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Archives For November 30, 1999

Born again to a living hope

Meredith Flynn —  November 5, 2012

HEARTLAND | 1 Peter 1: 3-19 (ESV)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith – more precious than gold that perished though it is tested by fire – may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.

It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels now long to look.

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

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Prayer for wisdom for public officials

Meredith Flynn —  October 29, 2012

Editor’s note: Southern Baptists have been called to pray for 40 days or 40 hours prior to this fall’s election through the 40/40 Vigil. Today’s Heartland post is from Day (or Hour) 34. Go to 4040prayer.com to read more prayer prompts and to find out how to join the vigil.

Scripture for reflection and preparation

“It is by me that kings reign and rulers enact just law; by me, princes lead. as do nobles and all righteous judges.” (Proverbs 8:15-16)

“But the one who did not know, and did things deserving of blows, will be beaten lightly. Much will be required of everyone who has been given much. And even more will be expected of the one who has been entrusted with more.” (Luke 12:48)

“Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3-4)

PREPARATION

  • Praise God for who He is
  • Confess your sinfulness and need for cleansing
  • Allow His Spirit to draw you near
  • Listen as He speaks to you

ASK GOD TO…

  • Burden Christians to run for public office
  • Help the church understand the imperative of civic involvement
  • Help churches equip men and women for the spiritual demands of public office
  • Burden churches to pray for God to call men and women to public office
  • Give Christians who run for public office favor in the eyes of the electorate
  • Help you know if He wants you to become more involved in the civic life of your community or nation
  • Protect future Christian leaders from errors and sin that will prevent them from fulfilling God’s intention for their lives of public service

THANKSGIVING

  • Thank God for hearing you
  • Trust that God is at work to accomplish His will
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God still restores

Meredith Flynn —  October 22, 2012

HEARTLAND | From Isaiah 61

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because God has anointed me to bring good news to the poor,

He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

To proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;

To grant to those who mourn in Zion – to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;

That they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.

They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations. (Isaiah 61:1-4)

Isaiah is speaking to the people of Israel, who God promised to restore after years of captivity. Our situation isn’t the same, but His character is. The same God who promised to restore them, promises to restore us, too, to trade our heart of stone for a heart of flesh and a new spirit (Ezekiel 36:26).

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Adoniram Judson and an unlikely missionary

Meredith Flynn —  October 15, 2012

Editor’s note: This year marks the 200th anniversary of Adoniram Judson’s historic missionary journey. This column, which first appeared on Baptist Press, is adapted from the introduction of a new book about Judson’s life.

HEARTLAND | Paige Patterson

My appreciation for the life of Adoniram Judson began in 1957 when my dad, a missionary-hearted pastor, placed a book in my hands and urged that I read it carefully.

Courtney Anderson’s biography of Judson, “To the Golden Shore,” wrapped its tentacles around this red-haired young teen’s heart, mind and soul. And to this day, I read it often, unable to shirk the adventure, the love, the risk, the suffering, the faith and the courage that leap from every page.

I was an unlikely missions candidate. A puckish prankster almost from the womb, not much in the world seemed very serious to me. I roamed the woods without my parents’ knowledge or permission by the time I was 10, caught sunning cottonmouths with my bare hands and hunted with a contraband .22 pump rifle which no one knew I had.

Because I had a better than average awareness of my capacity for sin, my conversion to Christ at age 9 was vivid. With it came a commitment to the ministry which I grasped fully. Conversion healed immediately the more gross of my sinful impulses, but I fear that the prankishness and love for exploration and adventure were only exacerbated.

The sometimes stodgy Adoniram had another side to him, I learned. He loved to laugh and could evidently spin a yarn or two himself. And, as I read the pages of “To the Golden Shore,” two different but not at all contradictory notions were stoked into a raging fire.

First, the desire to see the world, to embark on a great adventure gripped my soul. And to attempt this journey bearing the Gospel as the sole solution to the agonies of life only made such an enterprise seem more essential.

More important, if the Judsons could sacrifice akin to the sufferings of Christ (Colossians 1:24), then it dawned on me that lost people must really matter. Clearly for all the tragedy that engulfed them, the Judsons believed the lost of Burma and the saving message of Christ were more important than all else in life.

Though I envy those called of God to permanent mission assignments, the Lord never led me to those. Rather, for the last 37 years I have followed what I believe to be the leadership of the Spirit of God to train missionaries and mission-hearted pastors so that no one is left without an opportunity to know of the Savior who could save even a freckled-faced, red-headed, hot-blooded prankster. At every juncture, the impact of Adoniram Judson has played a major role in my life’s work.

Paige Patterson is president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Read his full column at BPNews.net.

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Praying for church revival

Meredith Flynn —  October 8, 2012

HEARTLAND | Meredith Flynn

Editor’s note: Southern Baptists have been called to pray for 40 days or 40 hours prior to this fall’s election through the 40/40 Vigil. Today’s Heartland post is from Day (or Hour) 13. Go to 4040prayer.com to read more prayer prompts and to find out how to join the vigil.

Scripture for reflection and preparation

“In the beginning was the Word; and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created.” John 1:1, 3

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. They are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. God presented Him as a propitiation through faith in His blood, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His restraint God passed over the sins previously committed.” Romans 3:23-25

“But He was pierced because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on Him, and we are healed by His wounds. We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the Lord has punished Him for the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:5-6

REVIVAL ROOTED IN GOD – Revival begins when God’s people turn back to God.

PREPARATION

  • Praise God for who He is
  • Confess your sinfulness and need for cleansing
  • Allow His Spirit to draw you near
  • Listen as He speaks to you

ASK GOD TO…

  • Choose to send revival at this time
  • Help Christians regain their understanding of His holiness
  • Convict Christians that they are to be completely dependent on Him
  • Restore in Christians an understanding of the destructive power of sin
  • Remind Christians of His great love for them
  • Remind Christians of His great sacrifice on their behalf through Jesus
  • Raise up Spirit-filled leaders to call the church to holiness

THANKSGIVING

  • Thank God for hearing you
  • Trust that God is at work to accomplish His will
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Blind faith

Lisa Misner —  October 1, 2012

HEARTLAND | Nate Adams

About a month ago, our family dog Willy went blind. When we adopted him from the shelter as a puppy, we knew he might have some health issues. During his first check-up, the veterinarian said it looked like he was made up of spare parts. For one thing, his eyes didn’t quite match, and it turns out one of them probably never did work. So when the retina detached from his good eye last month, he was left in the dark. 

This actually happened the same week that we took our youngest son Ethan off to college. So it was already a pretty emotional time for my wife Beth. I thought I was helping by suggesting that we return the dog to the shelter. I know better now.

So because of my wife’s compassionate heart, we are now learning to be masters to a blind dog. Let me share with you a little of what we’re learning.

First, unless everything remains pretty much the same, Willy has to bump into things and learn by trial and error. The only time he seems to be able to avoid this discomfort is when we’re clearly guiding him with our voices, or with a leash. 

Willy still loves going on long walks, even without his sight. Yet somewhat surprisingly, he still sometimes disobeys our voice, or pulls the other way on the leash. It’s almost as if he feels he knows better than those of us with greater intelligence, and sight. 

Sometimes God allows us to learn from our mistakes and develop our spiritual senses.

Willy’s other senses, like smell and hearing and touch, have become much more important to all of us. Because he no longer sees things the way they truly are, he has to sense things in a less than perfect way, or rely on the voice commands of those of us who can see. 

Willy always enjoyed being around us, but now more than ever he wants to be near us. Whenever he is awake he wants to be where he can hear us. And when he can hear us, he wants to come close to feel our touch. That’s when he seems completely at peace. In fact, the only time I’ve really heard him whine or complain since losing his sight is when he thinks we’ve left him alone.

I can’t imagine what it would be like to lose sight so suddenly and completely. Or maybe I can. Maybe you can too.

There are times when it seems that I just can’t see things, or can’t see where things are going, with the clarity or certainty I would like. Things in my family, my work, my church, things in Baptist life, things in our nation, things on the world scene – all seem to be less predictable, less comfortable than in the past. 

In times like these, we can all learn some things from a blind dog. Our loving Master knows and sees everything perfectly. It’s silly for us to pull in different directions than He is leading, or to move contrary to His word, or His Spirit’s voice. Yet sometimes He will allow us to bump around on our own, to learn from our mistakes and develop our own spiritual senses more.

As we walk with Him by faith, we learn that none of the discomforts of change or uncertainty need threaten us, if we persistently pursue His voice, His touch, and His presence. That’s when we experience peace, even if the entire world seems to be rearranging the furniture of our lives. 

I would never have wished blindness on our dog, and sometimes it is frustrating to be his master. Yet there is a new closeness in our relationship that did not exist before. Through his blindness, Willy is learning how deeply and desperately he needs a loving master to navigate the unprecedented changes of his life. And his blind faith is inspiring me to do the same. 

Nate Adams is executive director of the Illinois Baptist State Association. Respond to his column at IllinoisBaptist@IBSA.org.

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‘Runnin’ the devil off’

Meredith Flynn —  September 24, 2012

HEARTLAND | Meredith Flynn

My dad is a big fan of Southern Gospel music. We grew up listening to quartets like The Cathedrals on the way to school, and every single Christmas was highlighted by a viewing of the Gaithers’ Christmas Homecoming Celebration. (Just try to listen to “Come and see what’s happenin’ in the barn” without getting into the Christmas spirit. Dare ya.)

Gospel music tells great stories, and often lends itself to real-life stories of redemption. My dad’s favorite example of this has to do with a Gospel music queen, a fallen country superstar, and the song “Angel Band.” Here’s what happened, according to country music broadcaster Ralph Emery:

Singer George Jones had a serious, alcohol-related car accident in 1999. A long-time drinker, Jones was severely depressed in the days following his accident. As he struggled to recuperate from his injuries, no one could make him feel any better about anything, and he became more and more isolated. But he said he’d be willing to visit with his friend Vestal Goodman, the centerpiece of a group called The Happy Goodman Family, and owner of the most ground-shaking alto voice you’ve ever heard.

Emery helped connect Jones and Goodman, and sure enough, Jones started to take a turn for the better. In an interview about the meeting, Emery said, “As Vestal said, ‘I went out to George’s and ran the devil off.'” They later had a hit duet with the song “Angel Band” (Here’s a link to their performance of the song, but you have to promise me that you won’t make fun of anything when you watch it. Remember, country and Gospel music have their own rules when it comes to sound and fashion, and we need to let them have that.)

Here’s the lesson: Vestal didn’t have much to gain from a visit with George. He was down and out, and probably a pariah in the relatively straight-laced world of country music. And I’m certain he wasn’t any fun to talk to. But she went anyway, to “run the devil off” and remind him of God’s goodness, mercy, grace and forgiveness, and to bring him some hope. The fog of his depression lifted, and Jones was able to sing again. And I know you can’t read too much into the songs a singer sings, but check out these lyrics from “Angel Band”:

My latest sun is sinking fast,
My race is nearly won.
My strongest trails now have are passed,
And my triumph is begun

Oh come, angel band.
Come and around me stand.
Bear me away on your snow white wings,
To my immortal home.

It appears, at least in the song, that Vestal’s words hit their mark. Who has shared that kind of hope with you? And who in your life needs to hear of the lasting hope only Jesus can provide?

 

 

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The nations at our doorstep

Meredith Flynn —  September 17, 2012

HEARTLAND | Illinois Mission Offering

Editor’s note: The devotional below is Day 2 of the Illinois Mission Offering and Season of Prayer, which many churches across Illinois will focus on Sept. 16-23. Sign up to receive more devotionals like the one below at IBSA.org, and watch the video below for the full story.

There are two million international people who now call Illinois home. That’s 14% of our population, making the state sixth in the nation in the number of foreign-born residents. IBSA outreach to immigrants includes ministries on college campuses, where 34,000 students have come to the U.S. to study, many from countries where Christian faith is not openly practiced.

Feng Yu, a Ph.D student at Southern Illinois University, came to faith through Baptist Campus Ministry and a local congregation in Carbondale. And many of IBSA’s church plants are especially for unreached ethnic peoples who have gathered in our cities. In Chicago alone, Baptist congregations worship in more than 20 languages.

We can reach the world as these new believers in turn share their newfound faith with their families back home. As pastor Phil Nelson said, “God is bringing the nations to our doorstep; if we’re going to reach the nations, we’ve got great opportunity right here.”

Read: Ephesians 2:12-22

Pray for changed lives of international people through IBSA’s campus ministries, church planters, and churches hosting English as Second Language (ESL) classes.

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A lamp in the dark

Meredith Flynn —  September 10, 2012

HEARTLAND | Esther Eggley

You are my lamp, O Lord; the Lord turns my darkness into light. (2 Samuel 22:29, NIV)

One year, my parents, sister and I took a camping trip traveling through the Southwest. Our first night in the Rocky Mountains, we pitched our tent in a small campground. The restrooms were on the other side of a small wooded area. And the cloud cover made for an extremely dark night.

Some time late in the night, my Dad and I decided to make a trip to the restrooms. We carried a flashlight, taking the longer route on the paved road to avoid meeting up with any unknown critters in the woods.

On our return trip, I heard a voice speaking in a loud whisper coming from the woods. It was calling my name. I couldn’t see anyone, and I didn’t recognize the voice. My heart started beating fast. I knew my dad was startled too, because he stopped suddenly and aimed the light into the woods. As the light came around, we saw a figure robed in white, beckoning me. When the light revealed the whole being, there stood my mother in her white housecoat. She had decided to meet us at the restrooms but didn’t want to wake the camp by calling my name too loudly. My father was quick to point out how unwise it was to be traipsing through the woods in the mountains in the middle of the night with a flashlight, but even worse, without one.

Life sometimes makes my heart race. Confronting unknown voices, obstacles and situations is frightening. When I remember that as I study God’s Word, He turns my darkness into light through understanding.

Let this be our prayer: Thank you God, that you have not hidden yourself from us. You sent your son so we could see you. You gave us the Bible to reveal the things we need in our walk with You.

Esther Eggley serves on IBSA’s Church Planting team.

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‘A reason to sing’

Meredith Flynn —  August 27, 2012

HEARTLAND | Meredith Flynn

Does the world seem a little more broken these days? Words are uglier, crimes are, if possible, more senseless, and things just seem darker. Of course, there’s hope, and an answer, and we know exactly where it comes from. Christ is the only redemptive factor in a broken world. But when we as Christians are dulled by what we see and hear, how can we communicate the hope Jesus brings to those who desperately need to know it? Check out this song by worship duo All Sons & Daughters, and reflect on the reasons He’s given you to sing.

Video courtesy of All Sons & Daughters and Integrity Music.

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