FIRST QUICKCAM VIDEO BY CHARLES

WATCH YOUR THOUGHTS, THEY BECOME DESTINY

Watch your thoughts; they become words.

Watch your words; they become actions.

Watch your actions; they become habits.

Watch your habits; they become character.

Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.

• "God has filled my mind with zeal to spread his Kingdom and to further the public good. I am also duly clear in my own conscience, and have God and the angels to witness, that since I undertook the office of teacher in the church, I have had no other purpose than to benefit the church by maintaining the pure doctrine of godliness."
  
  John Calvin, To the Reader (1559), Institutes of the Christian Religion
• "Perhaps the duty of those who have received from God fuller light than others is to help simple folk at this point, and as it were to lend them a hand, in order to guide them and help them to find the sum of what God meant to teach us in his Word."John Calvin, Subject Matter of the Present Work (from the French edition of 1560), Institutes of

WE PRAY THAT 2009 WILL BE A YEAR THAT YOU GIVE GOD, AND JESUS CHRIST THE GLORY THAT HE DESERVES

As we start with God, and Jesus Christ as Lord,

we start right.

It's not so much things we want to do or accomplish

its starts with a knowing

Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 5:22-23 James 2:14-26

So, is Lordship Salvation Biblical? Again, it cannot be denied that faith in Christ produces a change 2 Corinthians 5:17. A person who has been delivered from sin by faith in Christ should not desire to remain in a life of sin (Romans 6:2). At the same time, submitting to the Lordship of Jesus Christ is an issue of spiritual growth, not salvation. The Christian life is a process of submitting to God in increasing measure (2 Peter 1:5-8). A person does not have to submit to God in every area of his or her life in order to be saved. A person simply has to recognize that he or she is a sinner, in need of Jesus Christ for salvation, and place trust in Him (John 3:16, Ephesians 2:8-9). Jesus is Lord (Philippians 2:10). Christians absolutely should submit to Him (James 4:7). A changed life and submission to Christ's lordship are the result of salvation, not a requirement for salvation.

WHAT A "GOOD' BIBLE TRANSLATION IS?

WHAT ABOUT TRANSLATIONS?

part one

Lesson taught Sunday Night

Rivers of Joy Baptist Church

ecember 28, 2008

“I had perceived by experience, how that it was impossible to stablish the lay people in any truth, except the scripture were plainly laid before their eyes in their mother tongue, that they might see the process, order, and meaning of the text.” William Tyndale, 1530

Jerome said this: “For I myself not only admit but freely proclaim that in translating from the Greek I render sense for sense and not word for word, except in the case of the Holy Scriptures, where even the order of the words is a mystery.” (347 – September 30, 420)

“The whole counsel of God, concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man’s salvation, faith, and life is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture. “ John Calvin: (10 July 1509 – 27 May 1564) was a French theologian during the Protestant Reformation.

MISUNDERSTANDING THE BIBLE, OF ANY TRANSLATION, WILL LEAD TO A MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF WHAT GOD WANTED TO SAY IN THE FIRST PLACE.

To the Mohammedan the language as well as the matter of the Koran is sacred. They will not permit its translation. Its original Arabic is the only authoritative tongue in which it can speak. Only the Hebrew and Christians have sought to make their Bible speak all languages at all time.

• Let me say this: That inspiration and authority is ascribed to the original manuscripts alone: The Old Testament in Hebrew….. and the New Testament in Greek…. Being immediately inspired by God..are therefore authentic; so as all controversies of religion the church is finally to appeal unto them.
• Any and all English versions without exception is dependent on, subordinate to, inferior to and subject to correction by the original texts of the Scripture in Hebrew and Greek. Nor is any translation singled out as the standard by which all other translations are to be judged; such a position would usurp the unique and sole authority of the original language of Scriptures

• WE CAN STILL HAVE THE CONFIDENCE THAT GOD HAS PRESERVED ENOUGH OF THIS WORD THAT IN WHATEVER TRANSLATION THE BIBLE HAS BEEN TRANSLATED INTO, THERE IS ENOUGH TO BRING ABOUT THE SALVATION OF THOSE WHOM CHRIST DIED FOR ON THE CROSS.

HOW CAN WE DECIDE WHAT A ‘GOOD’ BIBLE TRANSLATION IS?

Let’s start with what the Bible itself provides us with some crucial guidance, not necessarily with specific instructions about how to translate, but with the foundation, explaining why Bible translation is part of God’s plan for the church

TRANSLATION BASED ON BIBLE’S COMMAND:

In the Great Commission Jesus instructs the disciples to:

19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded.”

Which implies that Jesus’ teaching will spread among the nations and will be understood and obeyed. This would mean that the teaching of Jesus would have to be translated into many different languages.

This means Jesus teaching (and the whole Bible) plays a part in the total process of fulfilling the Great Commission.

“MAKING DISCIPLES.”

• Does not mean merely translating the Bible and then throwing the completed version at some prospective disciple. We need to include evangelism and a process of growth that involves much teaching.
  \

FIRST THERE NEEDS TO BE A TRANSLATING:

• to reproduce a written or spoken text in a different language while retaining the original meaning.”

GOD GAVE US HUMAN LANGUAGES:

• “A system of communication with its own set of words.”

PART ONE.

LAST SUNDAY OF THE YEAR 2008

GOOD MORNING AND HAPPY AND GLORIOUS SUNDAY MORNING

Charity and I had a great Christmas in Lexington with our family, Eric and Leslie, Chad, and Heather, Kyle and Brittney.

A MOST BLESSED CHRISTMAS TO ALL

But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. “She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL,” which translated means, “GOD WITH US.” And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus (Matthew 1:20-25). Saving His people from their sins.

That's what it's all about. What a gift, and what a Savior!

SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN

(Author: David Mathis)

Do you try to connect with God the Santa Claus way or the Jesus way?

The Santa way says,

You better watch out,
You better not cry,
You better not pout,
I'm telling you why,
Santa Claus is coming to town.

The Jesus way says,

"I lay down my life for the sheep" (John 10:15).
"Whoever comes to me I will never cast out" (John 6:37).

Watch John Piper commend the Jesus way:

Bad News: Santa Claus Is Coming to Town

IN BETHLEHEM, A BABY WAS BORN

WHAT A WONDERFUL SAVIOUR WE HAVE IN JESUS

Luke 2:7

I am convinced as most of our readers would agree, most people miss Christmas. Sure they observe the season because culture says it's the correct thing to do, but the masses are utterly oblivious to the reality of what they are celebrating. So much fantasy and myth have been imposed on the holiday that people are numb to the real miracle of Christ's birth. Oblivious right?

ON CHRISTMAS DAY, 1776.................................

On Christmas Day, 1776, nearly all thought the Revolution was lost, except for a valiant few who still believed in “The Cause.” We owe our liberty today to those valiant few. Led by George Washington, most of his army, dressed in rags and barefoot, faced a winter gale of rain, sleet, ice and snow. This band of patriots braved a midnight river crossing and a nine mile march over frozen roads to win a spectacular victory at Trenton, New Jersey, the following morning. Those were indeed times, as Thomas Paine would write, that “try men’s souls.”

In a season that has become too commercialized and worse yet had much of its religious meaning driven from the public square, Washington’s Christmas crossing is a story that should be remembered and celebrated, this Christmas and every Christmas.

Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth of Christ, to be with family and friends, and, I would add, to give thanks to God for those who endured so much on that Christmas night, 232 years ago.

In Bethlehem, a baby was born. In heaven, a spiritual revolution established an earthly beachhead that would forever change the course of history and reclaim the hearts of mankind. Christmas had come. The angels filed the universe with their songs. God had become man.

We live in parallel worlds. As Philip Yancey says,

• "One world consists of hills and lakes and barns and politicians and shepherds watching their flocks by night. The other consists of angels and sinister forces and somewhere out there places called heaven and hell. One night in the cold, in the dark, among the wrinkled hills of Bethlehem, those two worlds came together at a dramatic point of intersection. But the few eyewitnesses on Christmas night saw none of that. They saw an infant struggling to work never-before-used lungs."

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU THIS YEAR..........

WHY THIS WAS A BAD MORNING

CEBRATE THIS DAY AND GLORIFY CHRIST

CHRISTIAN AND CHRISTMAS AND HOW WE CELEBRATE IN BIRTH OF CHRIST

Explain to people, starting with your kids if you have any, why Christmas should be celebrated, and that you celebrate the wonderful truth of the incarnation year-round!

We Must Honor and Glorify Christ“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God”; that includes how we celebrate Christmas. I’ve saved this for last, because we have to follow the other strategic points if we are to glorify and honor Christ at Christmas. We must honestly celebrate this holy day. Christmas does not depend on the pageantry. All of that stuff has its place, but it is not of primary importance. We must separate fact from fiction. The Bible is our guide to truth, including truth about Christmas. We don’t need to be sappy to make Christmas special; it is already that, so let’s stick to the factual story and leave the fiction out of the celebration. Think about the details. How much should you spend, and on what should you spend it? How much time should you devote to concerts, plays, and parties? How far should you travel? If you don’t think through the details, then you will drown in them. We must celebrate Christmas evangelistically. Don’t forsake this perfect opportunity to proclaim the Gospel. If we do all of that I believe we will honor and glorify Christ at Christmas. As Don Johnson would say. So say I.

Amazing, how you can take a photo, download to the computer, then on to the Blog. Amazing. How cool is that? And all in less than ten minutes. As Charity took the photo of me this morning.

While the folks in Rivers of Joy Baptist Church give to us each week, they gave us a special gift this last Sunday Evening. While we have a special day for Christ's birth once a year, we should and do give Christ a special place in our lives daily.

HAVING A GLORIOUS SEASON AT CHRISTMAS

Christmas: When God left Eternity and Invaded Earth in Human Form

One of my favorite Christmas verse is from Matthew 1:23 which quotes the Old Testament prophecy that says, "He shall be called Immanuel, God with us." Yes, God came to visit the earth. That's an awesome sentence because there are people who do not believe there is a God. And there are others who have a belief in a god that I could never believe in. I would be an atheist if I were taught to believe that God is what some people believe. Then there are the agnostics who don't know what they believe. So when you get down to the bottom line, you have to start with the word "IF," because it takes faith to believe. And it takes faith to say, "If there is a God, can you imagine an eternal, invisible, intelligent, SOMEBODY coming into a material form?"

SINGLE GREATEST EVENT IN TIME OF HUMAN HISTORY?
How would God step into time? How would God enter mankind’s world? Isaiah 7:14

THE INCARNATION MADE IT ALL POSSIBLE

THE INCARNATION MADE IT ALL POSSIBLE
PASTOR/TEACHER CHARLES E. WHISNANT

(general outline of my message Sunday December 21, 2008)

“O Come, O Come, Immanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appears….” . 12 century hymn writer.

ISRAEL was in need of a SAVIOUR. Israel had a history of suppression, bondage was normal to them.

JUDAISM by the time of the Roman Rule was fragmented by exhausted internal fractions; the true teachings became obscured by mountains of religious trifles, details, minor unimportant things, created by teachers who had missed the whole point of what God was doing among His people.

ISRAEL – JEWS – JUDAISM – was almost lost to the whole idea of the coming of the Messiah. Lam 1:12.

• 400 years had passed since the last prophet had been on the scene to tell the story of the Messiah’s birth.
  
• The voice of God would be soon heard in the sound of an infant’s cry. Deity was about to invade humanity. Would they be ready? Would they know? Would they hear?

GOD’S DIVINE INTENTIONS FOR THE INCARNATION HAD NOT BEEN OBSCURED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES. God taking human form as Jesus Christ is about to happen.

GOD WAS ABOUT TO ENTER INTO TIME - The single greatest creative act since the birth of humanity .

THE INCARNATION

WOULD THEY SEE THIS SINGLE GREATEST EVENT IN TIME OF HUMAN HISTORY?

How would God step into time? How would God enter mankind’s world? Isaiah 7:14

THE PLACE: Micah 5:2 2"But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, (Judah) Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From )you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel His goings forth are )from long ago, From the days of eternity."

THE PERSON: Matthew 22:42 42"What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?" They said to Him, "The son of David."

THAT QUESTION NEEDS TO BE VOICED IN EVERY GENERATION IN EVERY AGE TO EVERY PERSON:

THE JEWISH LEADERS MISSED THE POINT ALTOGETHER:

They felt the Messiah would come and restore Israel to the place of blessing. They felt He would be everything except the Divine Son of God.

Yet ISAIAH 7:14 says: “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Matthew 2:23 “GOD WITH US”

Isaiah 9:6-7 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor,)Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be)no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with)justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.

THE WORDS ARE CRYSTAL CLEAR, THE INTENT IS PRECISELY ARTICULATED. ALL OF ISRAEL’S HOPE AND MANKIND’S HOPE WAS TO BE SECURED IN THE MESSIAH’S COMING. BUT HE CAME….AND HIS OWN RECEIVED HIM NOT John 1:11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.

WHO WAS THIS BABY BORN in Judea? DEITY- DIVINE – IN HUMAN FLESH. Psa 24:7, 10, 1 Corin 2:8 and Matthew 26:63-67. God in flesh, the Lord of Glory.

Israel then and people today, believed JESUS to be everything BUT GOD. Yes they were looking for a savior, a king, prophet and Judge, warrior, teacher, BUT NEVER AS A SAVIOUR.

Israel was listening to the wrong leaders…… leaders who put their interests above the interest of the people.

THE POINT OF THE INCARNATION: YOU REMOVE THE VIRGIN BIRTH. JESUS WOULD NOT BE GOD AND IF NOT GOD, ALL TRUTH IS VOID.

• But the angels proclaimed it in Luke 2:10-11 JESUS IS LORD.

If Jesus was not virgin born, the assertions that He made for Himself were false, and He becomes the greatest impostor that the earth ever saw. If His claims were altogether reasonable and legitimate, then He was exactly what He represented Himself to be, God incarnate.

ONLY GOD AS JESUS CHRIST COULD MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO REDEEM US:

• Psalms 22, Isaiah 53

GOD HAD TO TAKE ON HUMAN FLESH: Hebrew 2:14-15

Isaiah 45:21-22, John 3:16, and Acts 16:31

WHO DO YOU SAY JESUS IS?

THERE IS A COST OF STAYING COOL

The High Cost of Being (and Staying) Cool -- Rick Warren in a Whirlwind

Read Al Mohler's article

Personally I love it. I would have rather had John MacArthur, Jr, or John Piper, or Dwayne Prossor, or a number of others. But Rick Warren will do just fine.

Of course the Separated Fundamentalist don't fellowship with Rick anyway, and the other side the Reformed folks don't like his position either. And even the Evangelicals are not all that in favor of Warren Sad. But since they don't really care about Warren's position, what do they care anyway. They don't.

Folks get over it. So Rick doesn't use the 1611 KJV, its okay, folks. There are those in our circles I guess my X circle who wouldn't liked it if John MacArthur, or John Piper prayed.

If they are not in our circle of belief, they are totally out of our circle of fellowship anyway, uh.

On the other secular side:

• Joe Solmonese, President of the Human Rights Campaign, a group that promotes homosexual rights, sent a letter to the President-elect protesting the choice of Warren.
  

President elect Obama states:

"We're not going to agree on every single issue. But what we have to do is to be able to create an atmosphere where we can disagree without being disagreeable and then focus on those things that we hold in common as Americans."

As Americans we have to get alone or stay at home. That is why we have so many cities and towns, and communities, we have so many view. That is why there are 1000's of different churches, because we can't agree every well on most issues.

Most unsaved people in America have no clue that Rick Warren might have different views than John Piper, or Bob Temple, Sr. Unsaved people wonder why there is a invocation at the inauguration in the first place.

Most Christians in the pew don't have a clue if Rick Warren has different views than their own pastor. Only unless the pastor raves against those pastors who don't hold their personal views. In their eyes they are the devil's servant anyway.

If I have read one negative comment on the "THE PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE" MATERIAL, I have read 100 plus. But those same preachers don't like John MacArthur, John Calvin, or John Scott, or whoever has a name "John".

But can I say, there is coming a time, if the time is not now, that all of us as pastors are going to have to face this issue of homosexuality. There is going to come a time, if you accept the full normalization of homosexuality you will be cool. If you do not, you are profoundly uncool, no matter how much good things you do, nor how much you love and compassion you seek to express. There is a time that even those members in our churches are going to say, we must agree that homosexuality is cool.

But let me just say this, for now, pray and seek God's wisdom, and if its not cool to be the kind of pastor or Christian you should be, than it is not necessary to be "cool" in the eyes of the world.

FELLOWSHIP AT THE TABLE IS COOL

I only view several hundred Bloggers, but I have yet to come across one that will show their tables in their house. Why on earth would I do that anyway? Last Sunday Charity and I invited the church family over for dinner. When you have a small church you can do that. We had a great time of fellowship, sitting around the tables. We brought out more chairs and I believe around 27 came to eat with us.

Church is designed to learn about God, yes, its about worship, yes. And its about fellowship where we can strengthen one another to good works.

Charity and I have always had our home open for friends and famly.

This was a norm in my youth. Dad would invite folks over to the house often. Mom would have a good meal ready for them when they came, even when this was unexpected.

So I just believed that our home was a great place for people to come. We were a little selfish in keeping preachers, evangelist, and missionaries and singers at our home as a youth. So we just kept up this practice over the years.

The number of families that have stayed in our home, has been cool. What a blessing. Of course I talk too much. We eat a lot. And our kids have always enjoyed those who had kids.

And Charity and I have only stayed in a few homes over the years, that doesn't happen much, I guess. I couldn't tell you where a half dozen preachers live anyway.

So if you need a place to say, on your way to wherever, you have a bed and breakfast at our home. We will try to give you more than the plate in the photo.

Had I had a Kodak EasyShare in those days, would that have been the coolest. I would have a number of photos of those daying in our home. WILD.

I AM OBSESSED WITH CHURCH REALLY

IS THE CHURCH IMPORTANT TO YOU?

( Madison Missionary Baptist Church, Minford, Ohio a long time ago)

THESE ARE REASONS I LOVE THE CHURCH

(First Baptist Church Altoona, Kansas a view years ago)

(Rivers of Joy Baptist Church - Minford, Ohio)

Be

1970 or 1980 -90 or 2008

I LOVE THE LOCAL CHURCH

Just in case you haven’t been able to tell this about me before…I am OBSESSED with church.

I am asked often "Are you glad you are pastoring?" Are you kidding! ?! I sure am.

Now…I can’t quit thinking about it. If someone wants to talk church…I’m in! AND SO…it bothers me when I hear someone say that they don’t think that church is really that important.

REALLY? Church isn’t important? THINK ABOUT THAT…if that’s the case I have a few questions…

#1 - If church isn’t that important - then why does Matthew 16:18 say that Jesus built it? Would the Son of God actually spend time building something that was worthless?

#2 - If church isn’t that important - then why does Scripture in Acts 20:28 say that Jesus shed His blood for it? Would the Son of God have been willing to endure the suffering He went through for a meaningless organization?

#3 - If church isn’t that important - then why does Ephesians 1:22 & Colossians 1:18 say that Jesus is the Head of it? Would Jesus REALLY be the Head of something insignificant and trivial?

#4 - If church isn’t that important, if church isn’t “needed” to learn about God…then why does Ephesians 3:10 say that it was through the church that the wisdom of God should be made known?

But might I say, it's not only going to church, it's a lifestyle that takes place daily in our life. As we go about our daily life in the workplace, at school, at college, we live a life that reflects what we learn in church, through the teaching of the Word of God.

I AM BOUGHT WITH A PRICE

I KNOW WHO I AM

(You really should point the mouse on the verse and read)

1. I am God's child (John 1:12)
2. I am Christ's friend (John 15:15 )
3. I am united with the Lord (1 Cor. 6:17)
4. I am bought with a price (1 Cor 6:19-20)
5. I am a saint (set apart for God). (Eph. 1:1)
6. I am a personal witness of Christ. (Acts 1:8)
7. I am the salt & light of the earth (Matt 5:13-14)
8. I am a member of the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:27)
9. I am free forever from condemnation ( Rom. 8: 1-2)
10. I am a citizen of Heaven. I am significant (Phil 3:20)
11. I am free from any charge against me (Rom. 8:31 -34)
12. I am a minister of reconciliation for God (2 Cor 5:17-21)
13. I have access to God through the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:18)
14. I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6)
15. I cannot be separated from the love of God (Rom 8:35-39)
16. I am established, anointed, sealed by God (2 Cor 1:21-22 )
17. I am assured all things work together for good (Rom. 8:28 )
18. I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit (John 15:16)
19. I may approach God with freedom and confidence (Eph. 3: 12 )
20. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13)
21. I am the branch of the true vine, a channel of His life (John 15: 1-5)
22. I am God's temple (1 Cor. 3: 16). I am complete in Christ (Col. 2: 10)
23. I am hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3).. I have been justified (Romans 5:1)
24. I am God's co-worker (1 Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor 6:1). I am God's workmanship (Eph. 2:10)
25. I am confident that the good works God has begun in me will be perfected. (Phil. 1: 5)
26. I have been redeemed and forgiven (Col 1:14).
27. I have been adopted as God's child (Eph 1:5)
28. I belong to God

DO YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE?

Thanks Bill (Hobo)

MacArthur: HARD TRUTH MAKES SOFT PEOPLE

Kirk Cameron Interviews John MacArthur, Pt. 2 of 3 (www.gty.org)

MacArthur's line at T4G this year has stuck with me: "Hard truth makes soft people." I think these videos are exhibit a in support of that statement. Who loves the truth and yet can remain hard at such clear, Christ-exalting teaching?!

GIFTS GOD GIVES US THROUGH ADVERSITY

GOOD COMMUNICATION AND GOOD PREACHING IS

WHAT REALLY IS GOOD COMMUNICATION AND GOOD WRITING

PRAISE THE LORD, I FINALLY FOUND THE PROOF THAT ANYTHING THAT'S GRAMMATICALLY CORRECT, AND CORRECTLY SPELLED IS NOT NECESSARILY WELL WRITTEN COMMUNICATION. Praise the Lord.

People always point out my spelling! They are programmed to read to see if I have misspelled a word in my sermon outline or the church bulletin or on this Blogger.

They have Obsessive Compulsive Find Misspelling Disorder. They can't read without looking for misspelled words. Really.

What I learned, just because something is grammatically correct and correctly spelled is not necessarily well written communication.

Example: Ever tried to read government memos, or the guarantee for your new digital
refrigerator. The grammar and spelling are OK, BUT THE COMMUNICATION IS LOUSY.


It's been mentioned that I would most likely not be an acceptable preacher in a certain church where there were a number of teachers in the membership.

Since I am very aware of this weakness in grammar and spelling and pronouncing words, a lot of times this affects my preaching ability.

Of course I have learned my writing is different from my preaching. And that my preaching is not necessarily good if I preach like I write. Think of that.

Now I want to speak correctly and spell correctly of course; but if I don't, it doesn't mean I am not preaching well nor writing well. Really! Cool, huh.

So I am reading some articles on this issue before us today. What is good preaching and what is good writing?




Some tell us that short sermons are better sermons. Remember the saying of Mark Twain on the Dec 12 post: “Few sinners are saved after the first 20 minutes of a sermon.” And I totally disagreed with that statement. I went off on that statement.

So I ask myself, what makes a good sermon, and what makes good communication?

You know, this was not a course in Seminary. I was never asked to read any books that would help me be a better communicator. I don't believe I was asked to read any book on preaching! While I read books that the teachers were using, I don't remember reading other books that were suggested by the teachers.

So what is good and clear communication? The technical term that professional writers use is "what puts a noise in the signal?"

And since I write out my sermons, I am writing what I want to say when preach. I would not necessarily preach what I write, but in both cases I want to communicate clearly what I want to say, and say what people will read and listen when I preach. I know -- shorter sermons, and no misspelled words in the outline and speak grammatically correct. Right? Of course it helps with those who have that disorder.

• Communication involves more than the content of the statements you make. People who focus primarily on information when they converse will often be viewed as arrogant and uncaring. Conversely, others who tend to focus on social niceties at the expense of useful information may be viewed as boring and irrelevant. Successful managers are perceived by others to be competent and good colleagues when they are able to converse in a way that establishes a social connection while passing on useful and accurate information.

• The task is to learn to have right information said in a conversable way that will connect with those to whom you are speaking. What a task this is. At least for me.

So next time I will try to answer my own question: What is good communication?

WHAT WE SAY WHAT WE BELIEVE

Thirty years ago, the news media still had a perceived impartiality, unlike today. Since then, we have grown accustomed to having major stories plastered all over television, radio and newspapers only to find out later that the story was either misconstrued, or even made up altogether. And if a retraction is ever made, it is buried deep where the majority of viewers/readers never see it.

News is giving according to the viewpoint of those who give it. Really! Yep!

And believe it our not, our preaching is in view of what we really believe.

Behind the news is a personal viewpoint of the news. NBC, ABC, CBS, TNN, FOX etc have the same news, but notice the viewpoint giving of the news. They give the news from their viewpoint.

The ideal news story, apart from questions of style, has these qualities :
1. It is written without prejudice. It is fair, both in spirit and in detail.
2. It is written from an impersonal, objective viewpoint.
3. It is written in good taste.
4. It has originality.

Your viewpoint politically will bleed through.

Our theology and view of God will bleed through our preaching and teaching. What we believe the scripture is teaching will be presented in our presentation of preaching. It should!

IN PREACHING WE SHOULD READ THE TEXT. STUDY THE TEXT. GIVE THE MEANING OF THE TEXT.

THE NAMES OF CHRIST EXPRESSING HIM

THE NAMES OF CHRIST GIVES US WHO HE IS

We are looking from D to H

David Jeremiah 30:9
Daysman Job 9:33
Dayspring Luke 1:78
Day Star 2Peter 1:19
Deliverer Romans 11:26
Desire of all nations Haggai 2:7
Door, the John 10:7
Elect Isaiah 42:1
Emmanuel Isaiah 7:14
Ensign Isaiah 11:10
Eternal Life 1John 5:20
Everlasting Father Isaiah 9:6
Faithful and True Revelation 19:11
Faithful Witness, the Revelation 1:5
Faithful and true witness, the Revelation 3:14
Finisher of faith Hebrews 12:2
First and last Revelation 1:17; 2:8; 22:13
First begotten Hebrews 1:6
First begotten of the dead Revelation 1:5
Firstborn Psalms 89:27
Foundation Isaiah 28:16
Fountain Zechariah 13:1
Forerunner Hebrews 6:20
Friend of sinners Matthew 11:19
Gift of God John 4:10
Glory of Israel Luke 2:32
God (deity) John 1:1
God blessed forever Romans 9:5
God manifest in the flesh 1Timothy 3:16
God of Israel, the Saviour Isaiah 45:15
God of the whole earth Isaiah 54:5
God our Saviour 1Timothy 2:3
God's dear Son Colossians 1:13
God with us Matthew 1:23
Good Master Matthew 19:16
Governor Matthew 2:6
Great Shepherd of the sheep Hebrews 13:20
Head of the ekklesia (body) Ephesians 1:22, 23; 5:23; Colossians 1:18, 24
Heir of all things Hebrews 1:2
High priest Hebrews 4:14
Head of every man 1Corinthians 11:3
Head of the corner Matthew 21:42
Holy child Jesus Acts 4:30 Holy one Psalms 16:1

So when you are reading the Bible this year, circle the names of Trinity.

The names are descriptions of who Christ is.

CHRIST IS THE REASON FOR THIS SEASON

ITS A WONDERFUL LIFE WITH CHRIST

James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell, Henry Travers, Beulah Bondi,
Ward Bond.

As much as TV and the Movies can made a movie that has a moral application, this movie has captured the spirit. Of course the movie was made 60 years ago and by today secular standard we have lost that time and place in our society as a hold.

Nevertheless its good once a year to watch a good movie on TV, a rarity today. Its a throwback in history that you don't see today.

GOD AS OMNISCIENT, TRANSCENDENT, STRONG, PRESERVER

ELOHIM:

The very first name we have in the Bible of God is found in Genesis 1:1. It is rendered as ‘God’ in most English translations. This is a plural noun, meaning more than two. It is used with singular verbs; the dual form ‘Eloah’ is used in Job. The first part, “El” means God and is attached to His might, power, majesty, glory, and authority. The second part “Ohim” means His plurality nature, so we can clearly see in this first Scripture God is introduced as the Almighty Trinity. Elohim occurs 2,570 times in the OT, 32 times in Genesis .

Elohim means several things:

1. God as Creator, Preserver, Omnipresent, Omniscient, Transcendent, Mighty and Strong. This name implies God’s control over all things, His stamp on every stray molecule, pure sovereignty over the universe. If not for this, everything in the universe would be the same, and there would be no diversity. Ecclesiastes, Daniel and Jonah used Elohim almost exclusively.

Gen. 17:7, 6:18, 9:15, 50:24;

1 Kings 8:23;

Jeremiah 31:33;

Isaiah 40:1)

2. Even though this name is a ‘plural’ meaning more than one, it may not in and of itself prove the Trinity (the Trinity is proven by several means and arguments; although it definitely testifies to it! This means there is unity in diversity, that without this name God would not be known to us as stable and unifying, and to our understanding He would be chaos to us.

3. Because of the nature of this name, Elohim, meaning unity in diversity, and again communicating to us His triune nature, has cause many theological debates over the millennia. Critics to the Trinity say this refers to God’s kingship, and ancient kings often referred to themselves in plural form (plural of majesty); however there are other words that can be used to say this. But as a title for God, this ‘‘plural of majesty’’ tells us of His total diverse, yet unifying, nature.

4. This name encompasses all of the God characteristics, all of the essence, all of the fullness. This name puts the emphasis on His ‘fullness’ meaning we are to fully realize His Godhood and sovereignty over the entire universe, including ourselves.

Thus for us today we must never think of God as one-dimensional, that we can control Him by a simple understanding or category. Nor can we fully understand Him in a simple slogan, such as God is just Love. We cannot reduce God down to our choosing or understanding, but we can know Him as He revealed Himself to us. God is complete and “full’!

NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES IN HISTORY

Youth Pastor of Wooster Baptist Temple in Wooster Ohio 1970 -1972

• 
  
  If I have observed anything by experience, it is this: a man may take the measure of his growth and decay in grace according to his thoughts and meditations upon the person of Christ, and the glory of Christ’s Kingdom, and of His love.”
  - John Owen, quoted in A Puritan Golden Treasury complied by I. D. E. Thomas (Carlisle, Pa.: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1989), 184.

TODAY I AM PREACHING ON THE NAME THAT IS ABOVE ALL NAMES

Names and Titles Given to Jesus (God)*
Adam 1Corinthians 15:45
Advocate 1John 2:1
Almighty Revelation 1:8
Alpha and Omega Revelation 1:8
Amen Revelation 3:14
Angel Genesis 48:16; Exodus 23:20, 21
Angel of his presence Isaiah 63:9
Anointed Psalms 2:2
Apostle Hebrews 3:1
Arm of the Lord Isaiah 51:9, 10
Author and Finisher of our faith Hebrews 12:2
Beginning and end of the creation of God Revelation 3:14; 22:13
Beloved Ephesians 1:6
Blessed and only Potentate 1Timothy 6:15
Branch Jeremiah 23:5; Zechariah 3:8
Bread of life John 6:48
Bridegroom Matthew 9:15
Bright and Morning Star Revelation 22:16
Brightness of the Father's glory Hebrews 1:3
Captain of the Lord's host (army) Joshua 5:14
Captain of Salvation Hebrews 2:10
Carpenter Mark 6:3
Carpenter's son Matthew 13:55
Chief Shepherd 1Peter 5:4
Chief Cornerstone 1Peter 2:6
Chiefest among ten thousand Song of Songs 5:10
Child Isaiah 9:6; Luke 2:27, 43
Chosen of God 1Peter 2:4
Christ Matthew 1:16; Luke 9:20
The Christ (Messiah) Matthew 16:20; Mark 14:61
Christ, a King Luke 23:2
Christ Jesus Acts 19:4; Romans 3:24; 8:1; 1Corinthians 1:2, 30; Hebrews 3:1; 1Peter 5:10, 14

Breath

Christ Jesus our Lord 1Timothy 1:12; Romans 8:39
Christ of God Luke 9:20
Christ, the chosen of God Luke 23:35
Christ the Lord Luke 2:11
Christ, the power of God 1Corinthians 1:24
Christ the wisdom of God 1Corinthians 1:24
Christ, the Son of God Acts 9:20
Christ, Son of the Blessed Mark 14:61
Commander Isaiah 55:4
Consolation of Israel Luke 2:25
Cornerstone Ephesians 2:20
Counselor Isaiah 9:6
Covenant of the people Isaiah 42:6

I remember when I was a Youth Pastor, I would ask the kids to name as many names of Jesus Christ that they could. This was in 1966-1978, before Internet. But we did have Nave Topic Bible.

MY TOP 10 BEST OF 100

THIS HAS GOT TO BE ONE OF THE TOP 10 OF THE 100 OF MY VERY VERY FAVORITE PHOTOS OF ALL TIMES OF CHARITY

"I think I have been caught, again."

"But grandma, it was so good."

"I was trying to get to the toaster"

Grandma, I was trying to put my pennies in the bear jar."

"Okay, grandma, I was hungry."

"Grandma, the ice cools me down a little"

SUNDAY IS COMING PRAISE THE LORD

WHAT ABUNDANCE GRACE HAS HE DISPLAYED

What abounding grace!
Note about his death: here

(Stephen Tyng, "Practical Meditations")

"But where sin abounded--grace did
much more abound." Romans 5:20

What abundant grace has He displayed!

His forgiveness, how full and free it has been!
No sin remaining.

His justification, how complete!
No defect unforgiven.

His faithfulness, how unfailing!
No hour of my pilgrimage unwatched.

His forbearance, how tender!
No error of my life remembered.

His compassion, how affectionate!
No sorrow of my heart unconsoled.

His recompense, how abundant!
More than I have power to conceive.

What abounding grace has been thus
displayed to a creature so completely vile;
so destitute of all ground of hope or claim
in himself!

What an amount of guilt has He pardoned!
It is impossible to overstate this.
My original debasement,
my wayward youth,
my rejection of His love,
my rebellion against His authority,
my forgetfulness of His goodness,
my backslidings from His way,
my inconsistent profession,
my vain and sinful example,
the wickedness of my unconverted state,
the errors of my renewed state.
Alas! every day and every act brings up its
separate testimony. And all condemn me!

But He has freely pardoned!

He has blotted out this whole fearful record!

He will remember it no more!

"But where sin abounded--grace did
much more abound." Romans 5:20

SHORTER SERMONS NEEDED TO WIN SINNERS?

“Few sinners are saved after the first 20 minutes of a sermon.” - Mark Twain

I am amused... Mark Twain to my knowledge was not a Believer. Sinner yes. I do agree that sinners are not saved after a 20 minute sermon or a ten minute sermon.

How to trim your sermons by Rick Warren

• "Pastors like to preach. And most of us would love to use everything we dig up in a week of studying when we deliver the sermon on Sunday. But as attention spans get shorter, the truth is a shorter sermon is often more compelling. In this issue, we’ll look at four ways to trim your sermon to make it more effective. " E mail today.
  

I am not amused. When the goal of your sermon on Sunday is to sinners and unbelievers, it's going to take more than 20 minutes. As a matter of fact, it's not really the sermon as much as the working of the Holy Spirit in the sinner's mind and heart that does the saving.

In today's mindset of a lot of ministers, the shorter the sermon they say is better. Why? The theory is the attention spans of people are shorter today. Which might be right, people don't listen like they have in the past.

Shorter sermons will get the message across better? So the ESPN highlight sermons will accomplish more sinners coming to Christ? Maybe a 2.56 minute sermon would do the task!

Christ needs only a few seconds to bring a sinner unto Himself.

• But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive [quickened us] with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved. Ephesians 2:4-5


• “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is of no avail. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me [i.e. believe in me] unless it is granted him by the Father.” John 6:63-65
• 
  
  You have been born anew, not of perishable seed but but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God..." 1 Peter 1:23-25


• Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God. 1 John 5:1
  Faith in the living God and his Son Jesus Christ is always the result of the new birth, and can never exist except in the regenerate. Whoever has faith is a saved man.

Charles Spurgeon from the sermon “Faith and Regeneration”

• IF salvation is the implantation of a new, infinite life in the soul, it must be a work of God. Self-caused effects can never rise above the character or qualities of their cause. "Flesh gives birth to flesh but the Spirit gives birth to Spirit," Jesus told Nicodemus. This saving grace cannot be caused by the creature, it can only come from God. John Hannah from To God be the Glory (pg. 34-5)


• The inward offer is a kind of spiritual enlightenment, whereby the promises are presented to the hearts of men, as it were, by an inward word. William Ames

A FOOTNOTE ON MYR CLEMENS:

• Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910), better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist. Twain is most noted for his novels Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which has since been called the Great American Novel, and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. He is extensively quoted. During his lifetime, Twain became a friend to presidents, artists, industrialists and European royalty. The article is interesting reading.

The Point: Length of the sermon is not the point. But in my opinion, sermons are for the spiritual growth of the Believer.

More later on this fine subject.

SPIRITUAL BREAD GIVES SPIRITUAL EVERLASTING LIFE

FOOD FOR THE SOUL AS WELL AS FOOD FOR THE SPIRIT .

• 1 Corinthians 10:17 2 Corinthians 9:10 John 6:32-35
• Proverbs 1:27-33
  
  We are to ask for the heavenly bread–not physical bread. Christ told us specifically to not ask for food. “Do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it” (Luke 12:29).
  
  

• Christ gives a treatise on the heavenly bread in John 6: 32-33 . The “true bread from heaven” was not manna which fell for the Israelites in the wilderness. They all died. But, My Father gives you the true bread from heaven (v. 32). The spiritual “bread of God is He which comes down from heaven, and gives life to the world” (v. 33).

• Physical bread is the staff of a physical life that ends. But spiritual bread is the staff of the spiritual life that never ends. This bread feeds the new inner spiritual man; it is our sustenance.
  
  

The Photos are of the bread made at Union Mills, and one of the meal Charity made for supper.

CHECK THE SIDE BAR FOR A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF WHAT I DO DURING THE DAY.

IS GOOGLE MAKING YOU READ LESS

DON'T LET THE NET OR GOOGLE MAKE YOU READ LESS

Part 2

I am reading this article "Is Google Making Us Stupid?" Well, Kyle didn't like that term. People don't like to be called stupid.

• 
  
  Stupid which could mean silly, or showing a lack of intelligence, perception, or common sense, it could mean dazed, could be used to express anger, annoyance or frustration.

A lot of people do not like reading anyway. We have a problem in America of people desiring to read anyway. I understand by the time kids get into the fourth grade, their reading falls off.

Reading is one idea, reading comprehension is an entirely a new ballgame. Most people can read, but fewer can understand what they are reading. Word meaning from the context is another problem that many have. What was meant by what was written is a problem also. That is why we had to read the book Great Expectations. Google will give me the website that will give me the summary notes. here. So I don't have to think if I don't want to. Where was the Internet in 1960. Crying out loud!!! So maybe there is a problem.

What could happen with our reading on the Internet, we are reading in bite-sized, digestible chunks. Sort of like watching ESPN sports. I really don't like bite sized news. Of course my sister Ellen has never liked bite-sized blogs or letters or talking. Sorry Sis.

If you have Twitter, you are limited to 140 characters. What is that? Notice that we begin to skim as we read. This is really a bad habit.

This article by Maryanne Wolf said

• When we read online, we tend to become "mere decoders of information." So what happens our ability to interpret text, to make the rich mental connections that form when we read deeply and without distraction, remain largely disengaged.

Hereinis the problem. Why? Well, because as Believers our spiritual strength and life is directly linked to a Book. God has given His Words to me in a long, long, detailed book; and that Book requires deep reading and even deeper thinking. Psalms 1 gives us the idea of how we are to read the Bible. Point to Psalms and see the verses. We are to meditate on God's Word and God's law day and night. What a foreign concept in our text-message world. here

But I have noticed that there are a few web sites that put the scriptures on the Web. It's just not like holding the Bible in your hand, but is not bad. here. and here.

Reading is not an instinctive skill for us people. It's not etched into our genes the way speech is. We really have to teach our minds how to translate the "symbolic characters" (abcdefg, etc) we see into the English we understand. In other words, as I understand this, we shape the neural circuits inside our brain how we read and understand what we read. The essential congitive functions as memory and the interpretation of visual and auditory stimulli, is affected by the method whereby we read and view reading. here.

The NET and the new technologies we have affect our way we read and then understand what we are reading. When text messaging is used, it does limit our understanding.

So we form a new reading. It is clear that those who use the NET and Google are developing a new reading form from the traditional sense. What is emerging as users of "power-browse" horizontally through titles, contents pages, and abstracts going for quick win. And it seems that some go on line to avoid reading in the traditional sense.

Well, I love reading and I read articles, after I down load the articles. Some of the pages are 20 pages long.

Okay, enough. It's past 120 characters already.