We sang a song this past Lord’s Day that I had never sung before (a rarity, if it’s coming out of the hymnal; and even more rare since it was an Advent song). One of the aspects to this hymn that I found a rare treat is all the references to the physical places in which Jesus lived and moved. To me, this was a poignant reminder that God came in the flesh and dwelt among men in literal, physical places. This is the Incarnation. He is Immanuel – God with us.

O, Sing a Song of Bethlehem

by Louis F. Benson
music, English melody, arranged by Ralph Vaughn Williams

O sing a song of Bethlehem, of shepherds watching there,
And of the news that came to them from angels in the air.
The light that shone on Bethlehem fills all the world today;
Of Jesus’ birth and peace on earth the angels sing alway.

O sing a song of Nazareth, of sunny days of joy;
O sing of fragrant flowers’ breath, and of the sinless Boy.
For now the flowers of Nazareth in every heart may grow;
Now spreads the fame of His dear Name on all the winds that blow.

O sing a song of Galilee, of lake and woods and hill,
Of Him Who walked upon the sea and bade the waves be still.
For though like waves on Galilee, dark seas of trouble roll,
When faith has heard the Master’s Word, falls peace upon the soul.

O sing a song of Calvary, its glory and dismay,
Of Him Who hung upon the tree, and took our sins away.
For He Who died on Calvary is risen from the grave,
And Christ, our Lord, by Heaven adored, is mighty now to save.

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About this book –

“Why don’t I have more faith?”

“Why am I so bored with Jesus?”

There are many questions we’re not supposed to ask when playing by the religious rules. It makes people uncomfortable. So why is it that Jesus invited questions and even asked some of them himself? What is it that you’re afraid to ask God? It’s a risky prospect to begin asking–but far riskier to continue simply trying to get by without knowing. Author C. D. Baker asked himself 40 soul-searching questions which started a conversation in his heart and ultimately showed him more about God than He ever expected. 

Can we become more honest with who we really are and find who God says He really is at the same time? Come indulge yourself in daily readings with an honest exploration of your secret fears and thoughts, and know that you will always be welcomed in God’s unconditional love.

Search me, O God … and know my anxious thoughts.

–Psalm 139:23 NIV

author spotlight

Well, here we are, approaching Christmas and the end of the year, so you know what that means… the annual glut of Christmas letters coming through our mailbox, informing us about everyone’s life over the course of 2009. Here’s my list of five things that “bug” me about these letters:

1. Most aren’t informative.
• some are bullet-pointed lists
• that don’t tell me
• much of anything about you
• and your family,
• just a highlight
• or two

2. Some are too informative.
I’m sorry; you’re a friend or relative, but I really don’t need to know about your bunion surgery this past August. Tell me how it is with your soul, not your toe knuckles. (I was going to place a picture of a bunion here to make my point, but that was just too gross once I Googled images of bunions… ‘nuf said.)

3. A very few are just too perfect.
You know the type… we’re wonderful; our kids are wonderful with wonderful jobs and wonderful pets and wonderful grandchildren. Our time share in Mexico and Texas and Tennessee and Florida are wonderful. Our cruise in the Caribbean was wonderful and life is just, well, wonderful! Hmmm, I wonder how wonderful a little suffering would be?

4. Some only come once every five years.
I’m guilty of this one, so I’ve moved it wa-a-a-ay down the list.

5. Sadly, too many miss the real reason they should be sending these things – Christ Jesus is Lord, not only of Christmas, but over all the universe.

Do you send out year-end letters? Have I stepped (stomped) on your toes (I’ll leave you alone if you just had bunion surgery)? Did you just remove the Sorensens from your mailing list?

After all the shoveling yesterday (and goodness knows, there’s more today… I saw the 4 1/2 foot high drift along the entire 25 feet of sidewalk at our church [pictures posted tomorrow] which will have to get moved before Sunday), I’m not a little stiff and sore, weary and worn, and my knuckles are too tired to let me type much. So, here’s a little something I stumbled across on my morning Google Reader Run:

I like country music. It almost always tells a good story (okay, take away Big & Rich, and some of the rock ‘n’ roll country junk). But this young man has it down pretty well. Funny stuff.

At least that’s what the weather hacks are calling the first blizzard we’ve seen in SE Minnesota in quite a few years. Click here to see a little of what’s kept me busy today (and it’s still snowing, and the wind is still blowing about 30-40 mph).

Sorry, but I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to get in some digs at culture, technology, geeks, and people!!

It’s okay… you know who you are!

I know some people like this!

This was Ann by Sunday evening!!

I love my wife dearly, but technology does not like her. I think she’ll break the Internet someday.

It doesn’t prove to be so much of a dilemma for me, but more for certain people within my congregation (and in every congregation I’ve ever been a part of): how long should I preach? There are some (not many, but they’re usually the vocal ones about this issue) who let me know if I’ve gone over. Over what? We didn’t start “publishing” an end time to our worship service until about a year ago and that’s so people don’t think we’ll just go on forever and ever. I think, if the majority of parishioners were telling me I’ve gone too long, and if they did this Sunday after Sunday after Sunday, then I’d probably take the hint and do something about it.

Here’s what John MacArthur has to say about this, in the post on Pulpit Magazine today:

Preaching and the Clock
(By John MacArthur)

Today’s post adapted from the Q&A section of Rediscovering Expository Preaching (Nelson, 1997).

How long should a sermon be?

As long as it takes to cover the passage adequately! I do not think the length of the sermon is as important as its content. At times I have preached fifty minutes and it has been ten minutes too long. Other times, I have preached an hour and twenty-five minutes and it has been just right. The important thing is to cover the main point so that people are convinced of its truth and comprehend its requirements. If you have nothing worthwhile to say, even twenty minutes will seem like an eternity to your people. If you are interesting, they will stay with you. Do not mistake persuasion for long-windedness, however. If you preach longer than you should, you will sacrifice persuasiveness.

I am convinced that biblical exposition requires at least forty minutes. Less than this just is not sufficient to probe the text deeply. If it takes fifteen to twenty minutes to give the setting, ten to fifteen minutes to draw out the principles, five to ten minutes to cross-reference them, and five to ten minutes for a conclusion, you already have about fifty minutes. Rarely does a man preaching twenty-five to thirty minutes do doctrinal exposition.

That is why developing the logical flow of a sermon is crucial. If your message is clearly outlined and you lead your people through the process of discovery, you will hold their attention. Your sermon must be going somewhere. You cannot merely give a number of assorted truths unrelated to each other. If your sermon lacks interest because it is disjointed, your people will lose interest.

If you are going to be a Bible expositor, forget the twenty- and thirty-minute sermons. You are looking at forty or fifty minutes. In any less than that, you can’t exposit the Scripture. The purpose of a sermon is not to get it over, but rather to explain the Word of God. My goal is not accomplished because I am brief. My goal is accomplished when I am clear and I have exposited the Word of God.

Won’t people get bored if you preach too long in the same book?

I think people will be bored if you are boring. It is not related to how much time you spend in a book. As long as you are saying things that capture their interest and challenge their lives, they will not care what book you are in or for how long.

I think, however, that a balance is desirable. If you are preaching through a heavily doctrinal book like Romans or Hebrews, it is good to give your people a break from that periodically. If you are preaching through one of the Gospels, such may not be necessary. When I preached through Matthew over an eight-year period, I rarely felt the need to take a break. Matthew contains such a mixture of doctrinal passages, parables, and narrative passages that it changes pace frequently on its own.

At times, too, you will need to deal with a specific topic. You may find that people in your church are being influenced by an unbiblical teaching that you must combat. Or they may be confused over a Bible passage or a theological issue. Also, you may occasionally see a need to preach about the biblical view of a significant world event. In general, though, preaching through a book will not bore people if you are an interesting preacher. This is the purest form of expository preaching.

So, until most of the congregation’s gotten up and left…

Or until I’ve fallen asleep during my own sermon…

I’ll keep on preaching the Word, trusting the Holy Spirit to do His job of working the Scriptures into people’s hearts when and where they need it. I’ll strive to hold their interest, as the passage dictates. But I’ll not start preaching sermonettes (they only produce Christianettes).

So, what do you think? Come on, let me have it.

About This Book
Prepare Yourself for Lasting Love

You’ve searched a lifetime for that special person, but how can you be absolutely certain that you’ve found “The One”? And more important, how can you hold on to that love for the rest of your life?

More Than a Match explores the “compatibility factor,” demystifying the science behind matchmaking and giving you the tools you need to find the love you want. You’ll learn how to apply the specifics of good compatibility to a prospective date or mate, as well as how to break things off when you find yourself in the wrong relationship.

But since great relationships aren’t built on compatibility alone, marriage experts Michael and Amy Smalley also delve into the “forever factor,” giving you the skills you need to turn your romance into a lifelong love affair. You’ll learn how to deal with conflict, how to develop a healthy sex life, and how to recover when you inevitably hurt one another.

Fantastic marriages begin long before the exchange of the rings; they start when two people in search of love commit themselves to learning to how to love well…and forever. Because finding and keeping the love of your life is about much More Than a Match.

About the Authors
Michael and Amy Smalley hold master’s degrees in clinical psychology from Wheaton College. Michael is the Director of Marriage and Family at The Woodlands United Methodist Church in Texas.

For the past ten years, they’ve spoken to audiences around the world, sharing practical, refreshing advice for finding a love that will last a lifetime. They also have authored or coauthored several relationship books, including The DNA of Relationships, Men’s Relational Toolbox, and Don’t Date Naked.

Married for ten years, Michael and Amy live with their three children in The Woodlands, Texas.

My Review – I don’t usually enjoy reading marital or even premarital books. I simply find too few that approach the issues from a biblical perspective. Oh sure, most will tell you they do, but basically, it’s just the same old recycled secular psychology with a few Scripture verses thrown in for good measure so the book can be marketed as Christian guide to marriage.

More Than a Match by the Smalleys falls somewhere in the middle for me. There are parts of this book I really like. I enjoy the conversational style that the Smalleys use throughout the book. They keep taking turns speaking/writing, just as if they were sitting in your living room or you were sitting in their counseling office. This approach makes the reading very easy, clear and enjoyable. If you’re the type who likes “technical marriage manuals” with clearly delineated points of methods and principcles, this probably isn’t the book for you. However, if you’re tired of those technical manuals, I think you’ll find this a breath of fresh air.

Using past experiences, especially with each other prior to and subsequent to their wedding, Michael & Amy Smalley engage the reader. One of the most touching examples of forgiveness I’ve ever read came when Amy revealed that she was not a virgin (from a previous relationship/engagement). Michael simply fetches a bowl of water and a towel, washes her feet in a stunning re-enactment of Christ’s act of servanthood, and lets her know that God has forgiven her, as has he.

My only concern with this book is, as a pastor who seeks to tell his congregation that God’s Word is sufficient for all of life, I find a noticeable absence of Scripture used in the Smalley’s approach. There are references to passages, some occasional quotes, but nothing that borders on what I would call Scriptural teaching. Most of the texts are simply proof texts. If I had to recommend any area of improvement for this book, it would be this: use Scripture as the all-sufficient source of God’s authority for life & living that it is.

I’ll recommend this book because of its style, uniqueness among marital books and the good points I mentioned. I only do so with the reservations mentioned.

This book may be purchased at WaterBrook and Random House.

This book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah.

About This Book
With words like “recession” and “record unemployment” filling the air, the typical family–regardless of how the economy is treating them–will be paying attention to the budget. That’s why 99 Ways to Stretch Your Home Budget will receive a warm reception as it delivers scores of practical ideas to save cash around the house.

About the Author
Cheri Gillard is a freelance writer and editor for multiple publishing companies with numerous writing credits. Formerly an obstetric and pediatric RN, she hung up her nurse’s cap when she gave birth to quadruplets… after which she became well-acquainted with trimming home budgets.

My Review -
A very timely and very helpful little book. Weighing in at just 105 pages, you’ll find this a handy guide to draw upon quite frequently without necessarily having to read it cover to cover.

Gillard breaks budgeting down into easy to define categories: food, fashion, housing, and more. Under each category, she uses common sense and wisdom to recommend ways you can save money in your own budgeting. Most of the numbered recommendations also give a ballpark figure for you can save (depending on your area of the country) each month by following these suggestions. Very helpful and great motivation.

This may seem like a short review, but this book is just so practical I don’t need to say too much more – I’ll budget my words and save you some time. Order this book and make it your New Year’s Resolution to start saving money.

You may purchase this book at WaterBrook or at Random House.

This book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah.

I’ve been reading John Murray’s classic work along with Tim Challies and several others. It’s been a long, long time since I’ve read this entire book. The section for this week, however, I’ve referred back to several different times, because the extent of the atonement always seems to generate lots of questions (well, that’s putting it mildly). I poured over this chapter a few years back when preaching through the book of Hebrews stirred up this “controversy.” My message was simply entitled, “For Whom Did Christ Die?” During the message, I never once used the phrase “limited atonement” or even “particular redemption.” I simply walked through the passage, used the basic principles of exegesis, applied that in the exposition and preached that Jesus could not have died for all or all would be saved.

Amazingly, there was only one person who asked to talk to me later that week about this message. He asked me point blank, “Do you really believe that?” My reply was, “Yes, I do; it’s right there in the text of Scripture.” That led us on a six-month long journey of discovery: discovery for me, that this man could not truly exegete a passage of Scripture, especially if it had to do with the atonement. For him, it was just “Jesus died for your sins and for the sins of the whole world.” When asked, what does that mean, it basically came down to the usual “We’re all savable.” In other words, Christ’s work on the cross only gives us potential, not reality. It’s all in our hands to make it real.

Murray, in chapter 4, gives, what I consider to be, an “iron-clad” argument for the particular effects of Christ’s atoning work on the cross. Murray shows that the “all” or “whole world” passages cannot mean a literal “all” or “whole” otherwise you’re left with universalism. Following this, he uses two passage to show the necessity of the particular extent of redemption. The first passage is Romans 8.31-39. What a masterful display of basic exegesis without any word games or mind tricks.

The second is actual a group of passages that deal with the phrase “for those who have died in Christ.” This section “seals the deal” for me. If Christ died for all people, as mere potential, they cannot be said to be alive in Christ, for their resurrection in Christ is merely potential, not reality. And there is no one alive who is spiritually dead who can make themselves alive due to mere potential. It is only those for whom Christ died that are also alive in Christ because they have really died with Christ.

Then Murray goes to 1 John 2.2, a classic passage that most who disagree with this particular doctrinal teaching use. I was once at a Pastor’s Retreat years ago where this came up during a volleyball game. One pastor, a true “Five-Pointer” had made his case earlier in the day during the course of conversation. Another pastor, who was clearly “Arminian” in his theology took great exception to this discussion and kept referring to 1 John 2.2 as his only argument. He wouldn’t exposit it; he just kept citing it. During the volleyball game later that evening, these two men found themselves on opposite sides of the net in the middle of the front row. During the intense volleys that followed, the one would hammer the ball at his opponent and shout “1 John 2.2! 1 John 2.2!” If he couldn’t exegete his way out of the deal, he would pound his opponent into submission on the field of competition! Well, that has little to do with Murray’s discussion, but it shows the centrality of such a passage. Again, Murray, with his inimitable style, shows how this passage puts forth the clear scope, exclusiveness and perpetuity of Jesus’ propitiation.

Reading through Murray is a chore. It’s not light reading you can skim over as you lay down to sleep each night. But it brings great comfort and assurance as I read through it. There is consolation offered through Christ’s work on the cross precisely because it accomplished something real. If my salvation was merely potential awaiting my power to make it real, then I’d have no true confidence or assurance. Instead, I have a guarantee that I will be saved from the wrath which my sin deserves – in Christ alone. This is the glory of the cross.

The final short conclusion in Chapter 5 helps sum up where we’ve been so far. Far too many Christians want to talk about the crucifixion and their subsequent salvation in terms of their own experience – how it’s made them feel. Rather, we are to make Scripture our basis of assurance. The Bible is the norm for judging our salvation, our forgiveness and our assurance. Now, onward to the application of this wonderful news.