For preachers only: Determining when an illustration works

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“Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, ‘This man receives sinners and eats with them.’ And He told them this parable…”.(Luke 15:2-3).

Ask Jesus a question and it reminded Him of a story.  Charge Him with something and it reminded HIm of a story.  Criticize Him and He thought of a story.

“He never spoke to them without telling stories” (Mark 4:34).

One thing about our Lord’s stories, they were never inappropriate, ill-chosen, or out of place.

They always fit perfectly.

That’s unlike the ones I sometimes tell and I’m guessing you also.

It’s hard to get these things just right.

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I believe in Earth. The rest is easy.

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“When I consider the heavens, the work of Thy fingers….what is man, that Thou dost take thought of him?” (Psalm 8:3-4)

The greatest proof of Heaven is Earth.

From all our scientists are learning every day, we find ourselves overwhelmed by the vast distances of space, the intricate and specific requirements necessary to produce and sustain life on any planet, and the mind-blowing odds that such a place as Earth could exist anywhere in the universe.

And yet, here we are, calmly discussing football playoffs, whose turn it is to buy the next King cake, and repeating the amazing things our grandchildren have said.

Friend, if Earth can exist, Heaven is a cinch. A lay-up. A gimme.  A no-brainer.

Think of what is required in order to have life on this small planet.  A scientist would smile at my small list and no doubt could add a dozen more elements to it, but some of the requirements for life to exist on Earth (or any other planet) must include:

–Light from the sun.

–Just the right distance from the sun, so there is not too much nor too little light.

–Rotation of the earth, in order to expose all sides to the warmth and light.  Just the right speed, and the ideal tilt on the axis.

–A breathable atmosphere.

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Thank you, Father, for the pain

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“No suffering for the present time seems joyful but grievous; nevertheless, afterward….it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness” (Hebrews 12:11).

“And indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (II Timothy 3:12).

I hated the pain at the time, Lord.

It’s no fun hurting, lying awake at night hoping for sleep that will not come, wishing for relief and seeing none on the horizon.  At those times I knew why some turn to drink or drugs or worse, but that issue was settled decades ago, Lord, that I would not be bypassing, shortcutting, or tranquilizing whatever you send me in this life.

Remember that time back in the 1960s when a few unhappy people were stirring up matters in your church, saying that I was pushing integration and was going to destroy their church?  Remember that?  I do too.  Oh, how I do.  That was no fun.

As though it were their church. That’s a laugh.  They’re long off the scene and Your church is still there. And integrated, too, I imagine. (smiley-face goes here)

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10 ways some preachers undermine confidence in God’s Word

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“All scripture is inspired by God and is profitable….” (Second Timothy 3:16)

We pastors love the Word of God.  We read it, study it, devote our lives to learning and teaching and preaching its riches.  It is our sole authority for what we believe and teach.

And yet.

We sometimes do things that undermine the confidence of our congregations in God’s Word.  By our (perhaps) well-intentioned attempts to communicate what we have learned and believe, we may actually do more harm than good. The result of that is to discourage God’s people from reading it on their own and feeding their souls upon its nourishment.  And when we do that, we are betraying them, dishonoring the Lord, and playing right into the hands of the enemy.

Here are 10 ways we sabotage the confidence of our people in Holy Scripture…

1) The pastor stands to preach without reading Scripture at all.

He says by his omission that Scripture doesn’t matter, that what counts is what he has to say.

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Confessions of a long-time Christian and veteran preacher

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Dear Lord,

I have been a far poorer Christian than You wanted or I intended.  But I am so glad to be a member of the family of Christ, to be saved and to know it as well as I can know anything.

I am honored to be the brother of the rest of Thy redeemed.

I have been a poor example of a preacher for these many years and have not blushed (the way I should) when someone who barely knows me lauds my wonderful Christian life. Nevertheless, I’m so honored to be a pastor and preacher.

I am a sinner and not only in my pre-Christian life. I’ve sinned enough since becoming a believer to disgust my Lord, embarrass my parents, and disqualify me from ever doing anything in the church.  Yet, I love the assurance that my sins were dealt with on Calvary and each day, He forgives me.

If my post-salvation sins had not been dealt with on Calvary along with all the others, I’d be in a heap of trouble.

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Seven things the dying Apostle needed

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(This is a continuation of our series on Second Timothy.)

“Make every effort to come to me soon…. When you come, bring the cloak which I left at Troas with Carpus, and the books, especially the parchments” (Second Timothy 4:9,13)

It’s not that the Apostle Paul was so elderly and infirmed that caused him to anticipate his departure from this life, but rather knowing that the upcoming trial before Caesar was not going to turn out in his favor.  “The time of my departure is at hand,” he said in II Timothy 4:6.

Now, he has not given up and he was not shutting down his ministries.  He had not chosen to sit down and wait for death to catch up to him.

Something else entirely was going on here.

Paul was extremely active from his jail cell, ministering to everyone who came near and sending out letters and other messages as the Lord gave him opportunity. That’s why we have these epistles from his hand.  This one, Second Timothy, is the final one we have. (Note: We’re not necessarily saying it’s the last thing he wrote. No one knows this. But of the epistles we have, this is the latest.)

In the four chapters of Second Timothy, we find seven final concerns of Paul, things he “needs” as his departure draws closer….

1) He needs the company of a few good friends.

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Beware of religious people who do not know God

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“An hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think he is offering service to God” (John 16:2).  “Deceiving and being deceived” (II Timothy 3:13).

I wrote something on an earlier blog calling for transparency and integrity from churches, using as a jumping off point the billboards up and down the Mississippi Gulf Coast which hawk the fun, the shows, the money, the jackpots, etc., they offer without once mentioning the addicted souls, broken lives and destroyed homes that accompany these enticements. In the piece, I was wondering what if the government enforced “truth in advertising” laws that would require them to tell the full story.

That article was directed to the churches. But someone who found it on the internet jumped all over it (and in ALL CAPITALS!) to accuse me of worse things when our churches ask people to give money.

When people cannot see the difference in a church and a casino, forget about trying to reason with them.

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The PR lesson every church must learn

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“So that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world….” (Philippians 2:15)

The largest antebellum plantation home in the country just learned an important lesson:  “How you appear to yourself is not necessarily how the outside world sees you.”  And similarly, “Sometimes it helps to get an outside opinion on how you are being perceived.”

Nottoway Plantation, situated halfway between Baton Rouge and New Orleans on the west (aka, the south) side of the Mississippi River, is said to be the largest plantation home in the country. Built by slaves in 1859, just before the Civil War, it serves today as a tourist attraction, a bed and breakfast, a restaurant, gift shop, and a site for conferences, weddings, and parties.

Recently, Nottoway (it’s actually located at White Castle, LA) was in the news because a singer canceled her retreat/concert there due to its slavery connections.  James Gill, columnist for the New Orleans Advocate, writing in the Sunday January 5, 2014 edition, gives the details.

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There is no fine print in the gospel

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“Indeed, all who desire to live godly  in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (Second Timothy 3:12).

Driving along the interstate from Mobile to New Orleans recently, I was struck by the relentless assault of billboards promoting the numerous casinos along the coast.  One after another shouted about shows and concerts, giveaways, jackpots, winners, great food, and fine hotels.  But not one word was said regarding the massive amounts of money people lose in those places, or the gambling addiction that ruins their lives, or the personal problems resulting from casinos.

Some have even noted that when bettors lose big and take their lives in the casino parking lots, not a word will appear in the local newspapers about it.  Is there a conspiracy of some kind to protect this industry?

The government which requires truth in advertising might want to give attention to the oversights associated with gambling in this country.

Then again, I wonder sometimes what if our churches were required to tell the “full story” in all our advertisements….

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What we must not assume about the godly among us

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“Elijah was a man with a nature like ours….” (James 5:17)

Don’t be mistaken about the godly and mature among the hodge-podge of God’s children.  They’re so much like you and me that we might be surprised.

And possibly disappointed too.

Sorry about that. If you were in the hopes that some among us had achieved a sinless state where every thought was pure and godlike and temptation no longer pestered them, I’m sorry to be the one to let the air out of that balloon.

In fact, these whom we treasure for their Christlikeness and maturity do not know they are the envy of the rest of the congregation. Most would be surprised anyone thinks of them that way.

That’s actually one of the signs that they are.

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