Memorial to My Dad

On March 24, 2013, my Dad left this life for his eternal home. I will miss him. Definitely looking forward to the great reunion Jesus has promised all His people…to be in Christ’s presence forever.

 

UPDATE: Pray for My Dad

Many of you have heard, and this is just another opportunity to share this prayer need and keep everyone updated.

Tuesday afternoon, my dad received word from his doctor that he has inoperable pancreatic cancer which has spread to other areas. Needless to say, this information has come as a shock to all our family. Dad goes Monday morning for an appointment with an oncologist to talk about details and plans. His doctor has indicated that this cancer is quite aggressive, and depending on the treatment options and decision my dad makes regarding these options, he may have just a few months left.

So, I am asking for everyone to be praying for wisdom, strength, and peace for my dad and mom, my brother and his family, and me and my family. We are not sure what the future holds. We do know that God is in control. We do know that God is good…all the time. In circumstances like these, we are not pushed away from God, but are compelled to more urgently fall into His arms of magnificent grace. My dad’s life is in His hands. Our families are in His hands.

I am so thankful for the recommendation by a friend of the little booklet, “Don’t Waste Your Cancer” by John Piper. If you or a loved one are facing this very situation, pleases take time to read this brief and encouraging work. You can read it for free here.

By Grace Alone,

Pastor Scott

 

ASK THE PASTOR: The Lord’s Supper & Baptism

This “Ask the Pastor” question is one I have encountered numerous times throughout my ministry. It is a very thoughtful and significant question pertaining to our practice regarding the observance of the Lord’s Supper, specifically, who should partake in the observance…

I have a question about who can take communion. First Corinthians 11:28 says, “Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup;” yet our church requires that a person be baptized my immersion before being allowed to participate in the Lord’s Supper.

Why is that? Are there other verses that make baptism by immersion a prerequisite?

 

ASK THE PASTOR: Can a Christian Vote for…?

In this “Ask the Pastor” post, I want to address an issue which is a particular challenge to Christians as we undertake the privilege and responsibility of voting for the leadership of our nation, state, city, etc. The question, as it has been posed to me in various ways, goes something like this:

Since we are most certainly living in challenging times in America, I think we need strong leadership which honors biblical truth. Could I, as a Christian, vote for someone who is Mormon, Jehovah’s Witness, or athiest to be President? Is voting for someone who definitively adheres to a non-biblical faith wrong for a follower of Christ?

This issue is ‘front and center’ for us in this year’s election. As I stated during a Wednesday night prayer meeting recently, I believe that for the first time in my lifetime, we as Christians are faced with a choice of two Presidential candidates who are antagonistic to Christianity. One candidate is a Mormon. Mormonism, regardless of the claims of its adherents, is definitively NOT Christian. The other candidate has disparaged biblically serious Christians in his public remarks. In the world in which we live, a situation like this reminds us where we must place our hope:

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. (Psalm 20:7, ESV)

 

ASK THE PASTOR: A Cross on Our Wall

In this “Ask the Pastor” post, I’m going to respond to the following question recently sent to me:

 We use crosses in our home decor and fashion accessories. Should we be at all concerned about crossing the line of the second commandment: “You must not make a carved image for yourself”? We don’t worship these things; they are just reminders of the sacrifice that Jesus made. Where do we draw the line though?

Excellent question! The second commandment is found in Exodus 20:4-6 –

You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

As I begin this response, I think it safe to assume that most of us would fit into the category described by the beginning of the question. We have crosses on the walls of our homes. We have crosses on our cars. We wear crosses as jewelry, on necklaces, bracelets, wristbands, and earrings. Crosses appear on our t-shirts, bumper stickers, and Bible covers. How are we to think about these things in light of the second commandment?