The Bontrager Family Singers performed at our church on February 9, 2013. Click on the link below to see this wonderful family and their testimony of what God has done in their life.

The Bontrager Family Singers, Norris Hill Church, Anderson, SC 2-9-2013

Light and Truth

"Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling! Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy, and I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God." Psalm 43:3-4

I love these two verses. Jesus is your light and your truth. Jesus teaching in the temple said "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12) And then He told Thomas, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)

In today's world, at least in my corner of America, people are so engrossed in themselves. It doesn't matter whether they are rich, or poor; the only concern is themselves. Their thoughts and their motives is what they could gain not in what they can give. All of this is due to an "in-look" and not an "up-look."
The Psalmist, in Psalm 43, gives us a clear picture that our world is bent on evil. Because of the Fall, mankind lives in darkness. Everything we do and see makes us gravitate toward godlessness. Yet, if we are to overcome the darkness, we have to seek what is truth and what is light.

Jesus is the only way we can come to the Father God. We should constantly pray for that light and truth in our life. We should be on our knees asking God to lead us by His light and His truth, which is Jesus Christ.
If we are in a darkened room, what do we search for in order to see? A light switch. I am a hunter, and one of the worst things that has happened to me is that I left my flashlight at home. Can you imagine trouncing around the woods trying to find a deer stand without a flashlight? Needless to say, I had to wait for daylight to see where I needed to go.

Scripture tells us that this world is ruled by darkness. (John 3:19, Romans 1:21, Ephesians 4:18, 5:8, 2 Corinthians 6:14, Jude 6...just to name a few passages). Those who don't have Christ in their lives are wandering around in this world without a "flashlight." They live their lives with respect to lies told to them by the world, Satan and their own fleshly desires. What is unfortunate is that a lot of people think they are OK because they go to church or had some kind of religious experience. They don't realize they are in darkness because they are "feeling" their way through life instead of being guided by Christ.

God is light, in Him their is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). If Jesus is truly Lord and Savior of our life then His light leads us to God. We seek Him. We love Him. We desire to be in His presence, at His altar; and joy and praise overflows from within and goes outward. It is ONLY because of Christ that we can praise God.
Through Christ we turn from the darkness of our sin, the darkness of the world and we run to God. Our lives are changed and we live in such a way that we are different from everyone else. Unfortunately, many people who call themselves Christians do not live like this. They say that they believe, they say they know Christ; but their lives are still worldly dark lives. Their thinking goes like this, "I want all I can get, live in sin...and oh Christ you can come along, too."

I want to encourage you not to be one of these pseudo-Christians. Heed the Psalmist's direction. Live a life worthy of the One who has saved you. Don't be a person who lives for the world and then just tacks on Christ to make yourself feel better. And always keep looking up!

Bontrager Family Singers

On February 9, 2013 we hosted the Bontrager Family Singers. We have enjoyed following them and getting to know them over the past year. They truly are a special family and great examples of living for Jesus. Here are a few pictures.

Following Christ

"¹¹ In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. ¹² Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. ¹³ Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. ¹⁴ For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace." Romans 6:11-14

When I think about Jesus, do you know what amazes me about His life? It is that He never sinned. Now, I know that if you are a mature believer you probably will scoff a little at my statement because you may say, "Of course He didn't! He was the Son of God incarnate!" However, bear with me for a moment and read on.

The Bible teaches us that, "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin." Hebrews 4:15

Jesus Christ, the Son of the Most High God, was tempted in every way, just as we are. The devil didn't care who Jesus was. Matthew 4:1, Mark 1:13, and Luke 4:2 states that Satan tried in every way to lure Jesus away from the Father and follow him. Jesus felt the pain of hunger, thirst, poverty, physical hurt, prostitutes placed before Him, death of loved ones, etc. Yet, He NEVER deviated from the path of righteousness. He was without sin!

As we strive in this world, that is not our own, we need to reflect on this aspect of Jesus. It is one part of His calling to us as Christians to "Take up your cross and follow me."

As we are a part of the culture American Christianity, we lose sight of this task. Do we really count ourselves "dead to sin"? I believe with all my heart that we have to answer with an emphatic, NO!! Oh we count ourselves as under grace. We believe in Jesus and call ourselves "Christians," but just as a part of all the other "stuff" we have in our lives. We tack on Christianity to everything else. We are not true followers of the One True God.

It breaks my heart to witness first hand the culture we live in. Mega-churches abound with the feel-good praise music and watered down preaching that is ruining the Church. Who does it feel good to? Not to God. It feels good to the people who are singing. Does most of the preaching today bring one to a sense of understanding the wretchedness they truly are? No, it is geared towards inspiring one to be better, live better, or gain some principle that will make them a better "Christian." Now don't get me wrong. I'm not against mega-churches. Most Contemporay Christian music isn't bad. I listen to and sing along with the best it has to offer. And principles in the Bible to live better are foundational for a true witness. The problem arises when one leaves this atmosphere, thinks they are right with a Holy and Just God and go back living the way they were without any sense of the sin in their lives. That my friends is the downfall of the 21st American Christian.

We don't realize that as His children we are in the presence of a Holy God. We don't revere in awe of His majesty. We hold on to His grace, but His grace does not master us. We only go to the early service so we can get on the golf course. We skip church on Sundays because our son or daughter has a travel baseball or softball game. We hunt on Sunday mornings and skip the morning services and only go to the evening service. We use our money for an expensive vacation, cable television, a new vehicle instead of helping the poor or going on a mission trip. We put everything else before "living to God..using  the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness." Oh how we sin to the utmost!

Do you recognize the sin in your life? Are you continuously repenting so you can be a true follower? Is His grace ruling your life or are you just banking that His grace makes you o.k.? If not, look up to the One to show you your transgressions and repent! Remember, Jesus spoke more harshly to the ones who thought they were righteous than to the sinners and tax collectors.

Reflecting Christ

"We all, with unveiled faces, are reflecting the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory...." 2 Corinthians 3:18 (HCSB)

This morning when I woke up I did my usual Sunday morning routine. I spent time with my wife, ate breakfast with the family, and got dressed. Getting dressed on Sunday morning is different than most every other day because I preach wearing a coat and tie. You know, as long as I have been tying ties, I still like to do it looking in a mirror. I can complete the task without looking in a mirror, but I go much faster and have better coordination looking into a mirror.

Your Christian walk should be like a mirror, except you are not the one looking into the mirror...you are the reflection. You are the reflection of Christ in you. Moses reflected God at one point and the reflection was so great that he had to cover his face. The Israelites were scared to look upon Moses because the skin of his face glowed so brightly. They knew they were standing in front of Holiness. No, Moses wasn't Holy...but the reflection of God by Moses was Holy.

If that is the consequence of Moses looking upon God's backside, because that was all God would allow Moses to see - a quick glimpse of His backside (Exodus 33:19-23), then you should all the more reflect God's glory because Christ lives in you. You are a reflection of the Son of God who came to earth, lived a perfect life, was crucified, died, rose again and now lives within your heart. You are a reflection of what He was, is and will do.

You know what would have been neat about tying my tie this morning? It would have been neat if my reflection actually became me...an image of me...but a real me. Of course, that is not possible. However, what is impossible with man is possible with God. You as a child of God, a chosen one of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, are being made just like Him. The work is not complete yet. However, it is in progress. Sanctification is taking place in your life. With each moment of good fortune, or each passing trial, God uses them to make you more and more like Jesus. Let your light so shine before all men that they give Him the glory for what He has done in you. Thank God for changing your heart and making you one of His own dear children. And never forget to keep Looking Up!

Strive For Christ

“He that wishes to attain right views about Christian holiness must begin by examining the vast and solemn subject of sin. He must dig down very low if he would build high. A mistake here is most mischievous. Wrong views about holiness are generally traceable to wrong views about human corruption.” (J.C. Ryle, Holiness, Evangelical Press, 1879, pg 1.)

Ryle begins his book on holiness with the above quotation as he refutes the weighty matter of “immediate sanctification,” or “Smithism,” or “The Keswick Experience,” or “holiness movement,” to name a few of modern terms for the Armenian idea.

 My objective for this blog is not to rehash the theology of the higher life view, nor to dismantle its historical and current leaders. Rather, my desire is to encourage others in their daily walk with Christ from what I believe is the best perspective on sanctification, the Reformed view.

 We live in a day and age where immediate gratification is thought of as a right and a privilege. Whereas the “American Way” of our fathers was to work hard and be productive citizens for community and country, the generation that begins with mine (Generation X) is bent on “what you are supposed to give me.” We live as if everyone else is supposed to take care of us and we have a right to live any way we want. The world revolves around ME, and it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks.

 This same idea has infiltrated our spiritual lives as well. Going to church is not about what we can give to God anymore, its about what can this church or that church give me. If I can’t find satisfaction in the sermon, or I stay bored, then I will try the one around the corner. Church has become entertainment for many and not a means of blessing God for who He is. We want to live every day “normal” in light of worldly standards without the struggles of following in the true Light, that is Jesus Christ.

 You see, I want to encourage you that just because we don’t receive immediate sanctification and perfectionism in this life, it doesn’t mean that our piety shouldn’t aspire to that end. Jesus said in Matthew 16:24-28,
“If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me will find it. What will it benefit a man if he gains the whole world yet loses his life? Or what will a man give in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man is going to come with His angels in the glory of His Father, and then He will reward each according to what he has done. I assure you: There are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” (HCSB)

 In following Christ we are going to have failures. Paul said in Romans 7:13-25, “Therefore, did what is good cause my death? Absolutely not! On the contrary, sin, in order to be recognized as sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that through the commandment sin might become sinful beyond measure. For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am made out of flesh, sold into sin's power. For I do not understand what I am doing, because I do not practice what I want to do, but I do what I hate. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree with the law that it is good. So now I am no longer the one doing it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For the desire to do what is good is with me, but there is no ability to do it. For I do not do the good that I want to do, but I practice the evil that I do not want to do. Now if I do what I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but it is the sin that lives in me. So I discover this principle: when I want to do good, evil is with me. For in my inner self I joyfully agree with God's law. But I see a different law in the parts of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and taking me prisoner to the law of sin in the parts of my body. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with my mind I myself am a slave to the law of God, but with my flesh, to the law of sin.” (HCSB)

 However, we continue to strive for Christ. We continue to become more like Him. We work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:1-2a, “Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not give up. Instead, we have renounced shameful secret things, not walking in deceit or distorting God's message.” (HCSB)

May you be encouraged today to strive for Christ and not for yourself. Live your life for Him and make Him your Lord. Search, read and study Scripture; pray without ceasing; and find a good Bible-based church that focuses its worship on Him. And always, keep looking up!