BOOK REVIEW - "MEG IS NOT ALONE" BY MEGAN HILL (ILLUSTRATED BY SAMARA HARDY)

No, I don't read a lot of children's books. I found this one by accident. I heard the author speak on a podcast about the role of the church and fellowship. So I looked up the book she had written and found this book on the same subject but to a different audience. I read it and loved it.

The plot is Meg is accidentally left at church by her parents. It was a scary experience, but several of the church members helped get a hold of Meg's mother and helped her feel comfortable and occupied until her father came to pick her up.

There's a note at the end of the book, pointing out that Megan Hill had that experience as a child... and as an adult. 

I also enjoyed illustrator Samara Hardy's artwork. That aided in the tone of the book.

I highly recommend this for children... and their parents as well.

 

DEVOTIONAL ON PSALM 16:3

 

International Learning Center, Rockville, VA

"As for the saints who are on the earth,

They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight."

Psalm 16:3, NKJV

This Psalm starts off with David stating that his trust is in the Lord, and that his goodness is nothing compared to God. But now the focus is on "the saints who are on the earth." Saints - i.e. holy ones - can mean angels, but in the New Testament it refers to the believers, and I believe that's true with a lot of the OT references, including this one.

Being with the godly is my delight. This shows up in my love for fellow believers - that is, the local church. It also is reflected in my love and prayer for Christian musicians. Yes, I like music, but those who use their gifts for God's glory are at a higher notch than the music of the world.

Too often, I see Christians looking for reasons not to delight in other Christians, or even delighting in tearing others down because of "bad doctrine" (translated beliefs different than ones I hold on what I want to make issued). That grieves me. It's enough for the world to hate us. The last thing I want to do is assist the devil in tearing other believers down. True, Christianity is a remnant, but I have a strong hunch the remnant is bigger than we may think it is.

Lord, I want to thank you for other believers: for those I fellowship with regularly in the local church,  for those who minister to my spirit through preaching the Word and through setting it to music. Help me be an encouragement to my brothers and sisters. In Jesus name, Amen.

SUNDAY PSALMS PART 43 OF 48 (REFORMATION DAY/ALL SAINTS DAY EDITION) - PSALM 101

 

Arlington Avenue Baptist Church, Indianapolis

1  I will sing of mercy and justice;
    To You, O LORD, I will sing praises.
2  I will behave wisely in a perfect way.
    Oh, when will You come to me?
    I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.
3  I will set nothing wicked before my eyes;
    I hate the work of those who fall away;
    It shall not cling to me.
4  A perverse heart shall depart from me;
    I will not know wickedness.

5  Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor,
    Him I will destroy;
    The one who has a haughty look and a proud heart,
    Him I will not endure.
6  My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land,
    That they may dwell with me;
    He who walks in a perfect way,
    He shall serve me.
7  He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house;
    He who tells lies shall not continue in my presence.
8  Early I will destroy all the wicked of the land,
    That I may cut off all the evildoers from the city of the LORD.
                        Psalm 101:1-8, New King James Version

 Do we mirror the Psalmist (identified as David) in these following aspects covered in this Psalm:

• Godly behavior, including not setting anything evil before our eyes and not letting the work of those who turn from Christ cling to us (verses 2-4)?
• Not tolerating the presence of the proud, the dishonest, and other evildoers (verses 5, 7-8)?
• A desire to be surrounded by those faithful to God (verse 6)?

This is something to think about with Reformation Day (the name of the pagan celebration that shares the October 31st celebration date) and All Saints Day. Do we want a new beginning to our personal lives, our church, our society? Do we want to see reformation, restoration, spiritual awakening and revival? Would the above be a factor?

 

 

SUNDAY PSALMS PART 34 OF 48: PSALM 119:121-128

Garfield Park Conservatory, Indianapolis

 

121     I have done justice and righteousness;
         Do not leave me to my oppressors.
122   Be surety for Your servant for good;
         Do not let the proud oppress me.
123  My eyes fail from seeking Your salvation
         And Your righteous word.
124  Deal with Your servant according to Your mercy,
         And teach me Your statutes.
125   I am Your servant; Give me understanding,
         That I may know Your testimonies.
126  It is time for You to act, O Lord,
         For they have regarded Your law as void.
127  Therefore I love Your commandments
         More than gold, yes, than fine gold!
128  Therefore all Your precepts concerning all things
         I consider to be right; I hate every false way.
                    Psalm 119:121-128, New King James Version
 

My favorite verse in this Psalm is back in verse 63: "I have become a companion of those who fear You, who keep Your precepts." In close second place is verse 126 - "It is time for You to act, O Lord, For they have regarded Your law as void." There are a lot of verses that I think are appropriate for the day we live in, and this is one of them.

Another verse that impacts me is verse 128. If we consider God's Word to be right, we won't be tolerant of any false way. Rather, we will desire to do God's will, and will want to surround ourselves with those like minded. 

 

DISCERNING SHEEP FROM GOATS AND WOLVES - IS IT AS EASY AS WE THINK?

Northeast Church of Christ, Cookeville, TN

 

        "Then you shall again discern Between the righteous and the wicked, Between one who serves God And one who does not serve Him." Malachi 3:18, New King James Version

A couple of days ago, I read a story in an update from CBN about a foreign evangelist being deported from the U.S. He formed a group, the name of which intrigued me, sounding like one that takes a firm stand. I was ready to like his FB page, and support this brother who was unjustly treated by his native country.

However, I remembered what it said in Proverbs 18:17 - "The first one to plead his cause seems right, Until his neighbor comes and examines him." Maybe this person is standing for the truth, and maybe he has false teaching. So I searched for other pages dealing with this individual and his group.

Fairly quickly I found a Facebook page focused on the false teaching. This meant one of two things: 

1. This "evangelist" was a false teacher, and the page was wisely warning against him, or 
2. The warning group were themselves false teachers, and they were trying to discredit a true minister.

So I looked at this page. If I scrolled down far enough, I may have found some doctrinal fallacy of this evangelist, but the posts I saw sounded more like, "I don't like this evangelist guy so he's a false teacher and if you're wise you'll take my word without checking me out." Sorry, but I did not sense a godly attitude in this "watchman."

Fortunately, as I looked down at other posts, I saw one by "Got Questions," which I find reliable in information and of a calm spirit instead of having an attitude. They pointed out what the implications of the group's name was, which basically means "The church got it wrong for centuries so I've arrived to straighten things out." They pointed out some of the theological thought of the group, one of which I considered a yellow light and the other was a red light. 

I've said for years that one of the biggest problems of the church is that we want to unite with those we should be divided from and divided from those we should be united with. True, I am an encourager at heart (I don't know if my reviews and interviews reflect that), but I also want to take a stand for truth. I'm aware that unity between believers is not necessarily uniformity, but I also want to take a firm stand for truth.

There are things that make me wary when I hear them. The "one true Church" mentality. Baptismal regeneration (meaning you need to be baptized by water to be saved), especially when coupled with a formula (e.g. "for the remission of sins" or "in the name of Jesus"). Claiming some of the apostles are false teachers (I've encountered people who blacklist either Paul or James). Biggest two? Denying Jesus is God come in the flesh and that our salvation isn't paid in full by Christ's sacrifice on the cross but that we need to earn through works (or obedience) salvation.

But God has not left us alone in trying to tell who's representing the truth and who's not. I believe there are three things that will help:

1. The Bible, where the plain sense meaning is trusted. If it is of God, it will agree with what's written in Scripture. Not just an isolated verse that might not even be a whole sentence, but passages in context and developed throughout Scripture. Experience may help, but it does not replace the written Word of God.
   
2. The indwelling Holy Spirit. He will guide you through Scripture and also help you stay on the right track. And if you're a believer, then the Spirit is indwelling you.
3. The local church. Yes, the local church is made of fallible humans. But if the pastor is regularly preaching Scripture, you'll learn what Biblical thinking is. Just as God did not leave us without His Spirit, He also has put us in communion with like-minded believers to  travel in the truth together, which is why we're commanded to stir up love and good works and not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together, exhorting one another instead.

SUNDAY PSALMS PART 32 OF 48: PSALM 119:57-64

 

Christ Church Cathederal with nativity scene, Indianapolis

57     You are my portion, O LORD;
          I have said that I would keep Your words.
58     I entreated Your favor with my whole heart;
          Be merciful to me according to Your word.
59     I thought about my ways,
          And turned my feet to Your testimonies.
60     I made haste, and did not delay
          To keep Your commandments.
61      The cords of the wicked have bound me,
          But I have not forgotten Your law.
62     At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You,
          Because of Your righteous judgments.
63     I am a companion of all who fear You,
          And of those who keep Your precepts.
64    The earth, O LORD, is full of Your mercy;
          Teach me Your statutes.
                                Psalm 119:57-64, New King James Version

Isn't this a wonderful section of Scripture? This is my favorite in this Psalm. One verse in particular is the reason why - verse 63. I love being a companion of other Christians!

Do I hear an "Amen"?