreadiness was discovered after they entered the ministry.

10. It’s a time that eventually will come to an end. Yes, even the marathon timetable will eventually reach its objective. As I approach graduation, the time spend on my degree seems increasingly short. I suspect it will one day seem a very brief season of my life. How true - one cannot stay forever inside the “ivory tower walls.” Ministry must be entered into - humbly, gratefully and with uttermost confessed dependence upon God.

Planting a Church

Phil Newton has given a terrific closing challenge at the Founders Conference this year.  He brings a unique message on church planting and ongoing reformation.   I have never been a church planter but have assisted in churches seeking to reform themselves biblically under the guidance of the Head of the Church.

What makes a healthy, vibrant church?  There are many churches across North America but how many of them are healthy.   How many of them reflect a biblical pattern?

Having just preached through Titus recently I have been reflecting on Paul’s reason for leaving Titus in Crete.   He was to “straighten out what was left unfinished” and “appoint elders in every town…”   There is always unfinished work to work on in every church.  Woe to the leadership, woe to the congregation that stops changing - that locks itself in time as if it ‘has arrived’ and reached the pinnacle of God’s blessing.

Listen to Phil’s sermon and if you are in leadership, reflect on what your role is in serving Christ in a New Testament congregation.  Thank God for the Founders conference, calling Southern Baptists back to biblical roots!   May each denomination in Canada see such a renewal.

Life at Best is Very Brief

Having just turned another year older yesterday, I am reminded of how quickly time is passing. “What is your life? It is a vapour that appears for a brief time and then vanishes away.” As a child 5 minutes seems like a long time, a vacation trip stretches for eternity and your birthday will never come. Now this same “grown-up” child flies through birthdays and marks another year as if it lasted only 5 minutes.

A hymn of warning I recall being sung at my home church many years ago had the words, “Be in time.” Here are the words -

1. Life at best is very brief, Like the falling of a leaf,
   Like the binding of a sheaf, Be in time!
   Fleeting days are telling fast That the die will soon be cast,
   And the fatal line be passed, Be in time!
   • Be in time! Be in time! While the voice of Jesus calls you, Be in time!
     If in sin you longer wait, You may find no open gate,
     And your cry be just too late: Be in time!
2. Fairest flowers soon decay, Youth and beauty pass away;
   O you have not long to stay, Be in time!
   While God’s Spirit bids you come, Sinner, do not longer roam,
   Lest you seal your hopeless doom, Be in time!
3. Time is gliding swiftly by, Death and judgment draweth nigh,
   To the arms of Jesus fly, Be in time!
   O I pray you count the cost! Ere the fatal line be crossed,
   And your soul in hell be lost, Be in time!
4. Sinner, heed the warning voice, Make the Lord your final choice,
   Then all heaven will rejoice, Be in time!
   Come from darkness into light; Come, let Jesus make you right;
   Come, receive His life tonight, Be in time!

Now is the accepted time, behold, NOW is the day of salvation. Be in time!

With Christ Which is Far Better

I stopped at St. John the Baptist (Norway) cemetery on Kingston Road on my way into work this morning.    I love to walk and pray in different locations and chose this cemetery which I regularly pass on my daily commute.   After taking time to thank God, bring before Him requests on my heart and present my life again to Him I decided to take a look at some of the tombstones.

There is nothing like a cemetery to remind yourself

….that it “is appointed unto man once to die.”   (Hebrews 9)

….that one day “all who are in the graves will hear His voice.”  (John5)

….that Jesus Christ holds the keys of death (Revelation 1)

I was reflecting on these various verses and the diversity of people, ages and perspectives represented by the various tombstones.   Expressions of love, of grief, of hope were all portrayed in various ways.   One tombstone struck me with huge impact - After the dates of the birth and death at the bottom of the tombstone in large type were the words “WITH CHRIST WHICH IS FAR BETTER.”

These 6 words borrowed from Philippians 1:23 bear witness to the reality of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.   They testify that this life is not all there is and that to be with Christ in unbroken fellowship is FAR BETTER than anything this world offers.

Lord, help us to live today “with eternity’s values in view.”  Help us to set our affections on things above, not on things on the earth for we died (in Christ) and our lives are hidden with Christ in God.   Amen!

Job’s Role as a Father

“…His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.  And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all.  For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.”  Thus Job did continually.” (Job 1:4-5 ESV)

Job serves as a great role model for fathers.

1)  Job knew what what was going on in their lives.   He knew the nature of the human heart and he knew how easily it was for individuals to turn from God.  It is tough staying “in touch” in this fast-paced world.  Who are the friends of your children?  What are their values?   What godly and ungodly influences are impacting your children?

2) Job served as a priest in his home.   Knowing the nature of the human heart and knowing the nature of God, he would offer sacrifices and plead their case before the LORD.   Thank God for fathers who pray for their children, who seek the mercy of God on behalf of their offspring.

3) Job continued in this practice.   This wasn’t a one-weekend “father’s” devotion.   The text is clear - “Thus Job did continually.”   He kept at it.  He continued his interest, he continued his prayers.   Little would he know that in a short time God would permit all of those children to be taken suddenly into eternity.  One day these “fun-loving” active children met God, the God of their father.

Life is brief.   May God give those of us who are fathers the grace and wisdom so necessary.   Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it and labouring in vain.

“O give us homes built firm upon the Saviour…..”   Amen!

Theological Skim Milk

I grew up on a farm and for many years drank cow’s milk. I know, I know - I probably have all kinds of diseases from the unpasteurized milk I drank. Instead of skimming off the heavy cream (unless strawberries were in season) my mom would stir it in, at times adding Nestle Quik Chocolate powder. Wowza! Even writing the sentence brings back the memories.

In my late teens on a trip to Toronto, someone served me skim milk - practically identical to the 1% I drink now. It tasted like water. Something was missing - the cream and the calories. I knew it in an instant and protested that “something” was wrong with the milk. The family who served it to me assured me that this was normal and now having gradually switched from homogenized to 2% to 1% I have become more “tolerant” of this watered down phenomena!

This month I picked up “Basic Christian Doctrines”, a series of original essays published in Christianity Today, but republished in book form and edited by Carl F. Henry.

Henry writes in the Introduction -

“Our century has served theological skim milk to both churchmen and churchgoers; to the masses outside, non-milk, non-nutritious substitutes.” He then expresses (in 1962) the renewed interest in Biblical doctrine as “heartening indeed.”

Have we regressed since that time? Is theological skim milk not being served from many a pulpit and many a Bible study leader’s mouth? Granted, the apostle Peter urges young believers to crave spiritual milk - evidence of a healthy babe’s appetite. But the writer of Hebrews challenges his readers to move from milk to meat and notes their spiritual immaturity in their dietary selection.

I’ve had a few interesting conversations with men from 3 churches in the past few days. Gratefully they have noted that “something’s wrong” with the milk being served from some evangelical pulpits. They’ve spoken their concern but have been dismissed as “out of touch” as it were with the REAL needs of today’s ministry.

Sadly I think Carl Henry’s comments have more relevance today than in the century when he first wrote them. Theological skim milk has been on the menu so long, many have forgotten what whole milk tastes like. Something to think about……

Preach The Word!

“….and when you come, could you be sure and preach the Word?”   This oft repeated comment coming through phone calls, e-mails and in person comments from congregations inviting me to preach reflect a sad reality in evangelical churches today.  Yes, I did say evangelical churches - not liberal, not moderate but truly evangelical churches being led by men who view leadership often as an experiment.

What else would I preach?   “We preach not ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.”   “Preach the word….”  “Woe is me if I preach not the gospel….”   The call to preach runs through the New Testament.    John the Baptist preached, Jesus preached, the disciples preached, in fact preaching has been the call of God’s leaders since “he gave some to be pastor-teachers….”

So why is preaching so out of vogue?   Why are pulpits removed and men now stand and “relate” to congregations with a desire to be relevant?   Is not the Word of God, inspired by the Spirit of God, preached by a man of God relevant to today’s world??   Just this past week I was told of a church where the pastor asked for the pulpit to be removed.   By what authority?   Pulpits have occupied a key place in church architecture because as those who have followed “The Reformers” the word of God is central.   Preaching is not optional, it is imperative!

I find it tragic that evangelical pastors are seeking to “improve” on a biblical mandate.   Young men - preach the Word!   Older men - keep preaching the word!   Don’t contribute to the growing “famine” of hearing the word of God which is spreading across this country!

God Keep Our Land Glorious and Free

Happy Birthday Canada! 141 years old - from 1867 - 2008 - so many changes. What does the average Canadian mean when he or she sings “God keep our land glorious and free….”? Free to do what - follow our own way - to do our own thing - to entrench sinful lifestyles more and more into the fabric of our society

Canada has never experienced a national revival. I recall with interest reading “Flames of Freedom” by Erwin Lutzer as he described the work of God in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in1970. This “touch of God” evidenced a convicting work of God’s Spirit through that city. Pastor Bill McLeod, whose ministry I was privileged to sit under on 2 occasions, was a man of God’s word and a man of prayer. He was saturated with Scripture and faithfully was seeking to honor God. God graciously worked and revival came.

On this our nation’s birthday, I would urge fellow Canadians to seek God’s mercy on our country. Have we lost sight of the founding motto of this nation. “He shall have dominion from sea to sea….” Psalm 72:8 engraved in Latin on our coat of arms should be our deep desire today. May HE have dominion over us, our families, our ministries, all that we are. God’s sovereignty is not something to be debated — it is something to be submitted to on a daily basis.