Monday, December 22, 2014

Recommended Reading from 2014 (Pt. 1)


         Below, I have listed and said a few words about some of the best books I have read over the course of the past year. I hope you will consider reading a few of these and that they will be as enjoyable and helpful to you as they were to me.
         Our churches need revival – not necessarily more revivalmeetings. True revival is unlikely to come about unless we seek God on the matter. Leonard Ravenhill’s book Revival Praying was a quick and enjoyable read, yet highly challenging. If God’s people do not truly seeka spirit of revival then God is unlikely to send true revival and we are merely stuck having annual, semi-annual, and periodic meetings.
         Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard co-authored a book called Killing Jesus: A History which became a bestseller. When I first heard O’Reilly was doing this project, I found it a bit disturbing, quite frankly. I appreciated his insights and frankness when it comes to political matters but felt he was in no position to talk about Jesus with any measure of authority. However, after reading this book I have to say he has used his platform to challenge many to think about the historical Jesus. The book is an external look at the historical Jesus and not meant to be a work of theology. Most Christians will find little in the book they do not already know about backgrounds, but I do believe the book is well-written and has value from a historical and apologetics standpoint.
         Kevin DeYoung is gaining more and more notoriety as an author. He serves as a pastor in Michigan and is well-known as a blogger. He has written a handful of books that are simple enough to understand, yet challenging. This year I read The Hole in Our Holiness: Filling the Gap Between Gospel Passion and the Pursuit of Godliness by DeYoung. Holiness is not meant to just be a “church” word. It is meant to be a prevailing reality in our lives as Christians. This book is a challenge for believers to see to it that our lifestyles live up to the expectations of our Lord as much as possible.
         We all know the value of Bible study. But, our study can become stale if we do not work at making it fresh. Books such as How to Get the Most from God’s Word: An Everyday Guide to Enrich Your Study of the Bible by John MacArthur gives a lot of helpful insight into how to study God’s Word just a little deeper and gain more from the effort.
        Two great books I have recommended before, I re-read this year and still challenge you to read. The Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald S. Whitney and I Am a Church Member by Thom Rainer are top-notch.
          The Rapture Question Answered Plain & Simple by Robert VanKampen gives a very good presentation of the Pre-Wrath Rapture position. This viewpoint advocates the belief the rapture of the church will occur in Revelation 7 during the interlude described between the opening of the sixth and seventh seals. The carefully researched material is highly similar to a book I read about a dozen years ago calledThe Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church by Marvin Rosenthal.
         I read a book this year titled Demons, Demons, Demons: A Christian Guide Through the Murky Maze of the Occult by John P. Newport. The book was written in 1972 so the illustrations are largely outdated however the general truth remains that demonic activity is alive and well in our world. The striking thing about reading a book on this subject, written 42 years earlier, is to consider how much more prevalent demonic activity appears to be in our day. So much of what we have become accustomed to, could hardly have been envisioned by Newport just 4 decades ago.
         Conflict is inevitable. No matter who you are, how old you are, where you live, or even where you go to church you will experience the butting of heads and locking of horns. Many people think their church is the only one that experiences turmoil and conflict, but it is more wide-spread than anyone cares to admit. In Conflict: Causes & Cures, Mike Smith gives several case studies of actual conflicts he has mediated over the years. Conflict escalates and progresses if left untreated just like a disease. All believers will benefit from reading this book and coming to a better understanding of the inevitable reality of conflict.
        I enjoyed reading a little book called The Top 40 Traditions of Christmas: The Story Behind the Nativity, Candy Canes, Caroling, and All Things Christmas by David McLaughlan. We actually used this book as a part of our family devotion time during the evenings leading up to Christmas. There are several similar books that offer insights into the background of Christmas traditions, but this is one of the better ones I have read.

In Christ,

Dr. Allen Raynor, Pastor

Recent weblogs and messages are available at www.fbcrogers.com

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Nothing Left to Fear for Believers

         One of the most famous quotes from the twentieth century came from Franklin Roosevelt’s first inaugural address in 1932, when he spoke to a worried and depression-ravished nation, saying “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” Fear is very real and often debilitating to a great number of people. However, most of the things people fear never come to pass.
         Fear is a tremendous motivator. People purchase guns because they are fearful. Recently in Ferguson, MO gun sales went up sharply as people anticipated violence when a verdict was to be announced in the Darren Wilson grand jury decision. Indeed violence did ensue.
         Some put alarm systems in their homes and cars out of fear. Fear leads some to carry pepper spray on their key chains. Some fear death and take all sorts of steps in attempting to live just a little bit longer. Advertisers play upon people’s fears in order to sell their products. Quite honestly, fear is big business.
         Fear of being alone has caused many to jump into bad relationships. Roosevelt hit the nail on the head with his statement more than 80 years ago. Indeed it is usually fear itself that is the problem – far more than the object(s) of anyone’s fears.
         In 2013 actress Angelina Jolie underwent a preventative double mastectomy. The reason given was that she feared getting cancer like her mother. Jolie's mother, Marcheline Bertrand, lost her battle to ovarian cancer in 2007 at the age of 56. This is a step being taken more and more frequently today by those fearful of an eventual potential negative outcome. I knew a man a few years ago who told me he and his wife followed a diabetic diet very strictly, but neither had diabetes. They feared acquiring the disease as they got older so they reasoned that if they followed a diabetic diet they could avoid ever getting that diagnosis.
         Healthy fear can be a good thing. We should all be a little fearful of driving without a seatbelt, petting stray dogs, and eating wild mushrooms. However when fear becomes overwhelming it is then a problem. God’s Word teaches that believers really have nothing to fear.
         The word “fear” and the concept of fearfulness or being afraid appear many times in Scripture. Interestingly, fear is almost always to be viewed in a negative light, with one important exception. People are called upon to “fear the Lord” and further to be fearful or afraid of failing to do what He says to do. In the first chapter of Deuteronomy, the Israelites were fearful to enter the land that God had set before them. We read “Look, the Lord your God has set the land before you; go up and possess it as the Lord God of your fathers has spoken to you; do not fear or be discouraged.” (Deut. 1:21) If we believe that God is watching out for us, having our best interest, protection, and well-being in mind why do we fear? We look back at God’s preservation and the prosperity He bestowed on His people in the Old Testament and say ‘of course He took care of them.’ But, while the people were in the midst of this pilgrimage they were not very confident. God prepared the way for them, but they still feared. We read the promise “He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.” (Deut. 31:8)
         David found reason to fear at times. But the overwhelming pattern of his life was one of great confidence in the Lord. In the 27th Psalm he wrote “The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psal. 27:1)
         In the New Testament Paul wrote to encourage the young pastor Timothy reminding him “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Tim. 1:7) The spirit to which Paul refers is the Holy Spirit. It is He who gives great gifts including courage that gives us confidence; power that enables us; love that tempers us; and soundness of mind that allows Godly wisdom to prevail in and through us.
         Fear resonates with the worldly-minded person in part because they really do have legitimate reason to be fearful. They really have no hope beyond what they can experience with their senses. They have nothing good beyond right now, and if what they have is taken away, they have nothing. The Christian, on the other hand, need not fear because this life is just a temporary layover as he/she awaits their eternal home and all the glory and splendor that entails.
         The world fears for good reason. If Christians fear, it is for noreason. Temporary doubts cannot become permanent faults. Confidence must replace our fears as we reflect on the undeniable and captivating truths of God’s Word. God loves us. In that love all fear is removed. We read in 1 John 4:17-19 “Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.”

In Christ,

Dr. Allen Raynor, Pastor

Previous weblogs may be viewed at www.fbcrogers.com
Recent messages may be heard at www.fbcrogers.com

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Tricking the Mind Does Not Change Reality

          A few years ago a news report revealed how clothing sizes have slowly evolved.  A women’s size “6,” for instance, was shown to actually be larger than a women’s size 6 from garments made and sized in the past.  This carried through all women’s sizes and even some men’s sizes as well.  Manufacturers readily admitted the “adjustment.” The thinking behind the change is that even if people have gained weight they will feel better about themselves if their clothing size number does not change. Eager clothing manufacturers, seeking to sell more product, have been happy to accommodate.  A happy customer is a repeat customer.  Increasingly, many men’s pants have expandable waists.  A man may, for example, purchase a size 36 pant when he really needs a size 38.  The expandable, elastic waist will accommodate his needs and allow him to breath comfortably.  And best of all, he can still proudly boast he has been wearing size 36 since his college days!
          A few short decades ago, people did not buy things they could not afford.  It was not that they did not have the desire; it was that they simply could not.  They did not have that much cash and banks would not lend money for houses that were beyond people’s means.  The banks had a responsibility to maintain the solvency of their institution and further, it was not responsible for them to prey upon people.  Their integrity, and often the law, would not allow it.  But as predatory lending became more and more prevalent many people bought houses and cars, and other big-ticket items they could not afford.  What actually happened was sellers cleverly tricked people into believing they were purchasing something, when in reality, they were only signing up to make payments.  There is a big difference.  People of medium or lesser incomes were able to obtain things they could have only dreamed of and had previously been available only to the wealthy.  The advent of “the installment plan” did wonders for people’s ability to grasp what they previously could not reach.  When all is said and done the interest paid by some people is utterly staggering.  It is quite remarkable how thoroughly successful retailers have been in tricking people into thinking they can afford the things they cannot. And in the irony of all ironies, they have even tricked them into paying more for the items, by way of the interest!  Credit cards are a chief culprit in the deception.  If a person does not have the money to purchase something today, do they honestly think they will have it by the end of the month?  Of course not.  Credit cards have long been used as a tool to trick people into obtaining things they cannot afford, and the credit card companies are laughing all the way to the bank.  
          After the grand jury investigation in Ferguson, MO it was shown there was no basis to pursue any sort of indictment against the officer and that he acted appropriately under the circumstances.   The autopsy report on Michael Brown, Officer Darren Wilson’s testimony, the testimony of several eye-witnesses, and the physical evidence of bruising etc. on Officer Wilson told the true and honest story of what happened.  But race industry professionals and racial opportunists like Al Sharpton keep shouting a false narrative.  Complicit in this spreading of lies is much of the mainstream media, many elected officials, celebrities, and political commentators.  Even members of the congressional black caucus stood on the floor of congress this week holding up their hands saying “don’t shoot” which is an orchestrated lie.  No evidence ever showed that Michael Brown had his hands up or asked the officer not to shoot.  Instead, the evidence clearly showed that Brown, high on marijuana and having just robbed a convenience store, was charging at the officer with the officer yelling at him to stop.  Even a handful of football players, members of the St. Louis Rams, came out of the tunnel at last Sunday’s game raising their hands in political protest, further fanning the flames of the false narrative and further dividing this country.  Joseph Goebbels, a Nazi zealot during the holocaust famously said “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.”
          Many struggling with homosexuality have tricked themselves into believing that it is ok, and even that God made them that way.  Further, that marriage should be their right, and that anyone who does not fully embrace and affirm them in what they desire, is a homophobe and a bigot who is way behind the times.  But, what does the Bible say?  What does history say?  What does biology say?  What does psychology say?  These do not support the claims of homosexuals, but the daily pep rallies in their minds and among like-minded individuals keep perpetuating the trickery and deception inside their head.
          We are now in the Christmas season, and once again atheists are actively seeking to put a damper on the holiday.  A recent billboard paid for by a group called “American Atheists” depicts a little girl writing a letter to Santa.  The caption then says “Dear Santa, all I want for Christmas is to skip church!  I’m too old for fairy tales.” I wonder who they are trying to convince and why?  Is it not enough to believe something and be comfortable with that belief?  There is an interesting psychological aspect to what they are doing.  I believe atheists feel left out of all the festivities and celebrations.  They would be welcomed in joining in, however they choose not to join in.  And as the old saying goes, “misery loves company.”  The degree to which this is true is evident when a person, an atheists, goes out and spends money to rent a billboard to tell those celebrating Christmas their (Christians) belief is inferior to their (atheists) “non-belief!”  It is absurd!  I do not think Christian groups would waste money renting a billboard to post a message proclaiming their non-belief in ghosts, aliens, or reincarnation.  Why then is it so important for atheists to display their non-belief?  Perhaps it is because privately, they are not so sure of their non-belief.  It seems to me, atheists are playing a lot of mind games with themselves.  Maybe they have been tricking their minds.
          Not long ago I watched a mini-series on The History Channel about the masterful magician Harry Houdini.  His talents were enormous.  He could, through sleight of hand, get people to believe something that was not real.  His presentation was so convincing people were either almost or, in some cases, totally convinced that it was real.  But it was fantasy, trickery, and deception all for the sake of entertainment.  But people today are tricking themselves and they are being deceived by others into believing that lies are truth.  The world’s style of wisdom is foolishness.  It always has been and always will be.  The Apostle Paul wrote a warning to the Corinthians about self-deception.  He said “Let no one deceive himself.  If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.  For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.  For it is written, He catches the wise in their own craftiness, and again, the Lord knows the thoughts of the wise that they are futile.” (1 Cor. 3:18-20)  People who believe lies and have themselves been tricked by lies, are looking for still yet others to trick with lies.  Don’t fall into their trap.

In Christ

Dr. Allen Raynor, Pastor

Previous weblogs may be viewed at www.fbcrogers.com

Recent messages may be heard at www.fbcrogers.com