What's Gotta Be Said

The Time Has Come...

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Crowe) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 00:17:00 +0000

Well, it's been fun, but it is time to go now. If you care to continue hearing what the author of whatsgottabesaid has to say, feel free to check out the new blog at onemorecaw. Bye

A Birthday Message

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Crowe) — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 15:05:00 +0000

For a very special blogger who, as of today, has consistently reminded me of God's grace for 14 years. Never forget these words, my baby girl...

"I wish that I could be your everything
Be the one who give you all the things you need
Sometimes I am gonna let you down
But there's Someone if you just believe
He'll be your hero like He's always been for me
Daughter Jesus is the one you need."

Almost There

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Crowe) — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 03:13:00 +0000

Today was a momentous day. Well, not quite as momentous of a day as 18 days from today will be. But still pretty momentous (ever wondered how many times a guy could say momentous in such a short time). Anyway, what am I getting at? Well, today marked the day when my daughter and I made it through memorizing 3 chapters of Colossians. Now I admit, I was going to wait to blog about this until when we actually finished memorizing the whole book, but I was just so excited and encouraged about it that I couldn't hold it in.

It all began 13 weeks ago when the wife and son were away for a few weeks visiting family out West. During that time Jaquelle and I were blessed to have an extended time to spend together with just the two of us. So, we played a fair number of ping-pong games (don't ask me who won most of the time), we enjoyed our favourite meals (let's just say that a fair amount of steak and seafood was consumed that week), and yes we decided to memorize a book of the Bible together. Now that may sound like a daunting task, but when done slowly, purposefully, and methodically, it is not really that bad. Actually, I must be absolutely honest with you, it has not only not been daunting, but it has been downright fun. Yes, I said fun. Now don't get me wrong, there are days when it is somewhat tough to get motivated, but that is when memorizing Scripture with someone you love helps. You see, not only has memorizing Scripture edified me in the obvious ways (i.e. brought me closer to God), but it has brought me closer to my daughter as well.

So, how did we do it? Is there a secret? Is there a magic formula? Well, it is definitely not a secret, and it is not so much a magic formula as much as it is an excellent method for memorizing large portions of Scripture. It can be found here, and I strongly commend it to you. In this helpful article Andrew Davis explains the value of memorizing Scripture and then helps you get well on your way to memorizing your first book of the Bible. I will add only one thing to what Dr. Davis has to say: try it with a friend or family member. And lest you reply, "oh I could never memorize a large chunk of Scripture," let me add an endorsement from one who by her own admission suffers from an acute case of poormemorizerinitus. Yes, that is my wife, and yes she suggested I let you know that just this past week she has acquired the services of my daughter to help her memorize a chapter of Philippians using the above mentioned method. And five days in she is five verses strong. So, Diana's encouragement to you is if she can do it, anyone can do it.

So there you have it, the cat's out of the bag. We are almost there, and God has blessed us so much for it. Once we are done Colossians I will be back with another post about specifically how He has blessed. Until then though, why not give it a try, you won't be disappointed. Pick a book of the Bible, pick a friend or family member, start memorizing, and let the fun begin.

A Lesson in Hasty Adverbs

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Crowe) — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 19:43:00 +0000

Well, not so much adverbs, as much as adverb. This lesson relates to one adverb in particular. I will let you see if you can tell which one.

The lesson began a long, long time ago. I really do not remember just how long. I was just a wee lad anyway, although I had already developed a strong sense of patriotism. I was a proud Canadian and for some reason (unbeknownst to me), I made a rash statement concerning what my country of residence would be (or more accurately, would not be) for the remainders of my years. What I said was that I would NEVER live in the United States of America. Now again, I cannot honestly tell you why I made such a statement or why I had such strong feelings about living South of the border, but nonetheless, I did.

The lesson continued as I continued to grow, and somewhere in my teens (the eighteens to be precise) I made yet another rash statement. You see, I had never been a big fan of the classroom, and I was pretty sure that thirteen years in school was going to be more than enough for me. So, on graduation day I made the horrible mistake of uttering that nasty adverb yet again when I said: I will NEVER go to school again.

Well, as many of you know, the lesson came to a close (or so I thought) about 5 years ago, when not only did the Lord lead me to move my family to Texas for three years, but He moved me there to go to school. And not only did God lead us to Texas, but He gave us a love for Texas and the many good times he blessed us with there.

So, lesson learned, right? Well, I wish I could say it was. Apparently my sanctification is not finished, as I am still in the process of learning an important lesson. You see, a few years back, when the social media craze began to sweep the world, I made yet another rash statement, and you will never guess what adverb I included in that statement again!!! I had gotten on the facebook boat, although I wasn't sure if that was such a good idea (see here and here), but there was no way I would ever get involved with that crazy twitter. No, I would NEVER tweet, after all that is for the birds.

Well, if you look near the top of the blog to the right of this post you will see a little box (labelled "What Is Being Said") which indicates that I am still learning this important lesson. Yet again, I have learned that NEVER is one dangerous adverb, and that I ought to be a lot more cautious about how I throw it around sometimes with such reckless disregard. I praise God that when I confess the sin of saying NEVER when I shouldn't, that He is faithful and just to forgive me my sin and cleanse me of all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

Well, now that I have gotten my lengthy confession out of the way, I can explain why I have given in to twitter. Quite simply, I have been giving thought lately to whether this is a medium through which I can glorify God and edify others or not. I have indeed decided that it is (and it recently came to my attention that I am in good company). Thus, stay tuned (if you care to) to see What Is Being Said in 140 characters or less.

The Justin Bieber Jesus

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Crowe) — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 19:39:00 +0000

In pop music the Lord "holds me" and makes each day "special in some way." In hip hop music, God the Father creates and elects me, Jesus Christ dies for me and redeems me, and the Holy Spirit regenerates and sanctifies me. Now which one of these do you think most teaches us about the character of God? And which one of these do you think should cause us to worship? I know for me, that while I won't be sporting baggy jeans and a backwards ball cap any time soon, I will definitely be taking part in some Triune Praise with the likes of Shai Linne, Lecrae, Trip Lee and the fellas over at Humble Beast (just to name a few). I will leave it to Jamie Grace and Toby Mac (and much of the rest of "christian" pop music) to give Justin Bieber a run for his money as they truck on down the road making (in my humble opinion) God sound more like one's BFF than the Immortal Creator and Sovereign Orchestrator. Listen for yourself.

The issue at hand is not the genre of the music, per se (I have been known to enjoy a pop song as much as the next guy). My concern is to do with the lack of substance in most of "christian" pop music today. The Jamie Grace song could be played on any pop music station (christian or otherwise), and besides one little reference to "the Lord," one could easily mistake it for a song about her boyfriend or BFF. Furthermore, on the matter of theology, I am not suggesting that God does not "hold us" or "make each day special," but it seems to me that in the context of her song, it is what she doesn't say that is more the problem than what she does say. For example, how does God hold us in a way that is different than how a boyfriend holds a girl? Or, how does God make our day special in a way that is different than how a BFF would make our day special? Am I being too nit-picky (if that is even a word)? Some might say. Obviously not me though. What say you?

My Previous Post

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Crowe) — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 19:18:00 +0000

If you are looking for my previous post, please accept my apologies. I have taken it down to meditate on it some more before reposting it (should the Lord set me free to do so). As I have enjoyed blogging and reading blogs much over the past several years, it has come to my attention repeatedly that many bloggers slap out a post and throw it onto the internet without first giving thought to whether it will edify their readers or not. Because God's Word makes clear that we are only to say (or blog) that which edifies others (Eph 4:29), I will take some time to consider whether or not the post does such. Until which time I decide, I encourage you to do likewise, not just with what you blog, but with what you post on facebook or text or speak into your smartphone or even what you say in a face to face conversation (I hear this still happens from time to time...when the internet is down). If it doesn't edify, build up, or give grace to those in need, maybe we best not say it...or blog it :)

John 3:30

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Crowe) — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 20:05:00 +0000

"God forbid that my ministry should ever lead you to myself and cause you to stop there. We are only signposts pointing to Christ. Go beyond us! Be followers of us as far as we are followers of Christ, but in no other respect. It is to Christ you must go—the end of all our ministry is Christ Jesus! We want you to go directly to Him, to seek pardon from Him, redemption from Him, a change of heart from Him, a new life from Him—for vain will it be if you have listened to the most faithful of preachers and have not listened to the preacher’s Master and obeyed His Gospel!"~CH Spurgeon (echoed heartily by me).

Are You One of the Obsessed?

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Crowe) — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 16:15:00 +0000

[ht: Trevor Peck]

Why VBS?

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Crowe) — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 18:13:00 +0000

Below I have included a link to the training material which I wrote and taught the volunteers at our church in preparation for VBS. I commend it to anyone who ministers to children (or to people of any age for that matter), for your edification.

It is great to advertise all over the neighborhood and end up with a church full of kids during the summer, but if we don't know why we have VBS, then we are much less likely to serve its PURPOSE (seeing as we don't know what it is).

It is great to have lots of volunteers serving and helping with VBS, but if we don't know how we ought to PRESENT ourselves we might possibly teach the kids something we don't intend to teach.

And it is great to have a cool theme, snappy songs, and a flashy set, but if we do not know what to PROCLAIM then we are nothing more than a community centre.

VBS Training

I have also included a link to the modesty check list we handed out. I strongly encourage all ladies, young and old, who wish to honour the Lord, to read and apply it carefully.

Modesty Check List

Rainbow or Not, This Makes Me Sad

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Crowe) — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 16:49:00 +0000

It has come to my attention (here) that a church in my city which shares my secondary label* has decided to promote and perform same sex marriages. Now I hardly know how to respond to this, aside from avoiding this church of course, and all who associate themselves with it (2 Timothy 3:5). If the article had just mentioned their decision, I would have simply prayed for them and moved on. After all, I am not surprised that there are churches who call evil good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20); God warned us that this would happen (1 Timothy 4:1). But that being said, there were two things in the article (one to do with Scripture and one to do with cooperation) which I am compelled to address. Thus, I included the pertinent information, quoted from the article, with my response below each quote.

Scripture

"It was a decision (to embrace same-sex unions) that came after more than a year of discussion. The congregation spoke with scientists, lawyers and leaders in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Church leaders and lay people studied the Bible.

But there were no simple answers.

'In other words, if this question was easy, it would already have been settled,' Boyd said. 'It was a tough question and it required people to make a choice and, in some way, a leap of faith.'"

I hardly know where to start with this. I suppose the first thing I would ask is, why would a church "speak with scientists, lawyers, and leaders in the LGBT community" about what or would not honour God? Why would they not just consult God and His inerrant, authoritative Word, that was once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3)?

That being said, the Chronicle Herald reports that "Church leaders and lay people (I presume from Pastor Boyd's congregation) studied the Bible" and concluded "there were no simple answers." Did they not study Leviticus 18:22 or Leviticus 20:13 where homosexuality is called an "abomination"? Did they not study Romans 1:26-27 where homosexuality is defined as "dishonorable," "unnatural," and "shameless." And as if all that wasn't clear enough, they could have looked over at 1 Corinthians 6:9 where Paul calls homosexuality "unrighteous." Sounds pretty simple to me.

Cooperation

"Boyd admits that the decision to embrace same-sex unions strained the relationship between his church and some in Atlantic Canada’s Baptist community. He said those in Halifax have been supportive."

If by "supportive," Pastor Boyd means that I encourage his church's endeavors to promote sin as honouring to God, and pray for such a ministry which shames the name of Christ to prosper, please know that he most certainly does not have my support. Nor would I counsel my congregation to support his church. If instead, by "supportive," he means that I pray that perhaps God will grant him and his church repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth (2 Timothy 2:25), and that they submit themselves and their ministry to the authority of God's Holy Word (2 Timothy 3:16), then please know that his church most definitely has my support.

I call all Christians (Baptist or otherwise) to join me in that prayer (the latter one). And in response to this church's decision, I call all Christians to join with me in proclaiming the Gospel to all creation, regardless of their sin of choice. The problem is sin, and there is only one solution for sin: the cross (1 Cor 15:3-4). Pray that through the message of Christ and the cross the Holy Spirit will convict people of sin. Then speak the truth in love, preaching the Gospel with your words and actions so that all sinners will be convicted of sin, and realize their need for a Savior.

*My primary label is Christian, and my secondary label is Baptist.

Length of Sermons

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Crowe) — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 16:04:00 +0000

For those blessed (or tormented, depending on the preacher)to hear at least one sermon per week, and to those privileged to deliver such sermons, this topic is one that receives much discussion, usually around the Sunday dinner table. It is always a difficult thing for a young preacher to know how long he should preach for. I remember reading somewhere of when a young preacher asked his mentor, a seasoned preacher, how long he should preach for. The reply was:

"until your audience stops listening."

Now while I have always appreciated that response, there is one little problem; namely, what if some have stopped listening and some haven't? I think for the most part I keep to a reasonable length for my sermons (I aim for 30-45 minutes), but often (well "often" may not be the most accurate word, but it has happened before) I have some people tell me they wish I would preach longer sermons, while many (usually by body language, not by direct address) suggest I should preach shorter sermons. Well, I came across a great quote by the Prince of Preachers this week, and as it turns out, Spurgeon affirms my sermon length (so long as I don't preach badly). Would love to know what you think about appropriate sermon lengths.

"A man who speaks well for that length of time (40 or 45 minutes) has told his people quite enough, and from him who preaches badly they have in that time heard too much. Most divines can deliver all their best thoughts upon a text in forty minutes, and as it is a pity to bring forth "afterwards that which is worse," they had better bring the feast to an end. To men of prodigious jaw it may seem a hardship to be confined to time, but a broad charity will judge it to be better that one man should suffer than that a whole congregation should be tormented."~Spurgeon

This Post is Rated R

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Crowe) — Sun, 15 May 2011 11:02:00 +0000

REFLECTING on where I once was (weighted down by my sin, without hope in this world, and on the road to destruction), REJOICING in where I am today (set free from sin and death, with hope reserved for me in heaven, and on the road to abundant life), and boldly REQUESTING that you think about where you are. If you are where I was I humbly invite you to REPENT of your sin, entrust your life to Jesus, and be REDEEMED. Do it today. Don't wait until tomorrow. You don't know if you will have a tomorrow.

A Pastor's Burden

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Crowe) — Wed, 11 May 2011 13:31:00 +0000

I am a pastor. It is my joy to be a pastor. It is also my burden to be a pastor. The burden comes because of problems caused by sin. You see, as a pastor, people come to me with their problems. People come to me when drug and alcohol addiction plagues their lives. People come to me when sexual immorality ruins their marriages. People come to me when they, or a loved one, receive that frightening phone call from the doctor. People come to me when someone else hurts them. People come to me when they are hurting and when they are in pain.

It is a great burden to be a pastor. But not because people come to me with their problems. Actually, having people come to me with their problems is one of the joys of being a pastor. I love hearing people's problems. And I love to help people with their problems. I love to counsel people from the Word of God, and I love to be a part of God working in people's lives to bring them to restoration. I love to help hurting people by pointing them to the One who can deal with all their problems: Christ. I love that. It is one of the many joys of being a pastor. So what is the burden? The burden comes when hurting people say "No thanks" to Christ. The burden comes when people are somehow deceived into thinking they can find hope from somewhere other than Christ. They seek hope from AA programs and peer support. They seek hope from marriage counselors or from a new husband or wife. They seek hope from doctors or medications. They seek hope from the justice system. They seek hope from everywhere but from the only source of hope. And I hate that. Yes, I hate it. I hate that people hurt, but I hate it more when they hear about the One who calls them to lay their hurts and pains at His feet, and they refuse.

I just don't get it. You are weary. You are hurting. Jesus commands you to repent of your sins and trust in Him (Mark 1:15; Romans 10:9). If you are suffering, know that He suffered more (1 Peter 2:21-25). If you think life is tough, know that He offers you real life (John 3:16; John 10:10). Do you have problems? Come to me with your problems. But know that I will point you to the only One who can bear your problems. I will point you to the One who can give you rest. I know many of you will refuse, and that is my burden, and it is a burden I am willing to accept, for as a pastor I live to point you to Jesus, the One who says:

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”(Matthew 11:28-30 ESV).

Taken Captive by Coke or Christ?

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Crowe) — Mon, 09 May 2011 23:27:00 +0000

So today was daddy daughter date day in my house.If you have a daughter and you do not partake in such an event it is never too late to start. This is a special time when a father can teach his daughter by example what a godly man looks like (of course your daughter should see an example of a godly man whenever you are with her, but this is a special time to teach her what to look for in a man for when she is the appropriate age to begin the process of courtship).

So anyway, back to our daddy daughter date day. First we were off to the local Japanese eatery where we enjoyed a sushi lunch. Then it was off to the movies. We purchased our tickets, took our seats and got ready for the movie to begin. But before the movie began of course we first saw some coming attractions, which to be honest I kind of enjoy. What I do not enjoy is the advertisements which have begun to pop up in the midst of the movie previews, and especially one of the ads which my daughter and I were subjected to today.

Now I deliberated over whether or not to embed the video of this ad on my blog, and decided that due to the x-rated content of the commercial(which consequently was playing before a pg movie), I could not do so with a clear conscience (see Ephesians 5:3). Instead what I will do is describe the commercial as briefly as I can. The commercial opens with a fella and a lady (I use that term loosely) in bed with the title "The Morning After" coming across the screen. The camera then focuses on the fella and the title, "The Hero," comes up on the screen. After the female leaves the room to take a shower, the camera pans to the door of the apartment (which belongs to the lady) and her father is on the other side of the door knocking. The fella, clearly in a bit of trouble, is not sure what to do, until he spots the bottle of Coke Zero. He drinks the beverage, and immediately a swat team descends in a helicopter and magically restores the apartment to its condition previous to the sexually immoral activities from the night before. Meanwhile the father of the female is getting angry and concerned (rightfully so) that something inappropriate has been going on in the apartment. As the female comes out of the shower "The Hero" motions to her to call him, and he is then whisked away hanging from a rope dangling from the copter just in time for the father to enter the apartment completely unaware.

And what is so startling is that after checking the web, I found that this was the tamer of the two Coke commercials in the "Hero" series. Now does anyone else see the problem here? The problem is that The Coca Cola Company is teaching our children (remember, this was a pg movie, and pg movies only suggest parental guidance; they don't require it), and what they are teaching is not good. Just for starters, the Coca Cola Company is teaching our children that sex with several partners before marriage is not only acceptable but worthy of deeming one who engages in such as a hero. The Coca Cola Company also teaches our children that there are no consequences to their sinful actions. The Coca Cola Company also teaches our children that their product is the solution to all of their problems. And I could go on, but I won't.

What I will say is that if we aren't careful, our children will be taken captive "through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the elemental forces of the world, and not based on Christ." (Colossians 2:8). The fact of the matter is that if we do not keep a close eye on what our children are being taught (whether by teachers at school, by friends, or by media), and if we do not actively teach our children the Word of God, and raise them in the admonition of the Lord, there is a good chance that they will be taken captive by Coke rather than by Christ.

Not my kids. Not on my watch.

Happy Mother's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Crowe) — Sun, 08 May 2011 23:56:00 +0000

Here is a short Mother's Day exhortation from my sermon this morning on 1 Samuel 2:1-10. For a summary of the sermon click here:

"I wonder this morning how many of you mothers here today know your God. Or better put, I wonder what you know about your God. If I could suggest to you mothers, and everyone else, the most important endeavour you can ever commit to is to know God more. This will give you more joy. This will help you deal with sin. This will help you with your finances and with your scheduling. This will make you a better mother, a better wife, a better daughter, a better friend, and a better person. This will help you love your husband and care for your family. This will help you raise godly children. And most importantly, knowing God more will help you love Him more. So the most significant exhortation I can offer to mothers today is to know God more. No matter how much you know Him or think you know Him, the best thing you can do for yourself and your family is know God better. And how can you do that? Well, you can look to His self-revelation, the Bible."

I Have a Problem: I Hate Sin

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Crowe) — Tue, 03 May 2011 20:37:00 +0000

So I know I have gone dark here at whatsgottabesaid for some time, but every time I sat down to blog in the last while, I had nothing to say. And if you know anything about this blog or about me, or if you noticed the name of the blog, then you know I try not to say what doesn't gotta be said (how is that for some good English?). Anyway, enough with the chit chat; let's get on with it.

So, after noticing the title of the blog, I imagine you then took note of the title of this post (if you didn't, you might like to do that now), and thus I don't need to point out my problem. I do need to clarify though, for at face value I hope that Christians see a bit of a conundrum with my statement. What I mean by that is that if you are a Christian then you should hate sin.

So what is the problem? After all, if God hates sin (which He does; Proverbs 6:16-19 and Hebrews 1:9), then we should too, right? Yes, that is right. We should hate our own sin, for it is a demonstration of our lack of trust in God. We should hate our own sin so much that we stay away from every way which leads towards sin (Psalm 119:104). We should hate our sin so much that we are prepared to take desperate measures to avoid it(Matthew 18:7-9). We should hate our sin so much that we put it to death (Colossians 3:5). After all, Jesus offered Himself up as a sacrifice because of my sin. And Jesus bore the wrath of God the Father, which because of my sin, I deserved. How could I not hate my own sin? So the problem is not that I hate my own sin.

Neither is the problem that I hate other people's sins. You see, I serve a righteous God who loves justice, thus when I read the news, and I hear about horrible crimes being committed against innocent human beings, I clearly hate that sin, which you and I should (Amos 5:15). Furthermore, when I see those whom I love committing sin (maybe not to the same degree as the people in the news), I hate their sin too. After all, if you really think about it, all sin is first and foremost a sin against God (Psalm 51:4). That is why God's people are told to hold one another accountable for sin (Leviticus 19:17; Matthew 18:15; Luke 17:1-4). In other words, if you love your brothers and sisters in Christ, then when you see them sinning (which thanks to facebook, this has become so much easier) you must lovingly tell them about their sin, so that they might repent and be restored to a right relationship with God. So, if sin causes harm to people's relationship with God, of course we should hate other people's sin.

So, what is the problem then? Well, I have beat around the bush long enough. The problem is not that I hate my sin. And the problem is not that I hate other people's sin. The problem is that too often I hate other people's sin more than my own.

"God, be merciful to me a sinner" (Luke 18:9).

Music Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Crowe) — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 18:56:00 +0000

So yeah, I know you may be thinking that I should just go ahead and change the name of my blog to Music Monday, but hey, what can I say? Anyway, here are three videos for your edification. Be blessed.

This first song, by Matt Papa, might just be one of my new favourite songs. Don't tell my Pentecostal friends, but I just may have to lift my hands a little more often (yes, I do lift my hands from time to time already...don't tell my Baptist friends).

This second song is by Downhere, a band who I have come to appreciate in the past few months. Good music and great lyrics.

John Piper brought this last one, by Andrew Peterson, to my attention, and considering that just a few weeks ago Diana and I celebrated our 19th, I thought it was appropriate to include.

Music Thursday???

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Crowe) — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 17:26:00 +0000

Yes, I know it is not Monday, but hey, there are songs that have gotta be heard. Well, I don't know if they have gotta be heard. But I do know that these songs glorify God and may edify you if you listen to them. So be blessed by this first edition of the New Year of Music ~~Monday~~ Thursday.

Light (Approved for my mom's listening pleasure)

Medium (I would caution my mom about listening)

Heavy (It's not that heavy really, but I wouldn't recommend it for my mom)

Will it be a Happy New Year?

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Crowe) — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 15:32:00 +0000

So, we are on the dawn of a new year, and if like thousands of other Christians you have been following a Bible reading plan for 2010, today is the day you complete your reading of the Bible. So, congratulations to all of you who have made your way from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21. You should feel blessed today, for as the Lord told Joshua, you are prosperous and successful (Joshua 1:8). And as Jesus told Satan, you are satisfied (Matthew 4:4). So, attaboy (or attagirl). You did it. But as you no doubt noticed, the Bible is not like any other book. It is no mere novel which you put on the shelf when you are finished reading it. No, tomorrow is the day to return to the beginning and begin your trek once again.

A word of encouragement to you who did not follow a Bible reading plan this past year, now is the time to begin. As someone once wisely said: "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail." So make a plan for reading the Bible this year. There are so many options you can choose. You can read a selection from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament each day. You can read chronologically through the Bible. You can read huge chunks each day or take your time and follow a two or three year reading plan. You can have your daily reading sent to your phone, you can look them up on the web, or you can even print out a hard copy. There are too many options for helping you plan ( see here, here, or here, just to name a few) , and not enough reasons not to read God's Word every day. So choose a plan, commit the plan to the Lord, and seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit as you begin the plan.

Tonight many people will be wishing one another a Happy New Year, but according to David, a man after God's own heart, there is only one way which one can be assured that it will be so. So, heed a godly man's words and have a happy new year.

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season,and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.(Psalm 1 ESV)

Come To Your Senses This Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Crowe) — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 12:48:00 +0000

The year is 1980 and it is the evening of December 24th at the Crowe home in Richmond, B.C. I lay in my bed wide awake, the feeling of anticipation almost keeps me from falling asleep...almost. Then it is here! Christmas morning; I scramble from room to room waking my family. We gather in the kitchen where the delicious smell of my grandma’s homemade donuts fills the air. We gulp down a few donuts and a glass of juice as we pester my dad to hurry and finish his breakfast. He then slides the door open to the living room, at which time I see an incredible sight: a beautifully decorated evergreen tree surrounded with wonderful gifts. We enter the living room together and each retrieves the stocking with his or her name on it. In goes my hand and I touch all kinds of goodies which I reveal one at a time until the stocking is empty. Then my dad takes his place by the tree and begins to hand out shiny gifts one at a time, and soon I begin to hear the ripping and tearing of gift wrap and the sounds of appreciation from my family as gifts are opened.

That may have been 30 years ago, yet I remember it like it was yesterday, and I bet some of you do too. What you saw and heard may not have been exactly the same, but I reckon your Christmas traditions were accompanied by sights and sounds which you will not forget anytime soon. Just think for a moment about the smells which filled your home each December 25th and the feelings which abounded on that day. Oh what a blessing our senses are, yet I wonder if we ever think to use them when it comes to remembering a Christmas which took place long before we were born, two millennia before to be exact.

The year is 6 BC, and if you listen closely you can hear the hustle and bustle which was taking place throughout the Roman Empire. Caesar Augustus had announced a census and Palestine had become a hub of activity as people made plans to return to their hometowns to be registered. Hear the vendors bartering, wagons rolling by, children playing, and soldiers marching. Reach down and feel the touch of the dirt on which the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem was travelled by a young Jew and his pregnant wife. Look into the place where they stayed and behold a sight which, apart from a few shepherds, most of the world took no notice of: a manger. Feel the anticipation of the event which would mark the arrival of the One who would soon be lying in that manger. It may have seemed like a relatively common birth, but the child who was born was anything but common.

This Christmas, let’s come to our senses and remember the One who was born in Bethlehem so many years ago. But let’s not merely remember His birth; let’s remember why He was born. First, as is seen in His name, Jesus was born to “save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). All men have sinned, and the consequence of that sin is death, yet Jesus paid the penalty for man’s sin when He was nailed to a Roman cross.
JESUS WAS BORN TO DIE, but He did not stay dead, for as was prophesied hundreds of years before His birth, He is the “mighty God” (Isaiah 9:6). This means that not only did He die for our sins, but He rose from the dead to give us eternal life, that is, HE WAS BORN TO LIVE. Now that is something to remember. And that is something to celebrate, not just on December 25th, but every day of the year.

Let's Put the Chi Back in Xmas

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Crowe) — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 00:58:00 +0000

Well, it's that time of year again. Time to get bent out of shape over what the politically correct police deem an appropriate greeting for the month of December. Whether you have been wished more "Merry Xmases", "Happy Holidays" or "Merry Christmases" this December, the bottom line is that there is much controversy over appropriate Christmas greetings these days. To be honest with you, I have never been one to get too carried away with whether or not people say Merry Christmas or not, so I try not to get too involved in the debate. That being said, I know many people are quite upset about it all, and thus I thought I would give you just a few things to think about when it comes to Christmas greetings.

First, while this issue has mostly dropped out of the limelight due to the new controversy, there are still some who get upset about being wished a Merry Xmas. Well, while it has long been thought that the X showed up in Xmas in an attempt to remove Christ from Christmas it just isn't so. While it may be used in that way now, a look at the origin of the term may shed some light on the situation. When the term Xmas originated many years ago in church history (yes, it originated with Christians), the X was not an X at all; rather, it was the Greek letter, chi, which consequently looks exactly like an X. So what, you ask? Well chi is the first letter in the Greek word for Christ, Christos. So the X in Xmas was actually used to represent Christ. Use of the term Xmas was never meant to remove Christ from Christmas or to show disrespect to Christians.

Now when it comes to the term Happy Holidays, the story does not go so well. Saying Happy Holidays in place of Merry Christmas is a rather recent occurrence. The replacement of Merry Christmas with the generic Happy Holidays was for the exact reason for which many have mistaken the original use of Xmas: to take the Christ out of Christmas. You see, when the phrase Xmas came into being, tolerance was not the doctrine of the day. Today, our society values tolerance rather than freedom. The problem is that the word tolerance has been redefined. It no longer means that we tolerate things (otherwise society would tolerate the saying of Merry Christmas and the placing of manger scenes on city property); rather, it means that we must never do or say something that might offend someone. That being the case, when one considers what Merry Christmas means (i.e. may you have a happy celebration of Christ), it all begins to fall into place. Of course someone who does not recognize Christ as the Son of God would be offended by being wished a Merry Christmas. Does that mean we shouldn’t wish people a Merry Christmas? Well, not necessarily.

So what should a Christian do about the controversy, and how should we greet people during the month of December? Well first, biblically speaking, we should not get too involved in arguing or getting upset about words which those who do not follow Christ use. Just as Paul warns Timothy, I would suggest that we all guard ourselves against having “an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words” (1 Tim 6:4). On the other hand, while I wouldn't worry about what December greeting others use, when it comes to what we should say I certainly don't think that we should succumb to society’s redefinition of tolerance. We should not be afraid to name the name of Christ every opportunity we get, whether it is December or not. So get out there and wish people a Merry Christmas (i.e. a happy time of celebrating the birth of Christ). But if they have not repented of their sins and put their trust in Christ, don't just tell them about the birth of Christ; tell them why He was born too; namely, to die for our sins and rise from the dead to give us life. For if a person does not put their faith in Christ, then it will not be a Merry Xmas, a Happy Holidays or a Merry Christmas.

Music Monday: Christmas Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Crowe) — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 23:30:00 +0000

Welcome to yet another Music Monday. I don't know if you have noticed, but while my blogging career has been nothing if not sporadic lately, it seems that when I do find time to blog, it happens to be on Mondays. Coincidence??? I don't know. You be the judge. Anyway, enjoy and be blessed by my three favourite Christmas songs at the time.

Number One belongs to Casting Crowns, and since it was released, I Heard The Bells has been, continues to be, and in all likelihood will be for a very long time, my favourite Christmas song.

Number Two belongs to Chris Tomlin, although I could not pick just one song off the album. I tried, but they are all just too good to pick one so I posted the promo video to tempt your taste buds. While CC holds the number one Christmas song spot, Tomlin by far holds the number one Christmas album spot. Pick it up, you will not be disappointed. It is fantastic from beginning to end.

Number Three goes to Downhere's How Many Kings. Downhere is a band that I am sure many of you have not heard of, but you should. They have a great sound, and they have composed an original Christmas song with a great message.

Happy Thanksgiving America

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Crowe) — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 21:32:00 +0000

So, American Thanksgiving is here (thanks to my FB friends South of the border for reminding me of that), and who can not help but think about 1 Thessalonians 5:18 at this time of year. It says:

"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus."

I don't know about you, but I sure have a hard time with those two words. After all, it is easy to give thanks in the good times, but if I am to live my life for God's glory, which I sincerely pray I do, then I will have to give thanks in the bad times as well (and that is tough). That being the case, I have taken some advice given by James McDonald in his book, Lord Change My Attitude, and my wife and I now try to hold one another accountable to speak three things which we are thankful for everyday. The goal is to give glory to God who works all things together for the good of those who love him (Rom 8:28), as we constantly remind ourselves that thankfulness is not a feeling; it is an attitude. That being said, happy thanks-giving EVERYONE.

Music Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Crowe) — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 17:22:00 +0000

Well, this is not really a true Music Monday post, as the music is not the point of the video, but hey, what ya gonna do. Anyway, there is some pretty incredible stuff in this video, sadly though I must admit that my favourite feat is performed by the little girl with some mad parallel parking skills.

(ht: Tim Challies)

Mormon Christianity: A Sad Contradiction

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Crowe) — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 12:55:00 +0000

So, I was doing some research on Mormon Christology (i.e. what Mormons believe about Christ) for my sermon this Sunday (Want to know why? Show up Sunday morning), and I came upon this brief interchange between the previous president of the LDS Church and the previous president of the SBC (who consequently is the present president of my seminary). It is from a paper written by Cky Carrigan (an evangelism prof from my seminary), and can be found in full here.

President (Gordon Hinckley) of the LDS Church: "In bearing testimony of Jesus Christ, President Hinckley spoke of those outside the Church who say Latter-day Saints "do not believe in the traditional Christ. No, I don't. The traditional Christ of whom they speak is not the Christ of whom I speak. For the Christ of whom I speak has been revealed in this the Dispensation of the Fulness [sic] of Times. He, together with His Father, appeared to the boy Joseph Smith in the year 1820, and when Joseph Smith left the grove that day, he knew more of the nature of God than all the learned ministers of the gospel of the ages. Am I a Christian? Of course I am. I believe in Christ. I talk of Christ. I pray through Christ? I'm trying to follow Him and live His gospel in my life."

President (Paige Patterson) of the SBC: "In my opinion, that [Hinckley's remarks] enhances both your credibility and the reality that traditional Christians and Mormons believe in two different and distinctive views of Christ. . . . Baptists, as you know, hold to a view of Jesus Christ that is based strictly on biblical revelation and that believes that Jesus was and is eternal God. This view is clearly at odds with your own faith that, as I understand it, confesses that he was sired by God, the heavenly father, in consort with his wife. He was in that sense a literal son of God. I also realize that you believe that Jesus existed as an eternal spirit form, but not in the sense as God or as the Son of God."

I share this with you that it might prepare us, God's people, to better engage those outside the faith, that they might believe in the one true revealed Son of God, and have life in His name (John 20:30-31). Don't be afraid when you see those well dressed men with Book of Mormon in hand. Instead, talk to them about Jesus. They need Him just like every other person you meet.