Knowing You are Forgiven - Part One

How do you know when you are forgiven?

One of the Bible’s clearest explanations of forgiveness says,

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9

Let us break down the sentence in order to better understand forgiveness.

If we confess our sins…

One need not be a biblical theologian to recognize forgiveness is conditional. Forgiveness is conditioned upon our confession. Conversely, until one confesses their sin, they will not be forgiven.

According to Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words the word “confess” in this sentence means "to confess by way of admitting oneself guilty of what one is accused of, the result of inward conviction.” Thus, confession is the result of conviction.

Of course, for conviction to come, one must be sensitive to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said this about the role of the Holy Spirit in convicting us of our sin:

Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment…
John 16:7-8

One of the Holy Spirit’s jobs is to convict. So, when the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin we must confess our sin. Admitting your wrongdoing before God is a result of conviction. Therefore, confession, genuine confession, must be the result of the Holy Spirit working in your heart to admit your guilt before God.

…he is faithful and just…

Next, in order to comprehend forgiveness, you must know something about God. In this short phrase John teaches two things about God.

First, John teaches that God is faithful. To admit God is faithful is to say God is reliable. God is so reliable he made this pledge to all who place their full confidence in Him: "I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:6b).

Next, John teaches that God is just. In this case, the word “just” is interchangeable for the word “righteous”. To say God is “just” is to say God is always “right”. Again, Vine’s helps us by describing God being “just” as “it designates the perfect agreement between His nature and His acts (in which He is the standard for all men).”

It is one thing to say that God is “faithful and just”. Yet when you know God personally through Jesus Christ, you know that He is not only “faithful and just” in His character, but that it is in His character to express His faithfulness and righteousness to us. So, to experience forgiveness you must understand the faithfulness and justice of God. To understand God’s faithfulness and justice is to realize He keeps every promise He makes. One of the biggest promises God makes is that He will forgive us when we confess our sin to Him.

…to forgive us our sins…

Returning to the Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words we learn two great truths about the word “forgive”. Vine’s teaches forgiveness “firstly signifies the remission of the punishment due to sinful conduct, the deliverance of the sinner from the penalty divinely, and therefore righteously, imposed; secondly, it involves the complete removal of the cause of offense; such remission is based upon the vicarious and propitiatory sacrifice of Christ.” Thus, the word “forgive” is a powerful biblical word. More importantly, the act of forgiveness is a merciful and benevolent act of God entirely through Jesus Christ.

So, according to 1 John 1:9, forgiveness is a fact. Here is the process by which forgiveness works. First, the Holy Spirit convicts me of my sin. Next, as a result of that conviction I must confess my sin. Because God is faithful and always right, when I confess my sin God forgives that sin. In short, forgiveness comes when sin is confessed.

Yet there is more.

…and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

When we confess our sin, God does more than just forgive us our sin. The Bible adds, “and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

“To cleanse us from all unrighteous” is to make us holy. It is to free us from the contamination of sin. The phrase means to venerate us, to consecrate us, to sanctify us.

So, when we confess our sins, God sets us free from two things. First, he sets us free from the penalty of sin—“to forgive us our sins”. Second, he sets us free from its contamination—“and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”. What a great God! What a loving God.

Here is my biblical understanding of 1 John 1:9,

When the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin, we must confess to God our sin. Because God is reliable and always right, He will deliver us from the penalty our sin and completely remove our guilt of that sin through Jesus Christ.

For those of you who are still struggling with forgiveness, I will continue our lesson in tomorrow’s blog.

Three THEREFORES You Need to Know

While reading my Bible this morning, I was reminded of three THEREFORES I have noted in my Bible. I found these THEREFORES during a personal Bible study years ago. I am so glad I made note of them, because each time I see my notes I am reminded of the process necessary for the victorious life I live in Christ. These are three THEREFORES you need to know.

First, there is the THEREFORE OF MORAL PURITY.

James records,

Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls (underline and emphasis added).
James 1:21

To live the victorious life in Christ, one must first rid themselves of “filthiness and rampant wickedness”. The Bible teaches that every human is inherently evil (Romans 3:23). We are born sinners. Even though we are sinful by nature, our sinful potential is increased by learned sinful tendencies. Whether inherited or learned, our sinful behavior must be put away. By the way, I don’t know about the rest of you who read this blog, putting “away all filthiness and rampant wickedness” is a full time job for me. That is why this first THEREFORE is central to my delivered life in Christ.

Next, there is the THEREFORE OF MORAL CLARITY.

The writer of Hebrews teaches,

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God (underline and emphasis added).
Hebrews 12:1-2

We are told, once again, to do away with our sin, we are told to “lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely.” That reminds us to rid ourselves of our sinful ways. And we are taught to do this by “looking to Jesus”. We must fix our eyes on Jesus. We look to Jesus as our example for moral clarity. Jesus is our example of moral clarity because the Bible says of Jesus,

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

Hebrews 4:15

Finally, there is the THEREFORE OF MORAL CONFORMITY.

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect (underline and emphasis added).
Romans 12:1-2

This THEREFORE teaches us, a third time, not to conform to the sinful standard of the world, but to “be transformed by the renewal of your mind.” Isn’t it interesting to note each passage reminds us to reject the sinful ways of the world? The world desires to squeeze us into its mold. We must rise above the standards of the world by allowing God’s Word to conform us into genuinely devoted followers of Christ.

These are three THEREFORE everyone needs to know. I challenge you this week to being your morning by re-reading and reminding yourself of these THEREFORES.

A True Sports Superstar

In a day when so called “sports superstars” are in and out of jail, on and off steroids, or up and down contracts, the following story will inspire you.

I saw the video first on Fox News. I later searched the web for the video in its entirety.

LET ME WARN YOU, THE FOLLOWING VIDEO IS NOT FOR THE FAINT AT HEART.

click here for video

Apparently Claire had injured her leg a few weeks prior to the race. Claire’s coach limited her practice two weeks prior to Ohio’s High School State Cross Country Championship due to the soreness. Perhaps she should have had the leg x-rayed. I understand, however; most athletes believe they can work their way through an injury.

In the race, Claire heard her leg crack. She thought it was a muscle strain, and determined she could finish the race. Her goal was to catch a rival runner in front of her. A few steps later, she heard the crack again, and again. Then another, louder crack brought her to her knees.

A teammate passing her encouraged her to her feet again. When she finally stood on both legs, this time her leg gave way with the loudest crack.

"At that point, I knew what had happened. I knew my leg was broken pretty badly. And I knew I couldn't get up again. So I started crawling," she said.

Claire said she did not think of her coach or her parents. She did not even think of anyone else encouraging her to finish. Instead and here is one of the big reasons why I think Claire gets it, she thought of the countless stories she had heard about runners who collapsed before the end of the race and yet still finished. Claire said she still would have crawled across the finish line even if her leg had given out at the 400-meter mark. No matter what, Claire was going to finish.

"They may not have let me, and it might not have been pretty, but I would have tried," she said.

And, now, here is the biggest reason I believe Claire crawled across the finish line. She said, "I had come so far. Our team had come so far. All season, we had been working for state, and now we were there. I was almost done, and there was no way I was going to let the team down."

There it is; this is how I know Claire gets it—“There was no way I was going to let the team down.”

So, she finished the race in a time of 20:24.07, only 18 seconds slower than her personal best (20:06), despite crawling for the last 45 feet. The finish was good for 67th place, helping her school to a fourth-place finish in the Ohio High School Athletic Association Division III championship.

Claire Markwardt, in my opinion, is a real sport star. Claire is the epitome of an authentic athlete. She understands the purpose of physical competition. She knows the meaning of being the member of a team. Sure, Claire was competing for a personal best, but the bigger picture forced her to crawl across the line. Claire did not want to disappoint her team. The team was first. Many of our “sports heroes” of the day would benefit from Claire’s story. Claire Markwardt embodies the purpose of genuine athletic competition and being the member of a team.

Try Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is now my favorite holiday. I enjoy Thanksgiving because I pig out on a lot of delicious food. That is why I was able to run an extra few miles during the Thanksgiving weekend. That way I can eat all I want and not feel guilty or gain weight. I also like the time Thanksgiving gives me with my family. Additionally, I enjoy watching three or four football games five days in a row. Furthermore, Thanksgiving lets me catch my breath before the end-of-the-year activities swing into motion. So now do you see now why I like Thanksgiving so much?

This Thanksgiving weekend I spent time reminiscing about some previous holiday experiences.

One Thanksgiving my mother’s house caught on fire. This is not to be confused with the fire of December 2005 that gutted her house. This fire was sometime around 1988 or 1989. The grandkids came running in the house yelling, “The house is on fire! The house is on fire!” Actually, the house was not on fire. The smoke billowing out the eave was due to the chimney overheating. Thank goodness the smoke alerted us, and the fire department arrived in time to “cool off the fire” without any damage to the house.

Another memorable Thanksgiving occurred when my sister-in-law, Martha Jo accidentally cut her hand with the carving knife. Mom had recently purchased a new set of carving knives. As we Whitley kids can do, we made a big deal out of the knives. Mom told us to be careful. We were not, and Martha Jo took a large piece of flesh out of her finger. My brother, Chuck, and I spent the evening in the emergency room with his wife. The rest of the family enjoyed the good food and fellowship without us. By the time we arrived back at mom’s house everyone was leaving.

Perhaps the most memorable Thanksgiving was the first one Vonda and I celebrated as parents. The year was 1989. Taylor was three months old, and I was in my first pastorate at South 28th Avenue Baptist Church in Hattiesburg, MS.

Instead of traveling home for the weekend we decided to celebrate Thanksgiving on our own. (Make mental note—this was not a good idea for any young father, especially when your wife has just given birth to a newborn and is homesick for her family.)

The night before, I placed a turkey in the smoker. That was a good plan, I thought, until the next morning at 10 AM I discovered my fire was extinguished in the middle of the night. The turkey looked exactly the same as it did when I placed it on the grill the night before at 10 PM. Additionally, Vonda experimented with three new recipes on three basic staples—stuffing, sweet potato casserole and congealed salad. I was not going to say anything, but the dishes were horrible. Moreover, I had already manned up and was eating what she prepared. After her first bite of each dish she said, “This is disgusting!” I agreed and quickly dumped my food in the trash. To put it bluntly, that was a BAD, BAD Thanksgiving.

Thankfully, the next day her mom and dad were on their way to Hattiesburg to rescue the day. Vonda still blames me for that one. Her mom worked magic in our kitchen, while I stayed out of the way. By Friday afternoon we were enjoying our Thanksgiving meal. I still don’t think that turkey was fully cooked.

Three more thoughts about Thanksgiving popped into my head this morning. One thought centered on Scripture. When I think of Thanksgiving, I often think of these words from 1 Thessalonians:

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-19

For the Christian, Thanksgiving is more than a holiday; it is a way of life.

Another reflection pertained to a Chinese Proverb, which says,

When you are drinking the water, don’t forget who dug the well.

Thanksgiving should remind us of those who made our life possible.

My third and final contemplation focused on a missionary story from China.

Henry Frost served for many years as a missionary to China. In his journal he wrote of a very difficult time in his life. He says, "I had received sad news from home, and deep shadows had covered my soul. I prayed BUT the darkness did not vanish. I summoned myself to endure, BUT the darkness only deepened. Then I went to an inland station and saw on the wall of the mission home these words: ’TRY THANKSGIVING.’ I did, and in a moment every shadow was gone, not to return.

That story is a good word for us as this Thanksgiving weekend comes to a close: try thanksgiving!

You Supply The Caption

Okay, I asked you last Monday what WORD you would use to describe the ONE BIG WORSHIP from November 18. I am impressed with your responses.

I was especially fond of Mr. DQ’s response. Ubiquitous—what an erudite word! How incredible, the man who makes cool treats also possesses a recondite vocabulary.

Now for a photo that will make you speechless. This photo is sent to me from Ben Chandler, the Director of Missions from our St. Clair County Baptist Association.



Now for some more blog fun, I want you to send me what caption you think would best fit this photo.

Let’s Talk about Our Future

I had several conversations last Sunday at the conclusion of the ONE BIG WORSHIP that made the entire day worth all the effort and expense.

I met one couple that arrived at 10:45, expecting to participate in our third worship. So, they came in a little late. However, the husband said something I really liked. He said, “We heard enough to know we want to come back to this church again next weekend.”

That’s a good word, isn’t it?

I like what someone told me one of our senior adults said. When asked about all the things that had happened in the past to get us to this point, the woman responded, “There is no need to talk about where we have been; let’s talk about where we are going.” Amen! Let’s not talk about our past. Let’s talk about our future.

My dad said his favorite part of the ONE BIG WORSHIP was when I asked all those who were present the day we opened CrossPoint in 2003 and then when I asked the others who had come since then to stand. He said that was the highlight of worship. I would almost agree, although I think Latoya Cathey’s solo was over the top.

For those of you who did not respond yesterday, take a moment to respond today. I want to hear what you thought of the day.

ONE BIG WORSHIP Experiment

I have an experiment I want to conduct in today’s blog. Your participation is greatly needed and appreciated to make this experiment work.

If you could only use one word, what word would you use to describe the ONE BIG WORSHIP we had yesterday at CrossPoint? Respond now. Give me a comment. Provide your word, and then tell me why you used that word.

My word for any move of God is WOW. I guess that shows how limited my vocabulary is, doesn’t it, if that is the only word I can think of to describe worship.

My brother, Rhett, used a great word to describe not only the ONE BIG WORSHIP, but also CrossPoint. He used the word GRACE. Rhett said CrossPoint is a grace-church. He said he could sense God’s grace when he walked into the room. He said he heard about God’s grace in our music and in my message. He said he saw people of grace serving God at the end of worship by carrying their chair back to the worship center. I like that description, don’t you? Grace would be a good word to describe the day we had yesterday.

Another word that comes to mind is IMAGINE. I derive that word from Ephesians 3:20-21, where Paul, under the leadership of the Holy Spirit records,

20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (NIV)

What word would you use? Take a moment to respond to the comment section and let me know.

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CrossPoint, Are You Ready?

CrossPoint are you ready?

Are you ready to worship the Lord Jesus Christ?

Are you ready to give praise to Him who makes all things possible?

Are you ready to see the handiwork of God?
Are you ready to experience what it is like to worship as one congregation?
Again, CrossPoint are you ready?

My children and I visited The Point last night after supper. We went there to see what The Point looks like with 1400 seats in the gymnasium. To use one of my well-worn words—WOW!

You are not going to believe what The Point looks like when you arrive Sunday morning. It is a beautiful sight to see that many chairs in one room. The next best thing will be seeing the seats full of people.

Sunday is going to be an incredible day. The sound team is working overtime today to ensure everyone will be able to see and hear properly. Israel will be putting the final touches on cleaning the building. Of course, our office suite is still in disarray as we continue to move in our new offices. What’s really important, however, is that we will worship the Lord together as ONE CONGREGATION in ONE ROOM for ONE BIG WORSHIP.

I believe two things are necessary for CrossPoint to prepare for Sunday.

One, we must maintain the right perspective. Here is a little reminder that I think will help us do that—INAM! When we walk into The Point Sunday morning we must remember, this building IS NOT ABOUT ME! We did not build The Point for ourselves; we built The Point for the people we have not yet introduced to Christ.

Two, we must come to worship expecting the Lord to do something great. Just to be real honest with you, I do not think Sunday will be any different than most other Sundays we encounter at CrossPoint. Sure, there will be a certain level of excitement in the room because we will all be together for the first time. However, I expect the worship to be much like it always is—Spirit-led, Christ-centered and God-glorifying!

Yes, Sunday will be special. It will be memorable and meaningful. I see a day in our future when someone will say, “Do you remember when…” I trust you have your COMMITMENT ONE card is already filled out, signed and ready to turn in. I trust also you are praying for everything we do Sunday morning to glorify God. And, I hope you are excited about the enormous potential this building affords CrossPoint. So, I conclude today’s blog the same way I began it: CROSSPOINT ARE YOU READY?

Reaching Just One More!

Every week, CrossPoint is in the middle of some mission field, serving, witnessing, ministering and caring in the name of Christ. The last week of October we were given this huge assignment:

They did the Mash!

What happens when you get over 200 people together for a Monster Mash/Halloween Dance? You get a whole lot of fun and excitement! Recently Crosspoint Church partnered with Trussville City Schools’ Exceptional Education Department to host a great event to benefit students from Trussville City Schools, as well as, surrounding metro area schools.

Hewitt-Trussville High School Exceptional Education teacher, Carrie Jones said, “The Monster Mash was planned as an engaging activity that allowed students to interact with peers, develop friendships, allow for a sense of group identity, and increase self esteem and confidence.” Students from the Life Skills Class at Hewitt-Trussville High School spent a lot of time planning and preparing for every detail of the event. “It is my hope that people, not involved in this type of program, will recognize the importance of these events as teaching activities and the impact they have on the lives of those involved.”

Participating Schools:

• Mountain Brook High School
• Mountain Brook Jr. High
• Hoover High School
• Hoover High Freshman Center
• Hewitt High School
• Spain Park High School
• Pell City High School
• Springville High School
• Moody High School
• Vestavia High School
• Simmons Middle School
• Berry Middle School
• Springville Middle School
• Pizitz Middle School

Special thanks go to:

• Crosspoint Church for providing the facility, volunteering staff to assist with decorating, take down, and welcoming attending schools
• Blake Advertising – Cindy Stewart for providing favors
• Jim N Nicks, Dominoes, Papa John’s Pizza, Publix, Food World for providing food for the meal
• First American Bank –monetary contribution to assist with providing the entertainment
• Student Services Exceptional Education Department for handling all the behind the scenes details

It is my understanding we are also hosting the Valentine Dance and first-ever prom for the Trussville City School’s Exceptional Education Class. What an honor!

CrossPoint exist to honor God by reaching JUST ONE MORE to become a fully devoted follower of Christ. One part of that vision includes opening the doors to our facilities to deserving groups like this one.

CrossPoint you make me proud!

The Gospel in Six Minutes

I absolutely love it when I hear people preach the Gospel. Moreover, I love to preach the Gospel.

One of my favorite preachers, because he unashamedly preaches the Gospel, is John Piper. Embedded in the page below is one of the most powerful conclusions to a message I have ever heard. The video is titled The Gospel in Six Minutes. My only complaint with the video is that it is not longer.



CrossPoint that is the clearest explanation of the Gospel you will ever hear from a modern-day preacher. If only other preachers would preach the same.

Remember: the Gospel is not only intended to lead someone to salvation in Jesus Christ; it is also intended to lead someone to sanctification in Christ.

Preconceived Notions about the Gospel

What comes to your mind when you hear the word “gospel”?

Since my early days as a Christian, I have lived with the preconceived notion that the GOSPEL was primarily three things. First, I understood the GOSPEL to be Jesus Christ dying for our sins and coming back to life save us. Next, I was convinced that the GOSPEL was found only in the first four books of the New Testament—Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Finally, I lived under the notion that the GOSPEL was intended only for lost people.

I attended seminary under with those same basic impressions. Perhaps my understanding of the three components was much deeper, but for the most part, those three points were still my way of explaining the GOSPEL. I admit the first decade or so of my vocational ministry I limited God’s GOSPEL to that same three-point, fixed perception.

Over the last few years I have grown in my understanding of the GOSPEL. And during this time of growth, I have learned so much more about the GOSPEL. Provided below are a few of my new understandings about the GOSPEL.

1. The GOSPEL begins with God creating man, rather than with Jesus dying for our sins.

When we begin the gospel with Jesus dying for our sins, we are leaving out several major components to God’s Good News. God’s GOSPEL begins with God creating man. You must believe God is Creator of all mankind in order to comprehend why He sent His Son to be our Savior.

After God created us, the Gospel teaches that man sinned against God. Adam and Eve set into motion the crippling consequence of sin on the human race. As a result of their sin, every human bring is born inherently evil and is an offender of God’s holy character. As a result of offending God’s holy character, we are all objects of God’s wrath. Thus, God sent His Son to die in our place in order to absorb God’s wrath that is spilled out against our sin.

There are several other components I could insert at this juncture, yet for brevity sake I will not. Just know this—the GOSPEL must begin with God creating man. It must also include man sinning against God before we even begin to talk about Jesus dying for our sins.

2. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the entire Bible; it cannot be limited to just the first four books of the New Testament.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is the entire Bible—all sixty-six books. If we limit the GOSPEL to just the first four books of the New Testament, then we rule out all the other things God says to us through His word.

To put it another way, the entire Bible is about Jesus. You can read about Jesus in Genesis as well as in Revelation. He is mentioned in Malachi and in Matthew. The Bible is about Jesus.

3. The Gospel is not only for lost people; it is also for saved people.

For the longest time, I thought the Gospel was something a preacher preached to lost people only. Now I realize the Gospel is for both the lost and the saved.

Look at what Paul says about the Gospel in 1 Corinthians 1:18:

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

The “word of the cross”, which is the Gospel, is folly to the lost and it is the power of God to the saved. I believe the Gospel is for both the lost and the saved. For the lost the Gospel tells them how to be saved, for the saved the Gospel tells them how to live the saved life. Thus, the gospel is not just for lost people; it is also for saved people.

These are but three fixed thoughts I have had about the gospel. I would be curious to hear your thoughts.

Worship & the Alabama WW II Special

Okay, so what did you think of worship yesterday? Is it just me or is CrossPoint’s worship rockin? I am enamored by the way God continues to work in and through our worship. I know we used several different components to worship, but I think every one of them was important.

I knew it was going to be over-the-top yesterday morning when the Lord awakened me at 3:40 AM. That makes for a long, long day. That is why I took a long, long nap later that afternoon. It’s worth it, however. It’s worth waking so early to hear from God.

Another sign it was going to be an incredible day was what the Lord used in my person quiet time. While praying through the morning I was reminded of a passage from Isaiah 26:8, which says,

In the path of your judgments,
O Lord, we wait for you;
your name and remembrance
are the desire of our soul.

It was at that point, I declared for CrossPoint that we wanted to do nothing but wait for Him in worship. Then, when we He made His presence known we wanted to make the Lord known in our expression of worship. I asked God to be glorified in everything—every single element—no matter how many of elements we used. And I am convinced the Lord answered that prayer. I realized God was with us when Frank and Jill Schefano started sharing why they love CrossPoint in the first worship. And, as they say, it was all over but for the singing soon after that.

If you thought this Sunday was over the top, then can you imagine what next weekend will be like? What will it be like when CrossPoint gathers in ONE ROOM as ONE CONGREGATION for ONE BIG WORSHIP? My heart is already pumping with adrenaline. The anticipation is high, isn’t it?

Will you start praying with me for God to be glorified this next weekend? CrossPoint, next weekend’s worship is all about the Lord Jesus Christ. It will not be about us or the grand opening of The Point or anything we have accomplished. It will be about the Lord God Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth!

On another note, did any of you watch the PBS special: WWII Alabama Remembers? WOW!

I am such a patriotic admirer, it does not take much for me to tear up when I hear the testimonies of the men and women who defended the freedoms this nation holds so dear. What made this patriotic piece so meaningful was the people being interviewed were all Alabamians. Even though I did not recognize a single name, I felt like I knew each of them.

One soldier commented,

What is America? It is not the land we live on or the water we drink. America is the mothers and sisters of this nation. Now it is my wife and daughters.

Another solider returning to the States, met his daughter for the first time. She was born after he departed overseas. At his arrival, the little girl’s mother told her to hug her daddy. The child replied, “That man is not my daddy!” The family affirmed he was her daddy and encouraged her to hug him. Confused the child ran into the house, retrieve a framed photo from the mantle, came running back out of the house, pointing to the photo, saying, “This is my daddy!”

Another soldier, Doug Garner, said it best when he said in the final few minutes of the tribute:

On behalf of the men and women who served in World War II, both living and dead, I hope someday when we are all dead, you will remember us and be glad we came.

I am not sure when PBS will broadcast the special again. When they do, be sure to watch it. You will be proud.

More From Reading through the Bible

I found myself enthralled with storyline from the Bible reading plan this morning. I am proud to announce I am finally caught up from last week.

The story that enchanted me was that of Hezekiah’s reign as King of Judah. Hezekiah was a prodigious leader for the nation, instituting sweeping changes in the spiritual landscape of the Jewish culture. In an ironic twist, Hezekiah was charged with cleaning up the mess his father, Ahaz created. An additional paradox ensued with his son, Manaseh. Manaseh followed in the steps of his grandfather, rejecting his father’s revolution, by turning the nation back to idolatry and apostasy.

While catching up in 2 Chronicles I noticed a sequence of events Hezekiah implemented to restore the nation back to their roots. Please forgive me for the use of alliteration, but that is the way the account hit me.

First, Hezekiah REPAIRED the temple of the Lord:

In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them.
2 Chronicles 29:3

Next, Hezekiah RESTORED the worship of the Lord:

Then Hezekiah the king rose early and gathered the officials of the city and went up to the house of the Lord.
2 Chronicles 29:20

After that, the king RE-ESTABLISHED the observance of the Passover:

Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem to keep the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel.
2 Chronicles 30:1

Hezekiah REMOVED the elements used in idol worship:

Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah and broke in pieces the pillars and cut down the Asherim and broke down the high places and the altars throughout all Judah and Benjamin, and in Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had destroyed them all. Then all the people of Israel returned to their cities, every man to his possession.
2 Chronicles 31:1

Hezekiah REAPPOINTED the temple priests:

2 And Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and of the Levites, division by division, each according to his service, the priests and the Levites, for burnt offerings and peace offerings, to minister in the gates of the camp of the Lord and to give thanks and praise.
2 Chronicles 31:2

As the story progresses, we see the RESULT of his reformation:

Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, and he did what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God. And every work that he undertook in the service of the house of God and in accordance with the law and the commandments, seeking his God, he did with all his heart, and prospered.
2 Chronicles 31:20-21

Finally, we read of how he REBUILT the defenses of the nation:

He set to work resolutely and built up all the wall that was broken down and raised towers upon it, and outside it he built another wall, and he strengthened the Millo in the city of David. He also made weapons and shields in abundance.
2 Chronicles 32:5

That is a brief summary a king’s 29-year reign in Jerusalem. He accomplished many things during his service as monarch.

One other note, and I am done.

I think it is important to note that Hezekiah did what was right. He did what he was supposed to do, and he led the nation to do the same.

It is my experience that God has not called us to do great things for Him. God has not called us to do extraordinary things for Him. Instead, God has called us to do the common, the necessary and the important things. When we do that, God takes care of the rest.

I was refreshed by God’s Word today. I challenge you to start planning now to read through the Bible with me in 2008.

Bible Reading Plan

A few days ago I mentioned that CrossPoint will soon make available a new Bible Reading Plan for 2008. This morning I woke up extra early to catch up on my reading for 2007. Last week I had fallen behind a few days. Little did I realize how much of a blessing I would receive this morning catching up on my reading through God’s Word. Actually, that should not surprise me.

The reading plan for today required us to read Haggai. I had forgotten how crammed full of truth the book of Haggai really is, although it is only three brief chapters in length.

The first portion of God’s Word that caught my eye was Haggai 1:7-11, where the Bible records:

7 "Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. 8 Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the Lord. 9 You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the Lord of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house. 10 Therefore the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce. 11 And I have called for a drought on the land and the hills, on the grain, the new wine, the oil, on what the ground brings forth, on man and beast, and on all their labors."

Check out the last part of verse 7—Consider your ways.

That was a good reminder for me this morning. We should consider our ways each day. We should examine ourselves to see if we are walking in the ways of the Lord.

Soon thereafter, Haggai added these words:

12 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the Lord their God had sent him. And the people feared the Lord. 13 Then Haggai, the messenger of the Lord, spoke to the people with the Lord's message, "I am with you, declares the Lord."
Haggai 1:12-14

Next, my attention was drawn to the quote in verse 13 – I am with you.

That should be a real comfort to each of us; that the Lord is with us. We may not always sense He is present, yet He is always present.

As if that were not enough, the Lord spoke to me clearly in chapter 2, when He said through the prophet Haggai:

2 In the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, 2 "Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to all the remnant of the people, and say, 3 'Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it not as nothing in your eyes? 4 Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the Lord. Be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the Lord. Work, for I am with you, declares the Lord of hosts, 5 according to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not. 6 For thus says the Lord of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. 7 And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts. 8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of hosts. 9 The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the Lord of hosts.'"
Haggai 2:1-9

God wanted to restore His temple, and He said the “latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former”; that is, if the people let Him do it His way.

So what is the bottom line? The bottom line from Haggai for me this morning was three-fold:

1. I should CONSIDER my ways.
2. I must remember the Lord is always WITH ME.
3. The Lord desires to do a GREAT WORK in me, if I will only let Him.

That is a great way to start the day.

It’s People Like You That Make This World A Better Place

As many of you know, CrossPoint is in the middle of an incredible endeavor. We are just days away from our ONE BIG WORSHIP on November 18. A few days after that, we open THE POINT – God’s brand new, multi-million dollar recreation facility for Jefferson and St. Clair County.

PROJECT ONE is a tool God gave us to keep us focused on our passion and purpose during these groundbreaking days. PROJECT ONE includes three components—one fellowship, one mission, one commitment.

Today I want to share with you something that happened as a result of our ONE MISSION of PROJECT ONE.

Each Bible Study group at CrossPoint was asked to participate in one MISSION venture during the PROJECT ONE emphasis. Each small group developed some really creative projects.

The Open Door Class, led by Gerald Blankenship decided to take their mission project to the ICU Waiting Rooms at St. Vincent’s East Hospital. Their plan included stocking each room with a goody basket for those sitting and waiting. Just like the other classes mission efforts, this class helped Open Door to think outward.

On Tuesday we received a letter addressed to CrossPoint. The letter reads:

Dear Church:

I want to thank you for your thoughtfulness of placing snacks, pens and paper in the CICU waiting room of St. Vincent’s East Hospital. My mother was a patient there October 14th thru 17th in a life-threatening situation and I spent many hours in the waiting room. Your generosity was most appreciated by my family and other families as well.

May God continue to bless you as you minister to those in need. It’s people like you that make this world a better place.

Your friend in Christ,

Ruby Weaver
Oneonta, AL

CrossPoint you make me proud. This is nothing more than the personalization of JUST ONE MORE! Way to go Open Door. Way to go CrossPoint. Better yet, go Jesus!

Salt Out of the Box

I want to take a moment to apologize for not keeping my blog up-to-date during the last few weeks. My excuses continue to fall under the category of extreme busyness. It is not a bad busyness, however. It is all good. However, it is bad in that it has limited me spending time in front of my computer writing for you and to you. I enjoy writing these blogs.

Part of the busyness is due to CrossPoint’s staff recently moving into the new office suite. We moved our “stuff” in here last week. This week we are trying to find a way to organize it. Since my office is not yet complete, it is hard for me to get situated. Yet I can already tell I am going to love working in this environment.

The office suite is huge! And, for the first time, your staff members are together in one location. That is a major blessing.

Speaking of major blessings, didn’t Walter and Judy Johnson do a great job welcoming CrossPoint to worship Sunday morning? In addition to their welcome to worshipers, wasn’t the worship incredible? If you thought last Sunday was over the top, just watch what happens next weekend when we participate in the Lord’s Supper. Then there is Sunday, November 18. CrossPoint are you ready to worship in ONE ROOM at ONE TIME during ONE BIG WORSHIP as ONE CHURCH. Get prayed up folks, because I plan to preach you up.

One more thing, and then I am done.

Let’s go back to what Judy Johnson said Sunday morning about being salt and the way she CONNECTED it to our process. Her thought was a great word picture.

We are MADE INTO SALT when we CONNECT WITH GOD.
We are SALT IN A BOX when we CONNECT WITH GOD’S PEOPLE.
We are SALT OUT OF THE BOX when we CONNECT WITH GOD’S PLAN.

As the greatest saxophonist in the world, Mark Dunn, would say, “That is huge!”

Let me express many thanks to Walter and Judy for the welcome to worship last weekend. We give thanks today for our new offices. Moreover, thanks be to God for what He is doing in, with, for and through CrossPoint.

A Rebound Bible

A CrossPointer gave me the following quote Sunday morning. They said a friend of theirs had their Bible rebound and the company that did the work placed this paragraph in it for them:

This Book contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveler’s map, the pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s compass, the soldier’s sword, and the Christian’s charter. Christ is its subject, our good is it’s design, and the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently and prayerfully. It is given to you in life, will be open in judgment, and be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, rewards the greatest labor and condemns all who trifle with its holy precepts.

I know many of you accepted the challenge to read through the Bible this year. As we come to the end of the year we are on the final leg of the race. For those of you still competing, I encourage you to finish strong. For those of you who started but did not complete it, and for those who have never attempted to read through the Word of God, I want you to start preparing to read through the entire Bible in 2008.

There are six things every believer and follower of Christ should do with the Word of God. We should HEAR it, READ it, STUDY it, MEMORIZE it, MEDITATE on it, and APPLY it. And why should we do these things with God’s Word? The Bible answers that question:

How can a young man keep his way pure?
By guarding it according to your word.
With my whole heart I seek you;
let me not wander from your commandments!
I have stored up your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you.
Blessed are you, O Lord;
teach me your statutes!
With my lips I declare
all the rules of your mouth.
In the way of your testimonies I delight
as much as in all riches.
I will meditate on your precepts
and fix my eyes on your ways.
I will delight in your statutes;
I will not forget your word.
Psalm 119:9-16

Did you notice the recurring theme of this passage? Look closely. You will see it. Here is a hint…

How can a young man keep his way pure?
… your word.
… your commandments!
… your word…
… your statutes…
…all the rules of your mouth
… your testimonies
… your precepts
… your ways.
… your statutes;
… your word.

The power to life is found in the Word of God. Begin now to set your heart on reading through God’s Word in 2008. Buy a new Bible. Purchase a pen you will use to record your thoughts and insights in the margins. Get ready. We want to go through God’s Word so His Word will go through us.

Please, Don’t Waste Your Life

Last night my CrossPoint University Class completed John Piper’s book, Don’t Waste Your Life (Crossway Books, 2007). It is funny how tonight—after 10 weeks of study—was perhaps the defining moment for the class.

The final chapter of Piper’s book will surprise you. It is a six-page written prayer; a profound written prayer. Additionally, the study guide did not provide questions for discussion this week. So much of tonight’s class was spontaneous. And, as I expected, the discussion was enlightening.

For me, and for many others, the greatest challenge of reading the book was measuring up to the call to live a life making much of our love for Christ. We are called to glory in Christ, to magnify Him, to make much of Him by treasuring His supremacy in our life. And the result of living such a life would be to cause others to live a life of love and joy for God. Rather than desiring to be admired by God, we are called to admire God. Rather than thinking of ways God loves us, we should think of ways we should love and honor God for the way He loved us.

Janice Powers enabled the CPU class conclude the study by referring to a paragraph on page 45 of the study guide. Piper writes:

You may not be sure that you want your life to make a difference. Maybe you don’t care very much whether you make a lasting difference for the sake of something great. You just want people to like you. If people would just like being around you, you’d be satisfied. Or if you could just have a good job with a good wife, or husband, and a couple of good kids and a nice car and long weekends and a few good friends, a fun retirement, and a quick and easy death, and no hell—if you could have all that (even without God)—you would be satisfied. That is a tragedy in the making. A wasted life.

If that paragraph did not slap you across the face, then take the time to read it again. How many of those who call themselves “born-again” live this kind of life? How many of us live for comfort and convenience. Instead of reading the paragraph again, I suggest you purchase the book and read it.

Upon concluding this study, I am convinced I am not living up to the standard of making much about Christ in my life. Much of my preaching is man-centered and Ryan-saturated. Instead, my preaching should be Christ-centered and cross-saturated. Much of my day is spent dwelling on myself. Instead, my day should be spent dwelling on Christ. Much of my preoccupation with life centers on comfort, security and pleasure. Instead, I should be preoccupied with taking risks, giving my all and pleasing the Lord in order to glorify Him.

I don’t know if you can catch the general idea of what I writing today. I am awestruck by what I learned during this study. It is my desire to provide the class again during the next semester of CrossPoint University. My purpose for doing so would be to expose many more CrossPointers to the challenge TO NOT WASTE YOUR LIFE.