October 2015 – Tri-Valley Baptist Church

PASTOR’S PERSPECTIVE: “BY PASSING THE POOL OF SILOAM”

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Oct 252015

PASTOR’S PERSPECTIVE:　 “BY PASSING THE POOL OF SILOAM”

By: Ron Woodrum

Joni EricksonTada was born in 1949 in Baltimore, Maryland, the youngest of four daughters.^{[As a teenager, Tada enjoyed riding horses, hiking, tennis, and swimming. On July 30, 1967, she dove into Chesapeake Bay ,after misjudging the shallowness of the water. She suffered a fracture between the fourth and fifth cervical levels and became a quadriplegic, paralyzed from the shoulders down.　Joni was extremely depressed and wanted her life to end.　 She talked with girlfreinds who came to see her.　 She pleaded with them to bring their mother’s sleeping pills to help her take her life.　 She begged them to cut her wrists so she could die. But she eventually, with the help of Christian friends, turned her life over to Jesus and found His strength her strength during suffering.}

Joni　　found herself　　reading John 5, the story of Jesus at the pool of Bethesda healing a man who had been paralyzed for thirty-eight years. With the encouragement of friends　she decided to go to see Kathryn Kuhlman, hoping that she would be healed and rise from her wheelchair. But Kuhlman did not heal her, and Joni wondered who this God was who would deny her what she was sure she needed. A bitter spirit began to take hold of her. If she couldn’t be healed, she wanted to be left alone in her　despair.　 She did not let the despair be her final resting place.　　 Instead she began to trust God’s sovereignty in permitting her accident and His choice to not to heal her disability.　 She, like Paul, had besought God to remove her “thorn in the flesh”, but was offered in exchange God’s sustaining Presence and Power and Glory that accompanies her everyday in her disability and suffering.　 When she did turn to the Bible, she had a special interest in healing, but soon saw that physical healing was not Jesus’ main interest; he was far more concerned with spiritual health. She realized then that her interest in Jesus had been more for what he might do to heal her body than for how she might serve him. That is when she began searching for a deeper healing and once she understood that healing, the Lord taught her that her disability was a means through which God was causing her to grow in　holiness.

She speaks of the chronic pain that lasted for many years and the stage three cancer that followed it and expressed how she has learned to be grateful for the suffering because of the way it keeps her longing for Christ. The suffering that results from sin in the world, God now uses to get rid of sin. There is nothing sweeter than knowing the joy of the Lord Jesus in the midst of suffering and all the while she holds on to the hope and the confidence, that in heaven, the big deal won’t be getting a new body that works, but a glorified heart that no longer twists truth, becomes anxious, manipulates others, and all these other manifestations of　sin.

Joni was recently a guest speaker at a major evangelical Bible conference in California.　 She described a trip to Jerusalem and going to the very place where Jesus had healed that paralyzed man so many years ago. And there, in a moment alone, she found herself praying to God to thank him for not healing her, because a “no” answer to her requests for physical healing had purged so much sin, selfishness, and bitterness. That “no” answer left her depending more on God’s grace, has given her greater compassion for others, has reduced complaining, has increased her faith, has given her greater hope of heaven, and has caused her to love the Lord so much more. She sees the joy of sharing in his suffering and would not trade it for any amount of　walking.

Joni is a modern day female Job.　 Job experienced tragedy.　 He first glorified God in his loss.　 But as his suffering increased and was prolonged he began to lament his birth, and prayed for his life to be shortened and ended mercifully.　 Ultimately he spends time arguing with friends, and questioning God.　 But ultimately he, like Joni, learned that God can be trusted, and His presence with worth more than answers.　 Come study this great book and let God use it to increase your spritual wisdom, and grow your faith, like He did for Job.

Pastor’s Perspective: Radical or Ludicrous Twaddle?

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Oct 182015

Pastor’s Perspective: Radical or Ludicrous Twaddle?

By: Ron Woodrum

John Henry Jowett said, “ministry that costs nothing, accomplishes nothing!”.　 That statement may be one of the most pertinent comments on the modern evangelical church today.　 We have heard our Lord’s commission.　 We have committed ourselves to　carrying it out, in obedience to His command.　 It seems that all we do accomplishes so little.　 Why so little impact?　 I was recently introduced to a book that made me very uncomfortable, but I must admit it is a God-intended uncomfortableness!　 The book is”Radical” by a Southern Baptist Pastor named David Platt.　 David graduated from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.　 After Katrina, he started a Church in Birmingham, Alabama.　 It has grown into a mega-church with over 4,000 attending.　 But…it did not do so by being a “user-friendly” Church.　 It did not copy what other mega churches were doing as the latest trend.　 Actually the focus of their ministry was to accentuate the “radical” nature of Christ’s call to discipleship!　 Platt testifies to an experience he had on a mission trip to visit underground Asian Churches.　 He said, “they walked or biked for miles, each arriving at a non-descript house, separately, at different times, so as not to draw attention to themselves.　 All the blinds on the windows were closed tight.　 The room was dimly lit.　 Twenty leaders from different churches sat in a circle on the floor with their Bibles open…They had gathered in secret.　 News and problems were shared.　 One woman church leader told of a confrontation with the government officials who threatened and intimidated her people; another told of a cult kidnapping and torturing of members from his church.　 We need to pray.　 Immediately they went to their knees, faces on the ground, they began calling out to God.　 They praised and thanked God for his love, and prayed for their needs.　 They audibly wept before God…when they arose from their prayers to depart, Platt said the only thing remaining, to his astonishment was PUDDLES OF TEARS WHERE THEY HAD PRAYED!”

Wow!　 How convicting is that?　 These people live “radical” lives in Asian countries which declare following Jesus to be illegal!　 They live with the knowledge that discovery is always a possibility and risk their lives and families for Jesus Christ and their faith.　 Their passion is for their faith and love for Jesus Christ, and God.　 Platt could not help but contrast what he witnessed on that mission trip with the American Church as we know it.　 “We arrive in comfortable vehicles; we gather in air conditioned and heated buildings; we sit on padded or cushioned pews or chairs; we are greeted by choirs and bands; we worship in an orderly pre-planned fashion for ONE hour, and hardly ever stray from our normal routine.　 Most church goers nevery exhibit any passion for being there.　 Neither do they open their Bibles or take notes dukring teaching-sermon; they go home and resume their other lives from Monday through Saturday.　 There is no risk, no danger, in attending American Churches-take it or leave it–and many are leaving.　 There is nothing RADICAL about American Christianity!”　 Platt’s Church tried something different.　 He challenged his leaders to have Church services where they “stripped away all the cool, all the cushioned chairs, no power point screens, no decorations, turn off all air conditioning, removing all the comforts”.　 They did just that.　 They removed all the activities that smacked of entertainment.　 They invited people to come an study God’s word for hours!　 They kept the seats and the restrooms, but planned to study the Word from 6:00 P.M. to Midnight.　 The result?　 No one showed?　 Actually over 1,000 did the first night!　 They now have to take reservations due to “not enough seating capacity!”　 I am not suggesting any of this, necessarily!　 But he makes a very clear point-we need a wake up call from our luke-warm American Christianity.　 He says, “we have become homogenized and pasteurized, and we have lost the flavor of God, and the FAVOR OF GOD!”　

　　　　 The only thing radical about Christianity is the radical change from New Testament times, and I don’t mean radical change for the better!　 Soren Kirkegaard, the great Theologian from Denmark, wrote　 about how weak and enemic Chrisianity was becoming, even in his day.　 He wrote in his book Attack on Christendom,　 “The most dreadful sort of blasphemy is that of which Christendom is guilty:transforming the God of the Spirit…into lucicrous twaddle”.　 He was a Lutheran Pastor writing four centuries after　 Luther.　 Luther nailed 95 Theses on the Wittenberg door protesting the condition of the Church in his day.　 Kirkegaard had only a single thesis in protest-He wrote, “Oh Luther, thou hadst 95 theses-terrible!　 And yet in a deeper sense, the more theses, the less terrible.　 This case if far more terrible:there is only one thesis.　 The Christianity of the New Testament simply does not exist.　 Here there is nothing to reform; what has to be done now is to throw light upon a crimminal offense against Christianity, prolonged through the centuries, perpetrated by millions, whereby they have cunningly, under the guise of perfecting Christianity, sought to cheat God out of Christianity, and have succeeded in making Christianity the exact opposite of what it was in the New Testament.”　 In more recent days, another prophetic voice has pointed out our great departure from the true Christianity inteneded by our Lord when He established His Church.　 A. W. Tozer, in his book Of God and Men　 wrote, “Evangelicalism as we know it today…does produce some real Christians…But the spiritual cllimate which many modern Christians are born does not make for vigorous spiritual growth.　 Indeed, the whole evangelical world is to a large extent unfavorable to healthy Christianity.　 And I am not thinking of modernism either.　 I mean rather the Bible-believing crowd that bears the name of orthodoxy.　 We are making converts to an effete type of Christianity that bears little resemblance to the New Testament.　 The average so called Bible Christian in our times is but a wretched parody of true sainthood!”

One of the great Scottish preachers of yester-year was Thomas Chalmers.　 In the early days of his ministry, Thomas Chalmers had entered the ministry as an occupation.　 He had not even experienced genuine conversion to Jesus Christ.　 He spent only a day or two in ministry preparation, and found himself loving and teaching mathematics during the rest of the week.　 He even wrote a pamphlet justifying a life of divided interest and devotion.　 But one day he had an encounter with the living Christ.　 His whole perspective of Christ, his mission field, and the ministry changed.　 He later explained to someone who asked him why he changed by saying, “I love mathematics.　 It is all about calculations and numbers.　 I still do.　 But two calculations changed my life and ministry forever-how short our time is, and how long eternity will be!”　 When you and I come to grips with that reality we too will change our perspective of witnessing and ministry.

Several years ago one of the wealthiest men in the world was a man named Cecil Rhodes.　 He had gone to Africa to develop a cotton business for the British government.　 He found that to be a dead end street.　 But he did discover the diamond industry, and began to develop the De Beers Mining Company.　 In a few years he became the wealthiest man in the world at the time!　He is the one who started the Rhodes scholarships at Oxford University in England.　He was good friends with William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army in England.　 One day they were traveling on a train together.　William Booth turned to his friend and said, “tell me Rhodes, are you a happy man?”　 Cecil Rhodes responded to his friend, “Me happy?　 No! No!　 I am not a happy man!”　 Incredible.　 As Jesus said, “A man can gain the whole world, yet lose his　own soul!”　 That is not　only a “vanity of　vanities”　 it is a “tradgedy of tradgedies”.　 People all around us are searching for that “eternity” God has placed in their hearts.　 God is counting on us to be “Radical” enough; concerned enough; prayed-up enough; endued with his power enough to impact them for Him.　 That may never happen until when we get up from our prayer circle we leave behind “puddles of tears!”　 Jesus did.　 When we share　His compassion…we might share in his commission!

Pastor’s Perspective: Disciples armed with the Sword and Trowel

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Oct 112015

Pastor’s Perspective: Disciples armed with the Sword and Trowel

By: Ron Woodrum

Several years ago, while visiting the Henson-Robinson zoo in Springfield, Illinois, Justin was attracted to the beautiful peacock.　 As he approached this beautiful bird, it turned on him, an in an instant startled him with a scream that drives all around it away, holding their ears!　 How could such an awful, ugly, horrendous sound come from such a beautiful bird?　 That sound may just surpass the sound of “nails on a chalkboard” as the most annoying sound on the planet!　 Recently, while reading a book by G.Campbell Morgan, the famous expositor of yesteryear, friend to D.L. Moody, Charles Spurgeon, F.B. Meyer, and other evangelical giants of the faith, I came across a statement of Jesus’ that was just about as startling as the “screech of a peacock”.　 Morgan puts that statement in context as he writes,

　　　　 “His face being set toward Jerusalem on His final journey, the people got up from where they were waiting, and moved after Him.　 Luke tells us He turned, and facing the crowd of people that were eager to follow Him, loving to be with Him, wanting to hear anything He might have to say, most keen to see any work He might work, He uttered the terms of discipleship, the most searching and severe that ever fell from His lips…He told that listening crowd, attracted to Him, eager to follow Him, desiring in some way to be identified with Him, that it was impossible for any man to be His disciple unless that man should put His, (Jesus’), claims above the highest and holiest and best things of earthly life and relationships…He speaks of hating father, mother, wife, child, brother, sister, and even self.　 He is not saying that the necessity of discipleship is malice in the heart against such.　 He is simply indicating…if the hour should ever come when there is a conflict between loyalty to Him, and these high loves, then these high loves are to be trampled underfoot!”　 Morgan then adds, “when I read those words, I can’t help but wonder, every time, am I a disciple of His at all?”　 Those startling words of Jesus are then followed by two parables about “counting the cost”.　 A builder must first count the cost to see if he has resources enough to complete the project.　 The king contemplating war, must count both the quantity and quality of his own troops, compared to those of his opponent, to determine whether to engage in battle, or seek peace!　 Those words are usually interpreted to mean that Jesus wanted anyone to “count the cost” before choosing to follow Him.

Morgan brings out a point here that I had never, in all my years of Bible study, had ever seen before.　 He said, “Jesus was not telling his disciples to count the cost.　 He never told men to count the cost.　 They were to follow Him at all costs!…if your hand offend you, cut if off.　 If your eye cause you to stumble, gouge it out!　 What did He mean?　 HE MEANT THAT HE, (JESUS), MUST COUNT THE COST.　 HE WAS THE BUILDER.　 HE WAS THE WARRIOR…it was as if He was saying, ‘you are protesting in your heart against the severity of my terms.　 Do you not understand me?　 I want men and women, as my disciples who will stand by me until the building is done, and until the fight is won!’　 You see Jesus was about His Father’s business.　 He came into the world for building His Church.　 Because there was opposition to Him, and His Church, that building must involve battling as well!　 Jesus told His disciples that there was no neutrality for any of his disciples.　 He said, “if you do not gather with me, you scatter!”(Luke 11:23).　 No sidelines with Him.　 No fence straddling with Him.　 He also said, “I came not to bring peace, but a sword,” (Matt. 10:34).　 Those who would be welcomed to be His disciples, were only those who would pick up the “trowel and sword”.　 Charles Haddon Spurgeon used to print a magazine called “the Sword and the Trowel”.　 He picked the idea up from the Book of Nehemiah.　 As Nehemiah led the people of God into the Holy work of rebuilding the city of God, their building turned to battling.　 The only way they successfully accomplished their mission was to pursue the work with the trowel in one hand, and the sword in the other.

Alexander Whyte says, “King David built the Temple for God every night in his dreams“.　 I don’t know if that is true or not.　 But Jesus had a dream and a mission.　 It was to build His Church, against which the gates of hell would not prevail.　 Really if you stand back and take the full look, God has always been in the building business from the Garden of Eden, to the New Jerusalem.　 Satan has always been opposing that work.　　Jesus’ mission has been handed to us today.　 He invites us to join Him in this Holy work.　 Yonder lies the tools-“the trowel and the sword”.　 Don’t pick them up, or try them out for size, unless…you intend to “build til complete, and fight to the finish!”