Joshua: Fit for the Fight

On Sunday, we were reminded that Joshua fought a victorious battle at Jericho because he was “Fit for the Fight.” We only got half way through the message so we will pick up part two next week. All of us have walls in our lives that need tearing down. The means to victory is simple – faith! Listen online to part one by clicking here.

Joshua fit the battle of Jericho, Jericho, Jericho, Joshua fit the battle of Jericho, and the walls came a tumblin’ down, down, down, down.

 

You may talk about your men of Gideon, you may talk about your men of Saul, but there’s none like good old Josh-u-a, at the battle of Jericho, that morning;

 

Joshua fit the battle of Jericho, Jericho, Jericho, Joshua fit the battle of Jericho,
and the walls came a tumblin’ down, down, down, down.

 

Joshua rose early in the morning, that is when the trumpets blew, they marched around the city, at the battle of Jericho.

 

Joshua fit the battle of Jericho, Jericho, Jericho, Joshua fit the battle of Jericho,
and the walls came a tumblin’ down, down, down, down.

 

Right up to the walls of Jericho, he marched with spear in hand, Joshua commanded the children to shout, and the walls came a tumblin’ down, down, down, down;

 

Joshua fit the battle of Jericho, Jericho, Jericho, Joshua fit the battle of Jericho, the trumpets they did blow, so, Joshua fit the battle of Jericho, and the walls came a tumblin’ down.

 

Joshua fit the battle of Jericho, now you know, Jericho, Joshua fit the battle of Jericho, and the walls came a tumblin’ down.

 

Now you know who tore the wall down, Now you know who tore the wall down, down, down, Joshua!

Daniel: Faithful to the Finish

On Sunday, we continued our sermon series entitled, “Great Bible Stories,” where we are examining the Sunday School classics. In my twenty years of preaching I have never preached a message on David and Goliath or Daniel in the Lion’s Den. As I read those narratives again, I was impressed by the deeper truths that are contained in these classic stories.This past Sunday I preached on “Daniel: Faithful to the Finish”

I asked our people how old they thought Daniel was when he was thrown into the lions’ den. The truth is Daniel was probably in his 80’s or 90’s. The Bible says that he was promoted to Prime Minister over the kingdom because he had an excellent spirit. That means that even though he was an old man, he still had a positive, winsome attitude about life and about his job. Have you ever noticed that when a lot of people get older they become grouchy old men or grouchy old women. Nawww! That’s not possible, is it? Someone might be saying, “You must be talking about my spouse.” Daniel wasn’t like that. He maintained his positive enthusiasm throughout his life. He was faithful to the finish. He was a man of great character and integrity. His loyalty to his God could have cost him his life when he was thrown into the lion’s den. God sent His angel though who shut the lions’ mouths. I believe this was the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, none other than the pre-incarnate Christ. He was the alpha-male of the pride that night. To listen to this sermon online click here: Daniel: Faithful to the Finish.

You can listen to other sermons online by visiting our sermons page.

Recent Family Photos: Basketball Season is Over Now

Here is a picture of Caleb (9th grade) and Bethany (6th grade). Both of their teams lost in the playoffs this evening. Caleb played point guard for the Varsity and Bethany played shooting guard for the Middle-School. Both of them had outstanding seasons. They are looking forward to a little bit of a break before the Spring sports begin.

 

Caleb Basketball 2007

 

Bethany Basketball 2007

Here is a picture from a few weeks ago for “Blue and Gold Day” for Spirit Week on the day of Homecoming at Wilson Christian Academy.

(L-R: Hannah (1st Gr.), Bethany (6th Gr.), Abigail (4th Gr.), and Caleb (9th Gr.)

Hannah on her field trip last week with her snow cone.

Abby and Bethany, a couple of sisters that really do love each other.

The Battle is the Lord’s

On Sunday, we began a new sermon series entitled, “Great Bible Stories,” where we will be examining the Sunday School classics. In my twenty years of preaching I have never preached a message on David and Goliath or Daniel in the Lion’s Den. As I read those narratives again, I was impressed by the deeper truths that are contained in these classic stories.

This past Sunday I preached on “The Battle is the Lord’s.” I reminded our people that we all will face giants in our lives and that we need to remember the true purpose behind the battles. I began with a couple of illustrations from sports films. I made mention of Hoosiers and Facing the Giants. Both films claim to be stories of David vs. Goliath. The problem is that the metaphor doesn’t really apply to these stories. I guess Facing the Giants comes a lot closer to the Bible story. David and Goliath is not a story about little people being able to do extraordinary things if they only try. It isn’t that strong people can be defeated by weaker people who put their mind to it or give their all. No, the point is this: that all the earth may know that there is a God in Isreal. David isn’t the chief character in this story, God is. That’s why David asked, “Is there not a cause.” Remember “the battle is the Lord’s.” Listen to this sermon by following this link: Conquering Your Giants.

You may hear other sermons from Tabernacle Baptist Church on our Sermons Page.

Love in Other Words – Romans 5:4-8

Valentines Day is the time of year that most people think of love: first for a family member, a friend, another relative, or just people in general. Think of the things we do to show our love. We take the time to send flowers or a card, but often that is as much as is done. And even for a child to really know what true love is, we have to say the words, “I love you”; yet we often mix those words with a toy or a special gift. But sometimes our actions and words seem superficial because it is hard for us to purely know what true love is. If you want to see a real example of how actions matched the word spoken, just take a look at Jesus. He told us in His Word that He loves us, then He stretched out His hands and showed us, by dying on the cross of Calvary. He promised us the Holy Spirit to guide us in our Christian walk (John 16:13). Salvation is offered to anyone who will receive His gift (Rom. 5:4-8). All this love, freely given in word and deed–what a perfect example for us. The next time you say “I love you,” remember how Christ matched His words with the cross.

A True Valentine

I remember the first time that I received a Valentine from a girl; and for all you girls, I know that you will remember that first valentine from a boy! I quickly tore the valentine open and there she was, Lucy from “Peanuts,” telling me that I was to be her Valentine. I couldn’t even tell you who gave it to me, but my spirits were flying high. Every year that I received a card from someone, I felt special. You know, I own one of the biggest Valentine cards ever made. It is the heaviest, and it has words in it that make me feel special every day. It is the Bible.

When I read the Bible, I have warm, fuzzy feelings because of what God has done and continues to do for me in my life. If you like receiving Valentine cards, then you will without a doubt love the Bible. The Bible conveys a true message of love: The story of His love for you. Will you choose to read it or use it as a decoration? You will be blessed with what God has to say about your life.

By Robb Williamson Bulletin Digest

“Behold How They Love One Another”

The “only thing that will be here for sure when Jesus comes back” is the church, said Pastor John Morgan in a chapel address at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.”Jesus loved the church, died for the church and is coming back for the church,” said Morgan, who has pastored Sagemont Baptist Church in Houston since its foundation in 1966. The church began with 16 and now has a membership of more than 14,500, and an average attendance each Sunday morning of 6,500.

Identifying trust as the key to the church’s vitality, Morgan said, “When the last chapter is written, when the trumpet sounds and when the voice comes down out of heaven, the last group to remain standing in the Christian faith is not going to be those who have the greatest preachers–though I am for producing the best ones we can. It will not be the ones who have the best organization or the best programming. It will not be the ones with the best buildings.

“It will be the group that the world looks at and says the same thing the world said about the early church. ‘Behold, how they love one another.’”

Love will cover a multitude of bad preaching, the pastor said. “As we try to plan out how we are going to reach this or some other generation by using labels and marketing strategies, let me tell you what will reach any generation in any country, state or county seat. It is love.”

Recalling a time four years ago when he made an important decision, Morgan said, “We now have no TV ads, no billboards and no slick brochures. I told the church that I was embarrassed…that if we were half as lovable as that highway sign–for which we were paying $5,000 a month–said we were, we ought not to be able to find enough parking for all who would be coming.”

So Morgan ended the expenditure of $152,000 for promotion and began teaching people two things: how to love God and how to love each other. As a result, “The church has exploded.”

He then offered a caution: “I am a man of great conviction. I believe the Bible is the inspired, infallible, inerrant Word of God. But conviction without compassion is a dangerous thing. It is called Pharisaism.” When the Pharisees came, people went out the door, Morgan said. When Jesus came, people came from everywhere. “Was it the conviction? No. It was the compassion.”

Are people are saying about us: “Behold, how they love one another”? Or have we become so caught up in our convictions that we have forgotten about the compassion which must walk side by side?” he asked. “If we have, we will turn people away by the millions.”

Morgan said he teaches everyone in the church to do this: “Give everybody a word. Give everybody a look. And give everybody a touch. For many of them it is the only time it has happened all week. Women who have been abused, children who have been neglected, and men who are successful but without any fellowship in a personal way enjoy the word, the look, and the touch.

Referring to the early church in Acts 2:42-47, Morgan noted that today’s Christians seem to be trying to do church backwards. “The Bible says that first came the fear of the Lord, then miracles, then unity, then joy, and then additions. We tend to seek to get additions first, then joy, then unity, then miracles, and eventually fear of the Lord. Our people need to understand that our first love is to Him.

“That then becomes what it is all about–love, fellowship, and steadfast faith,” Morgan said. “When anyone in our church is going through a rough time, I get up on Sunday morning and let the people know there is a need. Most churches will help someone coming through town. But when one of their own is hurting, they are afraid to set a precedent. We have learned that God has got plenty of money. He is just looking for someplace to put it. He is looking for a perfect heart. And the only way you can have a perfect heart is to have a heart full of love.”

Morgan offered this advice to small-church pastors: “Ask God to show you people in your community who are not part of your church, but who are examples of love and character. Honor them in your church. Then watch what happens in your community. The reputation will begin to grow and people will say, ‘Behold, how they love one another.’”

By Larry B. Elrod
Baptist Press

Evolutionist Agrees: Darwinism Faith-Based

 

Skeptics of evolution have long claimed that Darwin’s theory is untestable and relies on faith rather than empirical observation. Now, at least two important figures in the field of evolutionary origins have agreed with this position.

Kevin Padian, professor of integrative biology and curator in the Museum of Paleontology at the University of California at Berkeley and co-editor of The Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs, reviewed a book on evolution in the February, 2000, issue of Scientific American. The book was In Search of Deep Time: Beyond the Fossil Record to a New History of Life by evolutionist Henry Gee, an editor and senior writer at the prestigious scientific journal Nature. Dr. Gee is also a paleontologist with experience in the field.

Prof. Padian’s review, entitled “What the Media Don’t Tell You About Evolution,” contained some astonishing admissions. For example, Padian stated:

“Gee shows that many traditional explanations of major evolutionary transitions are not testable and therefore have no scientific content….[For example,] ideas about how flight must have evolved, he says, rely on faith in the particular workings of natural selection or other evolutionary processes” (Padian 2000: 103).

This is exactly what skeptics of Darwin’s theory have always claimed, usually to a strongly negative response. Another objection raised by non-Darwinists is that fossils that purport to provide indisputable evidence for human evolution from more-primitive, apelike ancestors (known as hominids) are not as straightforward and unmistakable as many would have us believe. This is precisely what Gee has intimated in his book, as Padian pointed out:

“Gee describes the difficulty of reconstructing the past using his experience searching for hominid fossils in Africa with Meave Leakey’s crew. A bone you pick up might be a hominid and might persuasively be not far from the direct line to living humans. But you can never really know, because not enough information is preserved. Deep Time, with its attendant destruction of information from the geologic past, has wiped away direct evidence. We have to reconstruct evolutionary history, as we reconstruct human history, from the bits and pieces we have available to us” (ibid.).

Again, this is a claim that non-Darwinists have made on countless occasions, either to deaf ears or to shouts of derision. The study of human origins is extremely difficult, clouded as it is with prevailing and countervailing theories, fragmentary evidence, varying interpretations of certain fossil finds, human foibles, and a strong dose of personal pride thrown in. Rock-ribbed dogmatism or unswerving adherence to a single theory or a particular fossil find can prove to be disappointing at best and dangerous at worst.

By Stephen Caesar

Reference:

Padian, K. 2000. “What the Media Don’t Tell You about Evolution.” Review of In Search of Deep Time: Beyond the Fossil Record to a New History of Life, by Henry Gee, 1999. Scientific American, vol. 282, no. 2

Stephen Caesar holds his master’s degree in anthropology/archaeology from Harvard. He is a staff member at Associates for Biblical Research and the author of the e-book The Bible Encounters Modern Science, available at biblepm@hotmail.com.

40 Years of Ministry

The Lord gave us a wonderful weekend in Muncie. Joanna and I are both very tired from all of the festivities and trying to see as many friends as possible. We were both blessed by the wonderful weekend dedicated to one of God’s choice servants. Pastor Collins Glenn celebrated 40 years of ministry at Grace Baptist Church. The banquet last night was a great blessing. Pastor Glenn’s son-in-law Mike gave a wonderful testimony and Pastor Glenn’s son Randy gave an inspiring message. This morning we began with a parade of Christian workers that was truly inspirational. To see so many servants of God walk across the platform and give testimony of Pastor Glenn’s influence was a real blessing. Brother Doug Frick did a wonderful job leading the church in music. Brother Fred Coleman wrote a gorgeous song in tribute to Pastor Glenn that was sung by the reunion choir. I’m sure the GBC webpage will have pictures of the festivities online soon. Dr. Ed Nelson preached in the morning service. There was one young man who surrendered his life to be a missionary. Praise the Lord! We then enjoyed a delicious lunch provided by the ladies of Grace Baptist Church. During the afternoon we were  again blessed with special music, this time provided by the Graceman Quartet. Dr. Bob Jones III preached in the afternoon. It was a very busy weekend, but I’m glad God allowed Joanna and I to be a part. Be sure to check out the article in the Muncie Star Press: 40 Years and Counting

The temperature tonight as I write this is 1 degree with a windchill of minus 15. We will be glad to be back in Wilson on Monday evening. We missed our church family and especially our children. I was sad that we weren’t able to watch the Super Bowl with Caleb. He watched it on Pastor Mike’s HD TV. We watched it with about fifteen friends. Everyone was pulling for the Colts so we were all excited to see them win. Be sure to stop by http://www.beyondtheultimate.org and view the incredible testimonies by Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith.

It’s Cold Outside…. Brrrrr!!!

Yesterday (Friday, Feb. 3), Joanna and I flew out of Raleigh Durham to Indianapolis where we met Doug Frick, our good friend who is music pastor at Grace Baptist Church in Muncie, Indiana. After a delicious chinese lunch we made our way to Muncie. When we got out of the van we were slapped in the face with COLD temperatures. As I type this the weather channel is saying that the temperature is actually 17 degrees, but that it feels like 1 degree. The low last night was actually one degree. Joanna grew up in Indiana and she is complaining, I mean constantly complaining about the cold. The high tomorrow, (yes, the high), is supposed to be 6 degrees. The wind chill will be around -20 degrees.

 While it is cold outside, it is warm inside. We are in Muncie to celebrate Pastor Glenn’s 40th Anniversary as pastor of Grace Baptist Church. Our souls have been warmed by the reaquaintance with special friends. We even got to enjoy Pizza King pizza last night. Tonight, there will be a banquet to honor pastor Glenn. Tomorrow during the Sunday School hour there will be a parade of Christian workers. Pastor Glenn has had many protoges in the ministry through the years. Dr. Bob Jones III and Dr. Ed Nelson are preaching tomorrow. We will have lunch at the church and an afternoon service.

Joanna and I will be flying back on Monday. She hates flying. Our children are still in Wilson so we are praying for them. Pastor Mike will be preaching tomorrow for both services. Maybe we ought to pray for him also. 🙂