The WATCHMAN Informs

Charles Spurgeon Devotional 03-21-2010

The WATCHMAN — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 04:56:20 +0000

Ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone.

(John 16:32)

Few had fellowship with the sorrows of Gethsemane. The majority of the disciples were not sufficiently advanced in grace to be admitted to behold the mysteries of the agony. Occupied with the passover feast at their own houses, they represent the many who live upon the letter, but are mere babes as to the spirit of the gospel. To twelve, nay, to eleven only was the privilege given to enter Gethsemane and see this great sight. Out of the eleven, eight were left at a distance; they had fellowship, but not of that intimate sort to which men greatly beloved are admitted. Only three highly favoured ones could approach the veil of our Lord’s mysterious sorrow: within that veil even these must not intrude; a stone’s-cast distance must be left between. He must tread the wine-press alone, and of the people there must be none with him. Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, represent the few eminent, experienced saints, who may be written down as Fathers; these having done business on great waters, can in some degree measure the huge Atlantic waves of their Redeemer’s passion. To some selected spirits it is given, for the good of others, and to strengthen them for future, special, and tremendous conflict, to enter the inner circle and hear the pleadings of the suffering High Priest; they have fellowship with him in his sufferings, and are made conformable unto his death. Yet even these cannot penetrate the secret places of the Saviour’s woe. Thine unknown sufferings is the remarkable expression of the Greek liturgy: there was an inner chamber in our Master’s grief, shut out from human knowledge and fellowship. There Jesus is left alone. Here Jesus was more than ever an Unspeakable gift! Is not Watts right when he sings-

And all the unknown joys he gives,

Were bought with agonies unknown.

Charles Spurgeon Devotional 03-20-2010

The WATCHMAN — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 11:56:22 +0000

My beloved.

(Song of Solomon 2:8)

This was a golden name which the ancient Church in her most joyous moments was wont to give to the Anointed of the Lord. When the time of the singing of birds was come, and the voice of the turtle was heard in her land, her love-note was sweeter than either, as she sang, My beloved is mine and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies. Ever in her song of songs doth she call him by that delightful name, My beloved! Even in the long winter, when idolatry had withered the garden of the Lord, her prophets found space to lay aside the burden of the Lord for a little season, and to say, as Esaias did, Now will I sing to my well-beloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. Though the saints had never seen his face, though as yet he was not made flesh, nor had dwelt among us, nor had man beheld his glory, yet he was the consolation of Israel, the hope and joy of all the chosen, the beloved of all those who were upright before the Most High. We, in the summer days of the Church, are also wont to speak of Christ as the best beloved of our soul, and to feel that he is very precious, the chiefest among ten thousand, and the altogether lovely. So true is it that the Church loves Jesus, and claims him as her beloved, that the apostle dares to defy the whole universe to separate her from the love of Christ, and declares that neither persecutions, distress, affliction, peril, or the sword have been able to do it; nay, he joyously boasts, In all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

O that we knew more of thee, thou ever precious one!

My sole possession is thy love;

In earth beneath, or heaven above,

I have no other store;

And though with fervent suit I pray,

And importune thee day by day,

I ask thee nothing more.

Reasons to Believe The Bible

The WATCHMAN — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 04:01:14 +0000

READ | 1 Peter 1:22-23

Scripture is meant to have a positive influence on our conversation, conduct, and character. Therefore, we must trust in the Bible’s accuracy and supremacy. Today I’m going to give you three reasons to believe God’s Word.

Jesus believed Scripture. Our Savior affirmed the validity of the Old Testament by using it. He quoted Isaiah’s prophecies to poke holes in the Pharisees’ false piety (Mark 7:6-13). Later, after His resurrection, He explained to two believers the things that Moses and the prophets had written about Him (Luke 24:27). Finally, Christ promised the disciples that the Holy Spirit would enlighten their minds and jog their memories, which ensured that the New Testament books were written accurately (John 14:26).

Scripture is inexhaustible. Like a well that never runs dry, the Bible offers readers a fresh taste of living water each time they open it. Men and women who have dedicated their lives to studying this amazing book admit that they have only skimmed its surface. Personally, I cannot count the times that a passage I knew by heart suddenly yielded new insights.

Scripture is indestructible. For centuries, various governments and leaders have tried in vain to destroy God’s Word, or at least restrict access to it. The most hated book in history keeps circulating and winning hearts for the Lord.

The Bible is the Lord’s way of revealing Himself to humanity. Through its pages, we learn how to please Him with our life and service. Believing only those passages that suit one’s worldview is foolish because every word is God-breathed.

Also, if this, or any other post / message has been a blessing to you, please consider telling someone else who may need a good word for the day. Point them to www.watchmaninforms.com Thank you.

Pastor: No Such Thing as a Completed Muslim

The WATCHMAN — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:16:16 +0000

By Michelle A. Vu|Christian Post Reporter

|Thu, Mar. 18 2010 05:10 PM EDT

There are Messianic Jews but there is no such thing as a completed Muslim, said a pastor who is an expert in Christian and Islamic theology.

Contrary to what some mission leaders think, J.D. Greear does not accept the equal comparison between Jews who come to accept Jesus as their savior and Muslims who become Christian. Messianic Jews are sometimes called completed Jews, but it would be incorrect to apply the term to Muslims.

“I don’t think that is a comparison,” said Greear, author of the new book Breaking the Islam Code: Understanding the Soul Questions of Every Muslim, in an interview. “I don’t think you can say that because the covenant of grace was within the writing of Moses and early Judaism. The covenant of grace is not and has never been a part of Islam. So I don’t think you can go that far.”

Greear, who holds a Ph.D. in Christian and Islamic theology, brought up the point while discussing a Muslim outreach tool called the Camel. The Camel seeks to build a bridge for Christians to start a conversation about faith with Muslims. The method had come under criticism recently after a former-Muslim-turned-seminary-president accused it of employing deception.

But proponents of the Camel maintain that it is a simple, deception-free tool that helps open a conversation about faith and invites Muslims to read the Bible.

David Garrison, editor of The Camel: How Muslims are Coming to Faith in Christ, told The Christian Post in a recent interview that the word Camel is an acronym that helps Christians recall what the Quran says about Isa, or Jesus, so that they can start a discussion on Jesus based on common ground.

While Greear embraces finding common ground to begin a conversation with Muslims, he rejects the belief held by some missionaries who use the Camel that the Muslim prophet Muhammad is comparable to the Jewish and Christian prophet Moses.

Some missionaries say that like how Moses brought the Jews half way to Jesus, the Muslim prophet Muhammad brought the Arab people half way to Jesus. Muslims who come to believe in Jesus as their savior, therefore, are “completed Muslims,” they contend.

“Moses was a prophet that spoke the words of God,” Greear asserted. “It was God’s word. Muhammad denied Christ. He was a false prophet.”

For Greear, a former Southern Baptist missionary who served in a predominantly Muslim country, it is appropriate, however, to adopt Islamic terms and ideas to share the Gospel as long as they do not compromise the distinctiveness of Jesus Christ.

For instance, even though the Muslim understanding of God is different than that of Christians, the North Carolina pastor believes it is “fully appropriate” to use the term Allah to refer to God.

His position is based on the conversation recorded in the Bible between Jesus and the Samaritan woman. Jesus did not tell the Samaritan woman that she was worshipping the wrong God, but rather Jesus told her she was worshipping the wrong way.

“What you are doing is saying that the God that you worship, I’m actually going to show you the right way to worship Him,” Greear said.

But contextualization – the process of communicating ideas in terms understandable to the audience – of the Gospel has always been a difficult task for missionaries and missiologists, Greear quickly acknowledged. The question is always how far is too far.

“On one side you create too many barriers between Muslims and the Gospels,” the pastor said, “and the other side you so distort the Gospel that it loses its distinctiveness.”

The up-and-coming pastor in the Southern Baptist Convention believes the important thing to consider when wrestling with contextualization of the Gospel is the uniqueness of God.

“It is when God’s people give God a chance to show His distinctiveness from all the other false gods then that is when the power of God is most revealed,” the former missionary said. “I think the way it applies to this discussion is we want to make sure that while we are putting the Gospel into phrases and terms that Muslims can understand, we want to guard the exclusivity of Jesus and the distinctiveness of Jehovah’s way of salvation so that God can again pour down His power and show that He is the only savior.”

In his new book, Breaking the Islam Code, Greear explains the core beliefs of Islam, what Christianity and Islam have in common, and where the two faiths differ, among other practical knowledge that helps Christians to better understand Muslims.

Grace for Times of Trouble

The WATCHMAN — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:01:31 +0000

READ | 1 Peter 5:5-7

Trouble is an ever-present reality in our world, and there is no way for any of us to totally escape its grip. How do you respond when difficulty pays you a visit? Do you attempt to escape or stoically endure? Are you one who suffers in silence, or do you let everyone know about your hardship?

As believers in Jesus Christ, we usually turn immediately to the Lord, praying that He will change the situation and release us from its clutches. That is exactly what Paul did regarding his “thorn in the flesh.” On three different occassions, he asked for it to be removed; however, Gods final answer was that the thorn would remain.

When the Lord says no to our requests for relief, He says yes to something even greater–His all-sufficient grace. There is no thorn too big for Him to handle in this way. Our loving heavenly Father will never give you a trial without also supplying His abundant strength to endure it. The sufferings that God allows in our life are given to us for His good purpose. The apostle’s thorn was designed to provide him with precisely what he needed: humility. The Lord has the same care and concern for you that He had for Paul, and His intention is for your benefit.

Also, if this, or any other post / message has been a blessing to you, please consider telling someone else who may need a good word for the day. Point them to www.watchmaninforms.com Thank you.

The Danger of Idle Talk

The WATCHMAN — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:01:32 +0000

READ | Proverbs 12:13-22

Ask a few people to define gossip, and most will mention something about spreading rumors. That is correct, but it’s not the whole truth. Gossip includes any idle or malicious talk that harms someone else. In other words, damaging speech is a universal sin—we have all been guilty.

For example, have you ever commented negatively on how a person dressed? Suggested to a friend that someone you both know should consider changing jobs or hobbies? Told an acquaintance about another man or woman’s personal life? Let me ask you a final question: Did you feel a check in your spirit while you were speaking? All of these can be examples of gossip—words that do damage despite sounding innocent.

Idle comments are often delivered in a way that makes them seem unlike the traditional definition of talebearing. Three common ways that people mask gossip are 1) by speaking in jest, 2) by offering others’ personal details “as an example,” and 3) by disguising the spread of information as a prayer request. Of course, not every tease or illustration is gossip. And the body of Christ is certainly called upon to pray for those facing hard times. Therefore, we must know the difference between worthless chatter and wise speech.

What makes the difference is the heart’s motivation. (Ps. 19:14). Lips move loosely when the intention is to mar a person’s good name or create instant camaraderie—which often happens while discussing someone’s misfortune. However, a desire to please God and show His grace toward our fellow man prompts us to speak only that which is good for building up others (Eph. 4:29).

Also, if this, or any other post / message has been a blessing to you, please consider telling someone else who may need a good word for the day. Point them to www.watchmaninforms.com Thank you.

Theologian: Glenn Beck Was Reckless, but Has a Point

The WATCHMAN — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 03:16:15 +0000

By Jennifer Riley|Christian Post Reporter

|Tue, Mar. 16 2010 05:53 PM EDT

Amid the uproar over Glenn Beck’s recent comments about the church and social justice, a respected theologian has called for more “careful thinking” and “earnest struggle” with the issue.

Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr., president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., observed that most media jumped on the story taking the simple approach of pitting pro-social justice Christian leaders against the controversial Fox News broadcaster.

But the theologian, who daily tackles hot-button issues on his blog, called on “serious-minded” Christians to take a deeper look at what Beck was trying to say when he warned that the words “social justice” or “economic justice” are “code words” for Communism and Nazism.

During his March 2 radio broadcast, Beck had urged Christians to leave their church if it embraced social and economic justice.

“At first glance, Beck’s statements are hard to defend. How can justice, social or private, be anything other than a biblical mandate,” Mohler wrote on his blog Monday.

“But, there is more going on here,” he contended. “A closer look at his statements reveals a political context.”

Mohler pointed out that Beck had specifically mentioned the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the former pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ, the church where President Obama had attended while living in Chicago.

The Baptist theologian then said many preachers trade “the Gospel for a platform of political and economic change, most often packaged as a call for social justice.”

He looked back on Christian history and highlighted the “immediate roots” of the so-called “social gospel” to Washington Gladden, a Columbus, Ohio, pastor, from the mid-nineteenth century, and, more famously, to Walter Rauschenbusch, a liberal Christian theologian and Baptist minister in the early twentieth century.

Both Gladden and Rauschenbusch promoted a liberal theological message that redirected the Christian emphasis of salvation through Jesus Christ to one that emphasized using politics to bring the Kingdom of God on earth.

“The urgency for any faithful Christian is this – flee any church that for any reason or in any form has abandoned the Gospel of Christ for any other gospel,” Mohler stated.

While Beck’s statements suggest that his primary concern is politics, Mohler said his concern is about the “primacy of the Gospel of Christ.”

“The church’s main message must be that Gospel,” he stated. “The New Testament is stunningly silent on any plan for governmental or social action. The apostles launched no social reform movement. Instead, they preached the Gospel of Christ and planted Gospel church.”

But in spite of the church not adopting a social reform agenda, Mohler believes that a church that is faithful to the Gospel will naturally reform society through the lives of its congregants.

“The Gospel is not a message of social salvation, but it does have social implications,” maintained Mohler.

Jerry Falwell, Jr., president of Liberty University and the son of the late Christian right leader the Rev. Jerry Falwell, also said Jesus taught that individuals, not governments, should help the poor.

“Jesus taught that we should give to the poor and support widows, but he never said that we should elect a government that would take money from our neighbor’s hand and give it to the poor,” Falwell said in response to the Beck controversy, according to CNN.

But Beck has faced a barrage of criticism from anti-poverty Christian leaders and organizations following his remarks.

The Rev. Jim Wallis, CEO of the social justice ministry Sojourners, called on Christians to stop listening and watching Beck’s shows. Wallis said the Bible is clear that social justice is an “integral part of God’s plan for humanity.”

So far some 30,000 Christians have sent a message to Beck in protest of his social justice comments, according to Wallis.

Mohler, though noting there is some truth to Beck’s statements, criticized the comments for lack of “nuance, fair consideration, and context.”

“It was reckless to use a national media platform to rail against social justice in such a manner,” the theologian said. Becks reckless statements has left him “with little defense against a tidal wave of biblical mandates.”

While the church must make preaching the Gospel central to its mission, Christians must strive to “be on the right side of justice,” Mohler concluded.

7th World Vision Staff Dies after Pakistan Attack

The WATCHMAN — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 03:08:50 +0000

By Ethan Cole|Christian Post Reporter

World|Tue, Mar. 16 2010 10:09 AM EDT

A seventh World Vision worker in Pakistan has died after the office was attacked last week by gunmen, the Christian humanitarian agency announced Tuesday.

Imtiaz John, 34, served as a field coordinator with World Vision since 2006. He passed away Sunday, leaving behind a wife, a four-month-old baby and an extended family who depend on him for financial support.

In total, seven local staffs working for children and displaced communities in North Western Pakistan have died following Wednesday’s attack on the World Vision office in Mansehra District, north of the capital, Islamabad. The staff members who died from the violent act range in age from 23 to 43 years old.

“Our staffs are motivated by a straightforward interest in providing a better life for children,” said Charles Dokmo, World Vision’s regional vice president, in response to questions about what motivated the militants’ attack.

“Where extremists teach hate, our staff work with mothers and fathers to help needy children; where extremists sow violence, our staff work with farmers to plant the seeds of a more prosperous community, and where extremists encourage intolerance, our staff nurture respect for human life and human dignity,” Dokmo stated.

As many as 15 gunmen arrived in pick-up vehicles last Wednesday and opened fire on the office. World Vision said the attack was unprovoked and there was no prior warning.

One injured World Vision staff member remains hospitalized.

Investigation on the attack is underway, but so far authorities have not been able to identify a specific motive for the violence. In general, local militants carry out random acts of terror to destabilize the region and create fear among residents.

Despite the attack, World Vision will continue to operate its life-saving health activities in the North West region of Pakistan but has temporarily suspended other programs.

A global memorial service will take place Wednesday to remember and honor the Pakistani staff members who have passed away. All World Vision offices will participate.

World Vision has worked in Pakistan since 1992. Initially, the agency focused on relief intervention but expanded its work in 2001. It began collaborating with other aid groups on emergency relief assistance and community development initiatives in the North West Frontier Province and Punjab Province. World Vision further expanded its operations in Pakistan after the country’s devastating earthquake in October 2005.

Palestinians, Israeli police clash in Jerusalem

The WATCHMAN — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:00:30 +0000

By Jeffrey Heller Jeffrey Heller – 26 mins ago

JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Palestinians mounted violent protests in Jerusalem on Tuesday and President Barack Obama’s Middle East envoy canceled plans to return to the region as a U.S.-Israeli crisis over Jewish settlement plans deepened.

Hundreds of rock-throwing Palestinians clashed with police in several locations in East Jerusalem, which Israel captured in a 1967 war along with the West Bank. Police responded with teargas and rubber bullets.

“We have come to throw stones because that’s all we have and the situation in Jerusalem is dangerous,” one protester said in a confrontation at an Israeli military checkpoint, reminiscent of the early days of a Palestinian uprising that began in 2000.

Medical officials said at least 40 Palestinians were treated in hospitals in the most serious flare-up in the holy city in months. Police said two policemen were hurt.

The violence was another challenge to U.S. efforts to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, which were suspended in December 2008 but had looked set to resume in the form of indirect negotiations under U.S. mediation.

Israel angered Palestinians and touched off a feud with Washington by announcing plans, during a visit last week by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, to build 1,600 homes for Jews in a part of the occupied West Bank it annexed to Jerusalem.

The dispute, described by Israel’s ambassador to Washington described as a crisis of historic proportions in traditionally close U.S.-Israeli relations, showed no signs of abating.

U.S. envoy George Mitchell canceled plans to return to the region on Tuesday after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would not halt construction in what he termed Jerusalem neighborhoods, disputed areas filled with Israeli apartment blocs in and near the city’s eastern sectors.

Officials in Washington said they were still waiting for Israel’s formal response to demands from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Israeli media reports said Clinton, who termed the announcement of the construction plan an insult, had asked for it to be scrapped and for Israel to agree to discuss core statehood issues with the Palestinians.

“EXPLOSIVE SITUATION”

“There is an explosive situation. There are Netanyahu’s policies, which are tantamount to pouring oil on fire,” said Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat.

Hamas, an Islamist group that controls the Gaza Strip, said in a statement that Palestinians should “regard Tuesday as a day of rage against the occupation’s (Israel’s) procedures in Jerusalem against al-Aqsa mosque”.

Hamas leaders cited the renovation of the Hurva synagogue, in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem’s walled Old City, saying the restoration work was an Israeli plot to demolish al-Aqsa, some 400 meters (yards) away.

Israel has denied the allegation and the U.S. State Department, appealing for calm, voiced concern at what it described as Palestinian incitement.

Citing biblical and historical links, Israel sees all of Jerusalem as its capital, a claim not recognized internationally. The Palestinians want East Jerusalem to be the capital of a future state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Some 500,000 Jews and 2.6 million Palestinians live in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Palestinians say Jewish settlements will deny them a viable state and Washington has cautioned both sides against moves that could prejudge the outcome of peace talks.

(Additional reporting by Tom Perry and Ali Sawafta in Ramallah and Nidal al-Mughrabi in Gaza; Editing by Noah Barkin)

The Words of Our Mouth

The WATCHMAN — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 05:31:21 +0000

READ | 2 Timothy 2:23-3:5

Gossip is often regarded as a relatively harmless pastime, particularly when compared to wrongs like murder or adultery. Satan has painted talebearing as innocuous, but if we peel away that deception, we see the ugly truth. In the Bible, God lists gossip among the most depraved sins (Rom. 1:28-31).

Nothing about gossip is harmless. Whether the talk is intentionally hurtful or simply some idle musing, the subject can be hurt or embarrassed. A friend of mine decided to trace a damaging story about himself back to its source. He asked one man after another, “Where did you hear this?” Seventeen pastors later, he finally found the person who had originated the tale. This fellow admitted he had speculated aloud regarding a situation about which he knew little. A destructive chain reaction began with just one man jumping to a false conclusion while chatting with a friend.

Even if the victim never learns of the chitchat going on behind his or her back, gossip still has consequences. The people who spread a tale reveal their inner thinking: “For the mouth speaks out that which fills the heart,” (Matt. 12:34). A poisonous tongue flows with the jealousy, resentment, or pride residing inside.

Gossip has the power to hurt feelings, destroy reputations, and divide churches. We do not have the right to bring such damage into anyone’s life. In fact, God is the only One we should turn to when we hear a story. Those facing trials need prayer rather than tongues wagging over their misfortunes (Gal. 6:2).

Also, if this, or any other post / message has been a blessing to you, please consider telling someone else who may need a good word for the day. Point them to www.watchmaninforms.com Thank you.