Christmas Gifts Pt 2. Frankincense

And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. (Matthew 2:11)

Frankincense to offer have I; Incense owns a Deity nigh; Prayer and praising, voices raising, Worshipping God on high. (We Three Kings. Words and Music by John H. Hopkins 1857)

Twenty years ago or more, a preschool-aged member of my family was practicing for a Christmas pageant. He was not only singing with the group, but also had some lines in the play. His only line was, “The wise men brought gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.”

I was feeling pretty mischievous, so I thought I’d have some fun at the expense of a 6-year old. I told him I would rehearse with him. As he recited his lines to me I said, “No, it wasn’t frankincense, it’s ‘Frankenstein’.” I really didn’t think much more about it until I found out later that he really did go to the pageant and say that the wise men brought gifts of gold, Frankenstein and myrrh. I doubled over in laughter.

The problem was that he knew that Frankenstein was a monster with bolts coming out of his neck, but he had no idea what frankincense was. In fact, isn’t that the problem with most of us? We have heard this story many times since we were children, but most have no idea what these mysterious gifts were that the wise men brought.

Last week we discussed gold. We all know what that is. This week we will explore that second gift of Frankenstein…I mean frankincense.

Frankincense is a resin that is derived from the boswellia tree that is in the dry regions of north-east Africa and south of the Arabian Peninsula. The tree tolerates the most critical situations and is often on rocky slopes and ravines. This resin has long been used as aromatic incense, most often in worship.

The Hebrews used it in the temple and in the tabernacle before it. It was one of the ingredients in the altar incense. And the LORD said to Moses: “Take sweet spices, stacte and onycha and galbanum, and pure frankincense with these sweet spices; there shall be equal amounts of each. 35 You shall make of these an incense, a compound according to the art of the perfumer, salted, pure, and holy. 36 And you shall beat some of it very fine, and put some of it before the Testimony in the tabernacle of meeting where I will meet with you. It shall be most holy to you. (Exodus 30:34-36) It is also mentioned in the book of Leviticus, Numbers, Nehemiah, Song of Solomon, and Jeremiah in the Old Testament.

In the New Testament, it is only mentioned twice. Once, as a gift that the wise men brought, and another in Revelation as an item that merchants sell. This gift has significance just as gold did.

Since the gift of gold signified Christ’s royalty, the gift of frankincense symbolizes Christ’s priesthood. He is our King and our Priest. He rules over us, but to Him we bring all of our worship, praise, burdens, confessions, and sins. Where once the Hebrews had to go to a priest to communicate with the Father, now we have our perfect salvation in Jesus. We no longer need a priest to gain access to God. Jesus is our High Priest. We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.(Hebrews 8:1-2)

This is all great information, but what do we do with it today? Last week, we talked about how we should give God our material things this Christmas, but what can we give to our High Priest?

To Jesus, our High Priest, we offer…

• Our confession. Romans 10:9 if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved


• Our sins. Romans 6:18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness

• Our selves. Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship

Give these gifts to God this Christmas, and release yourself from the guilt and shame of disobedience. He came to set us free from the chains of sin. He became our High Priest so we can go directly to Him with our praises and petitions. Go to the altar of your heart today.

Praise Him! Praise Him! Jesus, our blessèd Redeemer! Heav’nly portals loud with hosannas ring! Jesus, Savior, reigneth forever and ever. Crown Him! Crown Him! Prophet, and Priest, and King! (Fanny Crosby 1869)

Christmas Gifts Part 1: Gold

Christmas is here! One Christmas song says that “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” It is certainly an exciting and busy time of the year. Have you finished your Christmas shopping yet? Have you even started?
It seems that finding the perfect gift for our friends and family seems to be an obsession at times. However, this Christmas, I have heard of many who are cutting back a bit due to a tough financial year. Whether you are staying with a budget or going all out for presents, please try to remember in all of this business, the reason we give.

The giving began with the gift of Jesus. God became one of us, so we could be forgiven of our sinfulness, and have a closer relationship with Him. That gift could never be matched by us. We simply do not have the ability to give that sacrificially. However, if we look to the first human gifts, given to celebrate the birth of Christ, then we may be able to begin thinking about what we can bring to God at Christmas.

Chapter 2 of Matthew tells us the story of the wise men who came to bring gifts to the newborn King. 

“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. (Matthew 2:1-2, 11) 

These gifts were grand presents for the new King. However, they had spiritual and symbolic meaning as well. In the weeks leading up to Christmas, we will examine each gift and discuss what they might teach us about the things we can bring to Christ this Christmas.

Gold is a wonderful precious metal. It is very expensive in today’s world and was equally so in the time of Jesus. Gold was not something that was necessarily brought to a newborn baby. However, scripture tells us not only that the wise men brought this gift of gold, but also that it was a fulfillment of prophecy. The multitude of camels shall cover your land, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come; they shall bring gold and incense, and they shall proclaim the praises of the LORD. (Isaiah 60:6) In other words, this gift of gold represented Jesus’ kingship. This was a gift traditionally given to royalty. The Magi, were well aware that they were giving this gift to a newborn King.

Gold also represents wealth and material goods. Perhaps the message of this gift from the wise men to Christ, is that we should also give Him our material goods. Jesus spoke many times in His ministry about the evils of loving money more than God.

Jesus told one young man who asked Him about how to acquire eternal life, to keep the commandments. When the young man replied that he had done so all of his life, Jesus pushed a little further, “Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. (Mark 10:21-22)
It is imperative that we be willing to give up all the possessions that we have if it means gaining Christ. Most of the time, we are not asked to do such, but we must be willing, if we are truly to be followers of Jesus.

What possessions do you need to surrender to Jesus this Christmas? If you look at what takes up most of your time, energy and money, you will find the answer. Are you willing to present it to Christ, just as the Magi laid their gift of gold at His feet? He gave His all for us. Pray and ask God for the strength and wisdom to give all that you have to Him.

When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? (Mark 8:34-36 NKJV)

Thanksgiving Thoughts 2009

Oh, give thanks to the LORD! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples! Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; Talk of all His wondrous works! Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD! Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face evermore! Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth. (1 Chronicles 16:7-12)

By the time you read this, you will either be getting ready for Thanksgiving, or getting over it. My prayer for you is that you remember the many blessings that God has given you in the past year. Those who know Jesus Christ have more to be thankful for than any, because regardless of our circumstances, we know we have a Heavenly Father who loves us.

As so many of you have heard me say before, Thanksgiving has become my favorite holiday. There are no presents to give or receive, family and friends is the most important element, and most of all, it is deliberately designed to give thanks to God for His goodness.

Just as with all the other holidays, Thanksgiving has been commercialized with more focus on turkeys, football, and going through store ads in anticipation of after Thanksgiving sales, than on truly being grateful for God’s goodness. Some even view the traditional family gathering as a hassle and interruption to routine and schedules. Johnny Carson once said, “Thanksgiving is an emotional holiday. People travel thousands of miles to be with people they only see once a year. And then discover once a year is way too often.”

The reality of the holiday is that it really doesn’t matter if you sit down to a great feast or have many family members and friends to celebrate with. For many people, Thanksgiving can be meaningful by truly being grateful for the ham sandwich that you are eating alone. In fact, Thanksgiving should be something we celebrate each day as we spend time with God.

As I have taken time to ponder God’s blessings to my family this year, I came upon some questions I put forth in a column from several years ago. I thought it would be a good idea to remind everyone, including myself, of these questions to help us all get a great picture of how God has moved in our lives in the past year.

• What were the major events that took place in your family this year?
• Thank God for the milestones that bring us out of routine days.
• Did your family grow in number, through weddings or births?
• Express your gratitude to our Heavenly Father for new additions and pray for guidance in being a role model for them in your Christian walk.
• Did you experience the loss of a loved one?
• If not, give thanks to God for allowing you another year to be together. Don’t miss the opportunity to tell them how much you love and appreciate them.
• If so, thank God for the time you had together, the memories of times you shared, and the promise of a great day when you will all be together forever.
• Did your family experience hard times?
• If so, consider what you learned from each situation and thank God for His instruction and guidance.
• Who are the members of your family?
• Name one quality that you’re thankful for in each person.

If you will take the time to answer these questions, it may change the way you view your blessings and give you a structured way to truly give thanks to God in whatever your circumstances are.

From my family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving!

I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. My God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Philippians 4:11-13, 19-20 NIV)

50/50

I love watching the weather. I enjoy sitting on my front porch during a storm. I would watch The Weather Channel for hours if my family would let me.

In all of this weather watching, I have become a pretty good weather predictor. If there is a chance of snow, call me and I’ll tell you if we will get it here. I know that if the snow is coming from the west, we won’t see any. If it is coming from the southwest, up through Atlanta; get ready for long lines for bread and milk.

I get a kick out of weather predictions on the news. Today in Edgefield, the weather forecast is a high temperature of 68 degrees, with a 40% chance of rain tonight. I can understand how they can predict the temperature, but how do they decide that there is a 40% chance of rain.

In my estimation, there is always a 50/50 chance that it will rain. Think about that for a minute. On any given day, either it will rain or it won’t. That’s a perpetual 50% chance of rain.

I was making another 50/50 observation during the Clemson football game against Florida State last week. Clemson’s kicker missed several extra-point kicks and two field goals during that game. I remarked to a friend that the kicker has the hardest job on the team. I said, “Unlike the offense, the kicker always has no better than a 50/50 chance of scoring. They only have once chance per attempt. If they make it, they are a hero. If they don’t, they’re a goat.” Just like rainfall, either they’ll make it or they won’t. There is no second chance.

I heard Mike Glenn, who is pastor at Brentwood Baptist Church in Nashville, TN, (and a former pastor at EFBC), speak at Anderson University a couple of weeks ago. He was preaching to the student body during chapel. One of the things he said was that life on earth is like studying for a final exam in a pass/fail course. You will either pass the final exam, or you won’t. There is no second chance.

The great thing about this final exam is that we have been given the answer. I said answer in the singular, because there is only one question. At the end of this life, God will administer the test. He will ask us if we knew, trusted, and believed in Jesus Christ. If indeed we did, then we pass. If we have not, then we fail. Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6 NIV)

What a tragedy to fail a class where all of the actual questions and correct answers are given ahead of time. You have been made aware through the scriptures you have read, the Sunday School lessons you have attended, and the preaching you have heard.

This is our study time for that final exam. It is a pass/fail exam. You have a 50/50 chance of passing. You either have the correct answer in your heart, because you have truly accepted Jesus into your life, or you have rejected the calling of the Holy Spirit and thus, you fail the test. There is no middle ground. There is no riding the fence. You are either for God, or against Him.

I don’t really have any idea if it will rain or not. I have no way to predict if the football will leave the kicker’s foot and make it through the goalposts. Those are true 50/50 chances. I do know, however, that if you have given your life to Christ, you have a 100% chance of passing God’s final exam.

My prayer is that you have already passed that exam in your heart. If you haven’t or are not sure, please find a Christian friend and talk with them about it. Also, I and any of the EFBC staff will be happy to speak with you about how you can know for sure where you will spend eternity.

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' (Matthew 7:13-14, 21-13 NIV)

Dr. Frank Page elected VP of Evangelism

Click title above to read full story.
I think this is a wonderful step for NAMB. May God bless the efforts of the new team.

Casting Vision: Worship Part 1

Last week, I wrote, “In the coming weeks, I will outline for you what I believe some of the strengths, challenges and future Kingdom work this church can undertake… I will cover different aspects of our church in the coming weeks: worship, Sunday school, missions groups, EFBC ministries, youth and children, and church membership, among others.”


My intention is twofold. I hope to praise the aspects of our church where we excel, and encourage growth in those places where we do not. I also hope to communicate the vision that I believe God is giving us for those areas. I have chosen to do this in the order by which a newcomer to our church might encounter these areas of our church. We will begin by looking at our Sunday morning worship service, which is where most people first experience Edgefield First Baptist.

This is such an important subject, that it will require two weeks to cover it. This week, we will talk about the attitude of worship. This concerns the condition in which we bring ourselves to the house of God, to worship Him. The attitude that we have on Saturday night and Sunday morning have much to do with the offering we bring to church. Next week, we will examine the actual worship service, but we must first make sure our hearts are prepared to truly worship the God of Heaven.

I grew up in a Pentecostal church setting. The worship was lively. The music was sung with passion. Many instruments were used. It was very common for people to say, after a particularly stirring service, “The Holy Spirit really moved in church today. The preacher didn’t even get to preach!” There was no order of worship in a bulletin. There was an unwritten order that we usually followed, but in many services this “order” was interrupted.

I truly felt moved by the Holy Spirit in those services, but the feeling didn’t last long. Afterwards, I struggled to remember anything I had learned from being there. Many times, I was left with only the memory of what song was being played when I felt the goosebumps.

Why was this? I think it is because we were coming to worship with the wrong attitude. I remember saying things like, “I can’t wait to get to church. I really need to get my batteries charged.” Or “I need to get fed.” These kinds of statements make worship about us and what we hope to receive from God. We actually need to come to worship with the attitude of “What can I bring God today?”
Worship is not about coming to God’s holy “feeding trough” so we can make it until the next meal. It’s about offering all that we have to Him. Indeed, God does fill us when we worship Him, but that should be seen as an honor that is bestowed unexpectedly, not a purpose to be desired.
If we, as a church, are to understand God’s plan for worship in our church, we must begin to worship Him unselfishly. We are to come to His sanctuary with a repentant heart, bringing all of who we are and what we have, to Him, as an offering. When we come to God with the correct attitude, stand before Him, and lift our praises to Him, then we can say we have truly worshipped.

Magnificent, Holy, Father,
I stand in awe of all I see.
Of all the things You have created,
still You choose to think of me.

Who am I that You should suffer,
Your very life to set me free.
The only thing that I can give You,
is the life You gave to me.

This is my offering, dear Lord.
This is my offering to You, God.
I will give You my life,
for it’s all I have to give.
Because You gave Your life for me.

I stand before You at this altar.
So many have given You more.
I may not have much I can offer.
Yet what I have is truly Yours.
(Offering Performed by Third Day. Songwriters: Anderson, Carr, Powell, Avery, Lee)

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.                   (Romans 12:1 NIV)

Casting Vision

For the past number of weeks we have taken a look at our church’s vision statement and “Key Characteristics” as they are outlined in our church constitution. This discussion has covered a wide range of topics, and I hope they have at least made you think a little about what we do well, what we need to improve, and where God is leading us as a church family.
In the first installment of this series, I wrote;

The prophet Zechariah had a vision of a man with a measuring line in his hand, who was going to measure Jerusalem. When Zechariah asked about this, God told another angel to give him the message, “Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the great number of men and livestock in it. And I myself will be a wall of fire around it,' declares the LORD, 'and I will be its glory within.” (Zechariah 2:4-5)… If we truly want Edgefield First Baptist to be all that God wants it to be, then it is time to stop playing church and going through the motions, and fix our eyes, ears, hearts and minds on Him and Him alone. Then, and only then, will we be a church “without walls” with God as our center and protector as Zechariah describes.

Are we ready to be a “church without walls?” Dr. Frank Page challenged us in our Sunday morning revival service, to be useful Christians and a useful church. He also said, “Sometimes, one of the greatest hindrances to a church’s future is a glorious past.” In order to be useful, we cannot rely on what we have done before, but what we are doing now and in the future to grow the Kingdom for Christ.

A member of our church sent an e-mail to me after the first installment of this series ran. In that column, I made the insinuation that interpreting God’s vision for our church is up to the church body. This person indicated that I should share what I perceive God’s vision for this church to be since I am the pastor. The church member writes, “I would like to know exactly what vision you have for us. Yes, we are a congregational church, but whatever God has laid on your heart is important to us all. Tell me/us what future you see for EFBC.”

In the coming weeks, I will outline for you what I believe some of the strengths, challenges and future Kingdom work this church can undertake. Not all of it can be done and implemented right away. Not all of it will appeal to everyone. Not all of it will be easy. However, I have spent much time in prayer, thought, and discussion on all of these topics for the past several years. Only now do I believe the time is right for us to look hard at what we do, what we need to do better, and where God is leading us.

I will cover different aspects of our church in the coming weeks: worship, Sunday School, missions groups, EFBC ministries, youth and children, and church membership, among others. These writings are not criticisms of how we do things now, but a glimpse into what we can be in the future.

Be in prayer about all the areas of our church. If you are involved in certain ministries here, devote more time in prayer for that area. Ask God for guidance and wisdom in whatever you do. If you are not involved in ministry areas of our church, pray about where God can use you and take the leap of faith needed to respond to God as He leads. Remember, there is no age limit and no retirement plan in God’s Kingdom. If you are able to read this or are able to hear it read to you, you are useful to Him!

My prayer is that as we move through this time of seeking God, your Christian walk will be strengthened and you will find God’s purpose in your life. However, also remember that God’s purpose for you is never “just for you.” God intends for you to use what He enables you to do, to influence others for Him.

Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him. But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. (1 Corinthians 2:9-10 NJKV)