“I just don’t get poetry, and I really don’t like reading it.” It is a more common statement than one might expect. For many, poetry conjures up the mental image of coffee shops, overly dramatic expressions of emotion, and words used in ways that seem entirely incorrect at a first pass. Some poets seem to be deliberately confusing their readers. In fact, many of them are doing just that. And for those among us with a more analytical, literal, and legal-oriented personality, all of this can present some major challenges when it comes to reading the Psalms (our daily Bible reading path for the year 2018).

So what can be done about this? Are those personality types just destined to struggle forever with the Bible’s largest book? In some measure, the answer to that is “yes.” You may always have some struggles with the Bible’s poetry, but here are a few things you can do to enjoy them more:

1) In this year’s daily reading program, just buckle down and do the readings each day. As the days pass, you will get used to the Psalter and grow to like it more and more. Just don’t give up on the daily habit of reading.

2) Read out loud. Many of the Psalms were written for public worship assemblies, and many of them were written for private devotions. Both settings are good places to read the words of God aloud.

3) Look at how Jesus & the apostles read the psalms. Look for places in the New Testament where they emphasize the Psalms, and you will see their value alongside all of the Bible’s stories, teachings, and laws.

4) Even if you do not love poetry, continually look for the God whom you do love in every single Psalm. What do learn about him? How can you worship him better than ever before? Work through that filter, and the Psalms will inevitably begin to grow on you.

- Dan Lankford, minister

The God of the Bible is the God who sends. He sent Abraham across the East with the imperative, “You will be a blessing.” (Gen. 12:2) He sent Elijah, Jeremiah, Haggai and many more prophets to carry “the word of the LORD” to many nations. And he sent the apostles across the known world of the time with the commission that “you will be my witnesses… to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

There are two important lessons to learn from this.

Firstly, that missionary work matters a great deal to God. Church planting, overseas missionary trips, long-term missionary work in foreign cultures, helping brothers & sisters whose basic life needs go unmet… All of these are activities which matter to the God who sends. It was God’s own voice that breathed out request after request for prayer on Paul’s behalf as he stepped into the mission field day after day. He sent visions to his saints in the first century to say “Come over and help us” (Acts 16:9). God has a plan for missional work, and his faithful ones must always be aware of it.

Secondly, all of this demonstrates the great depth of God’s love for the lost. He does not close his eyes to the condemned state of many thousands as though they were unimportant to him. For thousands of years, he has made the initial effort to reach us and save us. And he continues to do the same today. That is why we must teach the lost here in Louisville: we are the ones he has sent to “teach the Gospel to every creature.” And that is why we support those who preach in places where Christianity is sparse or altogether unknown. This is not just our idea of a good deed; it is from the mind of God. So we are grateful for the opportunity to “enter into partnership with [faithful missionaries] in giving and receiving” (Phil. 4:15).

This past week, USA Today published a report titled, Why Having Kids Isn't Necessarily the Best Idea, According to Science. It said, “Being a parent is supposed to be one of life’s great adventures…. But… According to a slew of new research studies, it turns out there are plenty of reasons not to have kids.” According to the report, children are bad for the environment, they affect a mom’s work life in negative ways, they cause strain on adults’ friendships and marriages, and parents are generally less healthy than adults with no children (research shows that parents get less sleep, less exercise, and less quiet time. That much isn’t shocking, is it?).

The last line of the report says, “But for all the reasons not to have kids, there are always a few reasons that make it all worthwhile,” but it does not say what any of those reasons are. And the implication of the whole thing is that “science” tells us that having and raising children is a bad thing.

First of all, should a society which ridicules the Christian sense of what people ought to do really be telling us whether or not we ought to have and raise children? Does this not entirely violate the stated rules of science—to observe the natural world; not to make moral judgments about that world?

Secondly, Christians cannot buy into this as though it had any merit of truth. Our worldview prevents us from seeing this as a valid conclusion. The Psalmist was not just speaking feel-good niceties when he said, “children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward” (Psa. 127:3). He was speaking the truth from God. Children are a blessing to God’s people, and we would do especially well to remember that in the midst of a culture that sets itself against the well-being of children with perverse practices from the murder of the unborn to poisoning children’s minds with concepts like “gender confusion” to sexualized expectations for youthful girls.

All of it reminds Christians that we have a responsibility toward those who are vulnerable—in this case, children. We have a responsibility to welcome the children whom God has given us in our homes, to defend the unborn, to protect children from the devil’s attacks against their bodies and their minds, and to make sacrifices for their well-being.

In this case (and unfortunately many others), the world’s “science” is completely bogus; the conclusions being drawn carelessly. It is a good thing for parents to have and raise children. In fact, it is very good, as it has been from beginning. “God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it...’ And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.” (Gen. 1:28, 31)

- Dan Lankford, minister

This time of year inherently comes with potential pitfalls. Particularly in a season where so many gifts are given, we would do well to heed a couple gentle warnings about spending and debt. Certainly, the Bible never makes black-and-white, do-or-don’t statements about borrowing money, but it does give us some wisdom in regard to credit, creditors, and self-control.

Here are a few things the Bible does and does not say on the subject:

• It does not say it is a sin to borrow money, even at a high interest rate. Sometimes, this is just necessary (medical expenses, job layoffs, etc.).
• It also does not say that this is wise, even if it’s for the sake of giving to others.
• It does not say that God will providentially bail you out if your debt gets too great.
• The Bible does say that it’s wrong to leave our debts unpaid. “The wicked borrow and do not repay” (Psa. 37:21). There may be exceptions, but the rule is that we have a moral obligation to repay to the best of our ability.
• The Bible also warns us against presuming upon the future. James said,   “…you do not know what will happen tomorrow” (Jas. 4:13). That being true, we should be careful in presuming upon tomorrow’s ability to provide enough to pay off today’s debts.
• The Bible also warns us against being controlled by anything, even something that is good in its own right. Paul said, “‘All things are lawful for me,’ but not all things are helpful. ‘All things are lawful for me,’ but I will not be dominated by anything” (1 Cor. 6:12). Think: who is in control when the debt piles up? Are you in control of the money or is the money in control of you?

Again, none of this creates black-and-white rules, but it is wisdom that deserves careful thoughtfulness, especially during the next few weeks.

- adapted for our bulletin from Focus On The Family blog; see original here.

Jesus said, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” (John 15:4-8)

Jesus’ recurring notion, “abide in me,” can carry an array of meanings. It can convey the importance of memorizing scripture & biblical wisdom—are we allowing our hearts to abide in the teachings of Jesus? It can reflect on the moral quality of our lives—are we making choices that show we are living in Jesus’ example? Jesus himself will go on the context to remind us of the importance of our relationships—are we godly toward another person because that’s what Jesus would do and we live in him?

In John 15, Jesus finishes the whole section about “abiding” in him with this: “These things I have spoken to you that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” (John 15:11)  For the Christian, there should be no greater joy than that found in Jesus. Can you imagine a scenario in which a king would invite you to live in his house and be part of his family? People dream of things like that—can you imagine the elation you would feel if it actually happened? The offer is already there for you to abide in with the King of kings; the one who eternally sits on David’s throne. You can abide in him and be partaker of all the joys of knowing him and being known by him.

Do you want that kind of joy? The question is: do you live in Jesus?

- Dan Lankford, minister

The temptation of Jesus is a multifaceted event. On some levels, it encourages us, and yet on other levels, it puzzles us. For example, why would the devil’s first temptation be, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread”? (Lk. 4:3) Why is this a temptation to sin? What sin would Jesus have actually committed if he had given in? 

The core of the devil’s temptation for Jesus is this: demand something of God’s creation that only he himself can provide. No wonder he responds with fulfillment that only God can give (Lk. 4:4). The devil is actually tempting Jesus to selfishly take advantage of God’s creative good in a corrupt way. And in those terms, it sounds like a temptation that we all face.

The devil tempts some to, “Command this affair to provide the fulfillment that only a healthy marriage can give.”

He tempts others to, “Command your children to provide you the happiness that can only be found in a deep relationship with God.” 

He tempts some to, “Command that theft provide the joy that only godly generosity to others can provide.”

He also tempts others to, “Command that laziness provide the same peace that only well-earned rest from diligent labor can bring.”

He tempts others to, “Command this career advancement to provide the peace of mind that only a full relationship with God can offer.”

At the end of the day, many of our temptations are the same as Jesus faced. While we lack the power to turn stones to bread, the temptation toward arrogant, selfish fulfillment rather than humble, joyful gratitude is still one of Satan’s best tools.

- Dan Lankford, minister

This week unavoidably places several unpleasant realities on our minds. Floodwaters are still keeping thousands of people out of their homes in Texas, a violent hurricane has battered our Caribbean neighbors and is now a major threat to Florida, and tomorrow is the sixteenth anniversary of the worst terrorist attack ever in this country.

When the apostle Paul wrote one of his letters to our Corinthian brethren, he listed the major ordeals he’d faced in his lifetime, and then added, “apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.” (2 Cor. 11:28)  Even if his own state of affairs had been good, the weight of what others were facing would have continued to put serious pressure on Paul’s mind. And while we might suppose that he could just ignore those concerns, he was not able to do that. Why? Simply because the well-being of those people mattered to him.

Such should be the case with us this week. It is a struggle to bear the weight of so much concern spread so many directions. It is perhaps an even greater struggle to carry so many concerns to our prayer closet and feel that we have fittingly addressed them all before God. Surely, there is a temptation toward deliberate ignorance—“If I don’t think about it, it’s like it’s not even happening.” But that mentality comes from selfishness—not true concern for the well-being of others. The godly see the better path is to face the facts instead of run from them. And when they do face life’s unpleasant realities, the godly are able to deal with them in light of the assurances of God—the only source of true, lasting comfort.

- Dan Lankford, minister

To this day, when my dad is asked, “What do you want for a Father’s Day gift?,” he will say something like, “It doesn’t have to be a brand new truck, but something in that price range would be fine.” And even while I shake my head at him, I still think it’s funny every year.

Another father says something more attainable and more profound when asked the same question: “Prove that you know me.” That’s it. He wants his wife and kids to demonstrate that they truly know and appreciate him, and to let that be the motivation behind their gifts.

For the Christian, every day is our Father’s day, and we have an opportunity to give him a gift every day. And God’s hopes for gifts from his children are the same as that dad mentioned just above: “prove that you know me.” Inherent within that request: prove that you respect me.

In Malachi 1, the Lord says to his people, “A son honors his father… If then I am a father, where is my honor? ... When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? ... Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand.” (Mal. 1:6-10)  Does a second-rate gift prove that God’s people know him? That they respect him? The answer is an obvious and resounding, “No.”

When you give a gift to your dad, don’t take my dad’s advice—it doesn’t have to be expensive. But do remember to show dad, by your gift, that you know him—what he appreciates, what he loves, and what he hopes to be in his life. And even more than that, make sure that the gift of your whole life shows that you know all the same things about our Heavenly Father.

- Dan Lankford, minister

While it is arguably the most influential book ever written, the question does linger in many people’s minds: “What if someday, it turns out that the Bible was just put together by a bunch of men somewhere and not by God at all?” Asking this question does not reveal that one is derelict in their spiritual duties or wayward in their faith—it reveals that one is thinking and willing to reason with God (cf. Isa. 1:18).

For the believer, there is a justifiable uneasiness in the thought that the Bible might not be from God. After all, the Bible claims to be both divinely inspired (spoken by God himself) and inerrant (with no flaws or failures). If either of these claims proves false, the credibility of the whole thing is destroyed, and “we are of all people most to be pitied.”

However, there is ample evidence to support belief in the divine inspiration of the Bible. Firstly, the Bible is a unique collection. It was written by approximately forty authors, from three different continents, over a span of 1500 years, and yet it contains a thematic unity “that defies naturalistic explanations.” (Gregory Boyd)  Secondly, the Bible’s pages are lined with foretold events which actually proved true. From the prophecies of the Messiah and their miraculously accurate fulfillments to the predictions of progressive world empires which all proved true. Thirdly, the Bible’s historic accuracy continues to stand. Again and again, archaeological evidence corroborates the truth of the Bible’s history, giving credit to the fact that it was not just made up by men, but it is actual truth recorded by someone supremely interested in truth (“let God be true though every one were a liar” Rom. 3:4).

Christians can rest surely that the Bible is in fact the word of God—the only message of salvation in the only one who saves.

- Dan Lankford, minister

Basics. Fundamentals. Foundations.

The Hebrews writer said, “...let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.” (Heb. 6:1-2) There is a categorical need for spiritual growth in the life of a Christian, and part of that is to move on to more mature thinking—not simply a continual repetition of the basics.

This, however, does not necessarily mean that we never speak again of the fundamental matters of faith. You’ll notice the writer says “not laying again a foundation.” In saying it this way, he assumes that those previously-laid foundations will remain intact and remain strong.

As a church of God’s people continues to influence the world around them, we should expect to see varying levels of understanding about the foundations of faith. And we must, therefore, repeat the fundamentals often enough to keep them at the root of our identity. Without properly-laid foundations—“the elementary doctrines of Christ”—we will never attain to maturity anyway.

And so, we would all do well (this writer, especially) to learn not to disdain those necessary messages on the fundamentals. One writer said, “Repetition… is a pastoral necessity.” It’s important that we reinforce our foundations of belief in Christ, the importance of baptism, and the necessity of repentance.

Basics. Fundamentals. Foundations.

- Dan Lankford, minister