Purity Principle: Ch. 6 – Wise Strategies

Posted on March 11, 2015 by Andrew Gilmore

In chapter six, Randy Alcorn begins to get very practical in the fight against sexual temptation by talking about doughnuts. Yup. Doughnuts. As in, if someone’s struggling with eating too many doughnuts, the wise thing to do is . . . stay away from doughnuts! Simple, right? Easy? Nope.

Alcorn wants us to really understand that good intentions, fervent prayers and even accountability is all for naught if we’re not willing to PREpare. You know, like ahead of time! How clueless we must be if we think we can handle situations without getting ready for them. Or perhaps we’re lying to ourselves when we say we want to stop. Stop looking at porn. Stop cheating on my wife. Stop fantasizing. Stop, stop, stop.

And so the first strategy is . . . Get outta there! Leave! Go! Flee! Alcorn rightly says, “[w]hen it comes to sexual temptation, it pays to be a coward.” Yes and amen! Joseph in joseph fleesGenesis 39 is surely our best example here. A young stud in a culture that seemed to thrive on male shirtlessness begins to attract notice from the wife of his master who begins to shamelessly flirt with him. Flirtation turns into outright demands to adultery. One day, when no one’s in the house, Potiphar’s wife sneak attacks Joseph, grabbing him and begging him to sleep with her. Let me repeat: NO ONE’S AROUND! What does Joseph do? God help us, he does what we should pray we would (will!) do. He “fled and got out of the house.” What self-control! What courage! Actually, it’s simple. It’s the Purity Principle: Purity is always smart; impurity is always stupid. Joseph understood this. Earlier he used this logic: “How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?”

And there’s our problem. Do we really believe that a little lust, a lingering glance, a little release, some imagination, some “fooling around,” some indulgence is really great wickedness, emphasis on GREAT! Also, if it “won’t hurt anyone” in our modern parlance, can it really be sin against a God I can’t even see and may seem a little behind the times in regards to sexual ethics? I mean, have you seen the stats on porn? C’mon, it’s just a little fun!

FLEE!
Just get out. Get out in public! Get back to your friends, your family, your church, your wife, your parents. Do whatever it takes to put yourself in situations where it will be impossible to sin sexually. Albert Mohler once said that it’s this simple: he wouldn’t commit adultery against his wife if he wasn’t alone with another woman. Makes sense, right? Yeah, but that takes discipline to keep that a constant focus in your life. Open the blinds in your office. Take a male assistant on your business trip. Go places with a friend or in groups. Alcorn relates a story from a traveling businessman who asks the hotel staff to physically remove the TV from his room before he gets his room. That’s dedication and anticipation of potential temptations. I love this sentence: “In moments of strength, make decisions that will prevent temptation in moments of weakness.”

Alcorn further encourages us to cultivate our relationship with God by spending time with him to examine ourselves and know the pleasure of his presence that trumps any fleeting passions. To do this, he advocates disciplined memorization and quotation of Scripture. Then, simply pray and don’t give up! Don’t stop! Don’t quit! Fight, struggle, wrestle with the world, your flesh and the Devil. And do all this in the Spirit’s strength, not in your own feeble fists-clenched, teeth-set, eyes-squeezed-shut power.

I’ll end with Paul’s mighty words to Titus that remind us that our ability to resist sexual temptation flows from our experience and practice of grace:

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age . . .
Titus 2:11-12

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Purity Principle: Ch. 5 – The Battle is in Your Mind

Posted on February 28, 2015 by A.J.

J.J.

I’ve recently noticed that I have a hard time with introductions.

Alcorn opens up this pivotal chapter by giving the example of a seminary student named Brad. Brad had thought himself blindsided by committing adultery with this stranger he met at Starbucks. Shortly after hearing this we learn of what Brad has immersed himself in to make this sin easier for him to commit. Alcorn reminds the reader that, “Sexual sin never comes out of the blue.” He shares of the compromises that are made in order for this sin to quickly become a reality.

“Often we say we want purity, but then we make choices that sabotage purity. Choices have consequences.”  There are things in my life that I do knowing that it will lead down the wrong road.  From music choices on my iPod to television show choices.  There have been times where I knew I needed to cut something out, but I found too much happiness in it.  I didn’t see the need to set boundaries.  Alcorn echoes the importance of placing boundaries in order to “keep temptation from gaining a foothold.”

Proverbs 4:23,

“Keep your heart with all vigilance,
 for from it flow the springs of life.”.

Alcorn goes on to mention how your heart needs to be set on pursuing God first.  “Your sanctified mind, fed on God’s word, nourished by His Spirit, polices your thought life. It says yes to what pleases Christ and no to what doesn’t.”  At the beginning of reading this chapter I was frustrated.  I know my own self-drive is high, but it is not high enough to keep me from sin.  There is no amount of teeth-gritting, trying harder, self-discipline, or self-motivation that can keep me from sinning.  The only One that can do that is God through me.  I know where I was without God.  Furthermore, I know where I’ll fall back to if I try this life without Him.  It’s a heart posture.

“Masturbation is fueled by a roving eye and an undisciplined mind. When we turn to it, we are medicating a pain– maybe loneliness, discouragement, rejection, or fear. There is something deeper than just the obvious desire. We need to address the root issue, to ask God to meet the needs that make us vulnerable to temptation.”

Alcorn hits the nail on the head here with his assessment of deeper, root issues when it comes to sin.  The deeper root desire is not wrong, but when we try to fill those things by succumbing to temptation, then it becomes sin.  Root issues can be fulfilled and dealt with in Christian community.  There are healthier ways to deal with loneliness, discouragement, rejection, fear, and I would argue depression, rather than masturbation, pornography, and lust.

Alcorn writes out a prayer at the end of the chapter to help us with this issue in saying, “I know these sexual images are poisoning me. Give me the wisdom and resolve to turn away from them. Turn me instead to what pleases you.”   Amen and amen.

I want to spend a little bit more time at the end of this post discussing the root issues.  Recognizing these deeper issues and dealing with them is key to overcoming habitual sin.  The Holy Spirit knows us and searches us.  Prayer that echoes Psalm 139 would be very beneficial to discovering these causes of sin.  Depression is not wrong, loneliness is not wrong, rejection is not wrong, discouragement is not wrong, but when we try to satisfy these things with what is not of God, then we fall into sin.  Unfortunately we have a false timeline on when these things should pass.  Rather than looking to God for what He is teaching us in these times and how we can be faithful through these things, we fall back to how we can make ourselves feel better.  And even then, God is faithful.  Even then He is watching over us and guiding us back to Him.  Even in sin.

“When I say no to temptation, I say yes to God. He is pleased and glorified. And no one benefits more than I do.”

–A.J.

SDG

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Purity Principle: Ch. 4 – Targeted and Vulnerable

Posted on February 18, 2015 by Andrew Gilmore

purity-principle-52The opening of chapter four is both refreshing and disconcerting. Alcorn is just being honest when he says that just because we can’t fathom committing adultery doesn’t mean it can’t happen. As the chapter indicates, we’re targeted and vulnerable. Targeted in the sense that Satan is real, he’s personal and he wants to seriously mess with Christians’ lives.

Alcorn recalls a counseling situation as a young pastor in which he realized that the young woman counselee was interested in him–and he was flattered! He liked it. Of course he did. But he acted against this feeling and “made arrangements” to avoid what was only a possibility. But that’s the point. He realized his vulnerability and immediately went to work to protect himself, the woman, his family, his church, etc. We must take charge, take precautions, take action for our Lord, for our souls, for our families, for our churches. I remember Dr. Albert Mohler saying that he would never cheat on his wife if he was never alone with another woman. It was that simple. That’s why you’ll see my office blinds open if there’s ever just a woman in my office!

We are then reminded that we actually can’t ever get away with anything. As evangelicals, we love to proclaim the omnipresence and omniscience of God. As much as these are attributes of power, they’re also very real warnings to us. Satan’s lie is that no one’s around, no one will know, what they don’t know won’t hurt them. But we need to train ourselves to see through that temptation. One way to do this is to think past immediate gratifications and see the consequences. Alcorn reminds us that our fellowship with God will be blocked by sexual sin. He then gives a few examples of people on the other side of scandal and destruction, relating what they see now from the rubble.

The author’s suggestion may sound a bit corny, but I think it’s actually helpful. When a tempting image is in front of his eyes or his mind’s eye, he images a barbed fishhook dangling there ready to hook into his mouth. This is to counter the obviously beautiful lure: “Temptation always looks good–otherwise they wouldn’t be temptations.” But,

his divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 2 Peter 1:3-4

We have what we need to battle! The last image he gives us is the source of our satisfied thirst. Christ! With him there is true pleasure, pleasure that lasts and won’t let us down or drive us to wanting more and more of what can never satisfy. Who will we believe? Will we believe God’s word or Satan’s word?

Maybe this means you need to physically post pertinent Bible verses on or near your computer screen. It most certainly means we must be finding satisfaction daily in the Bible, plunging into the depths to resurface with treasures greater than fleeting sexual sin. Perhaps you need to confess to another brother (or your wife!) and have someone hold you accountable by getting into your life. Whatever you do, act like a man and take action! Go back and look Pastor Ron’s initial post for some resources that will help.

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Purity Principle: Ch. 3 – What’s The Big Deal About Sex?

Posted on February 14, 2015 by Pastor Ron

purity-principle-52Today is Valentines Day!  Quite frankly, that brings mixed emotions.  I love this day and the opportunity to celebrate the love and marriage my wife and I share.  She is an amazing woman and I thank God every day for bringing us together. However, what the world does with this day often makes me a bit sick to my stomach. Our culture has chosen to tie so much sexual content to this day that is usually outside of the God created, highest commitment of marriage. This shows a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature and purpose of sex.

Think about our culture. . . the movie 50 Shades of Grey was released to coincide with Valentines Day.  This is despicable as this movie has nothing to do with love the way God created it to be.  I have not seen the movie, will not see the movie, and will not read the book and I would challenge you to be Men of the Sword and stand for the same.  The summaries are enough for us to know that this should not interest us and is incredibly damaging for a true, genuine understanding and experience of good sex that God created in the beauty of marriage. In fact, the very appeal of a story like this to the world shows the emptiness of pursuing a sexual relationship outside of marriage. Sex always has to go to the next level, or include things completely dishonoring to excite more and more when it is devoid of the emotional soul bond of marriage. Remember the window test we talked about on Sunday a few weeks ago.  Would I be comfortable with my neighbor looking in my window at me doing these things and would it be ok with watching my neighbor do these things. If that were to happen with the things in this movie, you would be thrown in jail, yet so many are ok with watching others in this behavior on the screen.  Understand, it doesn’t matter if they are married or on a trajectory to marriage, it is still completely out of line to watch and once watched, the damage and thoughts cannot be undone. So, let’s stay away and not even come close to dragging Jesus, whom we are one with, to this porn.  (1 Cor 6:15)

Why does it matter? Some might say that sex is just another bodily function and that purity doesn’t matter. This is the heart of what Alcorn talks about in chapter 3 of the Purity Principle.  We are reminded right from the start that sexual sin is “qualitatively different” than other sins.  That is because sex is not just something we do, but someone we are.  1 Cor 6:18 says, “Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.” One of the powerful things about sex is that God created it to be a good and beautiful soul union.  (1 Cor 6:16-17)  Mal 2:15 says, “Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union?”  Men, our commitment to purity needs to see god-given sex as a soul-union.  That’s a big deal!

Because of the deep nature of the sexual union, it has incredible power for good if used properly, or bad if abused.  Alcorn says, “Sex is incredibly powerful; it’s able to do immense good . . . or immense harm.”  His illustration of fire either in a fireplace or campfire or fire “set free” burning down a forest resonates with me.  Today, Susie and I and the kiddos drove around the devastation of a forest fire we barely missed earlier this year. We turned down a road and saw foundation after foundation of what used to be homes . . . lives.  The only thing still standing were fireplaces.  Fireplaces that were designed to harness the power of fire for good, but did not have that opportunity because fire was set free. There were cars burned out and remnants of kitchens. Some had started to rebuild, but some were left untouched. Just as fire outside of boundaries is devastating, so sex outside of the good boundaries of marriage devastates relationships, families, and even future marriages. But as Alcorn reminds us, God can rebuild if we follow Him!

Prov 6:27-28 (ESV)   Can a man carry fire next to his chest and his clothes not be burned? Or can one walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched?

The next section talks about those boundaries God created for sexual union. It is designed for use only within the permanent commitment of marriage. Alcorn says,

“Apart from marriage, the lasting commitment is absent. So the sex act becomes a lie. Sex is a privilege inseparable from the responsibilities of the sacred marriage covenant. To claim the privilege apart from the responsibility perverts God’s intention. Every act of sex outside of marriage cheapens both.”

That deserves a wholehearted “Amen!” Men, these guardrails are given by God for protection, but also for joy. Any sex act, including porn, outside of the marriage covenant is a lie and cheapens Gods great gift.

Alcorn’s next point is that purity is clearly God’s will and something we must discipline ourselves to do. 1 Thes 4:3-5 says, “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God;” I appreciated the challenge to discipline ourselves to purity.  He writes, “Resisting temptation is a gutsy, courageous, stubborn refusal to violate God’s law.  It’s repeatedly calling upon Christ for the strength to say no to the world, the flesh, and the devil – to say yes to God instead.” So do you have enough guts to seriously call on God and make sure sexual temptation has no place? That’s the challenge we lift each other up to fulfill.

The final reminder is that we are not our own, but are bought with a price.  That price was the very blood of Jesus Christ. Let’s not take what Jesus gave His life purchasing, and defile it for momentary pleasure. Sex is a big deal and so worth using in the good way God planned.  NO COMPROMISE!

Discussion/Application Thoughts:

  • Whenever facing a sexual temptation, fight it by quoting one of the verses above.  (Yep, you’d have to memorize it!)
  • If you are married, thank you wife TODAY for being one with you in your very soul.
  • Question: Why is it even a temptation to jump the guardrail and careen off the cliff? What can we fill our minds with to not even go down that road?
  • One last thought, if you were teaching your son or daughter to drive, would you prefer they get as close to the guardrails/cliff as possible, or keep as far from them as possible? How might that apply to us?

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Purity Principle: Ch. 2 – Enlightened Self-Interest

Posted on February 5, 2015 by Andrew Gilmore

Chapter Two formally introduces us to the Purity Principle, and it’s simple: purity is purity-principle-52always smart; impurity is always stupid. Perhaps when you read that you were tempted to put the book down and say, “duh!” That may seem not only simple, but childishly simplistic. However, all we have to do is think back to the first chapter’s painful examples of people forfeiting what could have been and see stupidity at work. And let’s be honest, all we really have to do is look back at our own lives and our own mistakes to see real, tangible, cringe-inducing stupidity.

Next, Alcorn talks briefly about punishment for violating God’s character, for sinning. It is so helpful for us to remember what our author says next about the way God has worked the punishment for sin into the sin itself. Check out Patrick Lavey’s book review of William Struthers’ Wired for Intimacy: How Pornography Hijacks the Male Brain for more about the physiological effects of this insidious and widespread addiction. An inevitable consequence for giving into our lusts is that we are much more likely to continue giving into those and other lusts. There are consequences. God sees and he knows and he judges. “For whatever one sows, that will he also reap” (Galatians 6:7), and “Can a man carry fire next to his chest and his clothes not be burned?” (Proverbs 6:27).

Alcorn also wisely addresses the are of motivations, carefully helping us think through the biblical reality of multiple motivations. Obeying God is certainly a motivation and probably our highest one! But that does not eliminate the validity of also being motivated by the fear of God and the hope of reward. In fact, the Bible very clearly uses all these (and more?) to help us avoid turning to the right or to the left. To stay on the narrow road, we must follow the directions given, but we also have a goal to arrive at and a proper fear of risk.

We are also taken to Proverbs 5-7, where Solomon gives his sons great advice regarding sexual immorality, and in particular, adultery. Here we also see the motivations on display. The young man who gives in to the temptation is a fool; he’s not smart, but stupid! Some of you may be feeling shame for your sin in this area even as you are reading this. But as Alcorn says of his own viewing of pornography, shame alone will not keep us from impurity; we must take action! And in taking action, we would do well to see one of God’s purposes for our purity: joy!

 

When God calls on you to pursue purity, you are not being asked to do what will deprive you of joy. In fact, you are being called on to do what will bring you the greatest joy!

So let’s strategize and plan (prepare!) on how to stay pure for the Lord’s sake, for our sake, for our family’s sake, for our church’s sake, and for the sake of a pornified culture that is lost and looking for a better way.

I can’t leave this topic without pointing to a Petra song from my childhood. Actually, twenty years ago on No Doubt, Petra sang Think Twice, a song based on 2 Timothy 2:22. I found–and still find!–it a helpful and catchy (if corny!) reminder of considering the cost of blindly following our lusts. I’ll end by posting the lyrics below:

You can think of times when you had the right chance
You could make a choice when nobody could see
You could think of ways of defending your deeds
Justify the way that you wanted to be

Wait just a minute (2x)

Hey, did you ever think twice
Something inside says stay away
Hey, did you ever think twice
When there’s still time you can go the other way
Hey, did you ever think twice
If you don’t stop you’re gonna’ pay the price
Hey, did you ever think twice

You can think of things that you wanted to try
You can think of things that you wish you could see
You could go a way that would seem so right
Thinking of a place that you wish you could be

Wait just a minute (2x)

Face to face with sin
You better think again, you better think again
Take another look for a second time
And give a second thought to where you draw the line

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Purity Principle: Ch. 1 – Forfeiting What Could Have Been

Posted on January 28, 2015 by Pastor Ron

purity-principle-52Thank you men for taking up the challenge to read the Purity Principle together.  My prayer is that this will be a valuable tool in your walk with God and commitment to sexual purity in an ungodly world.  If you don’t have your book yet, you can pick one up in the church library for $5.  We won’t necessarily summarize every point each week, but highlight some points that stood out to us. We welcome comments of what stood out to you!

Chapter one dives right in and challenges us to think of what we forfeit when we give in to sexual temptation. When we give in to lust and sexual sin, we willingly exchange the life God wants for us with decimating consequences in our lives. Alcorn brings up several “in-your-face” truths that are important to wrestle with.  The first is that we must take responsibility for the choices that take us down the path of immorality. We dare not blame God for our immorality especially when we often can leave doors open for that path.  Alcorn says, “How many of us Christians hope God will guard us from calamity and misery, while every day we make small, seemingly inconsequential immoral choices that inch us toward bigger immoralities?” Men, I challenge all of us to examine what things we might leave in our lives that open the door to sexual thoughts, deepening friendships with other women, and opportunities to sin. We must be vigilant and on-guard!

Another powerful part of this chapter is the numerous stories of how sexual sin has damaged lives and forfeited a walk with God. One of the lies of Satan in the area of purity is that failure doesn’t have consequences or affect anyone else.  These stories and many others I would add that I have seen help us counter that lie and see the deep consequences of impurity.  On pg. 13, we read, “With every little glance that fuels our lust, we push ourselves closer to the edge, where gravity will take over and bring our lives crashing down.  What will we lose?  What will we forfeit that could have, would have been ours?”

The last thought I wanted to mention was the truth that sexual sin is idolatry because it “puts our desires in the place of God.” There is no light and easy way to talk about purity. Failure in this area reveals what we are worshiping and serving.  Alcorn writes, “Our sexual behavior reveals who or what rules our lives.”  So true!  Do we trust and submit to God enough to take Him at His word in the area of purity?  Let’s band together and say confidently, “YES WE DO.”  Do not forfeit a powerful walk with God for a few moments of selfish pleasure. My challenge for you this week is to make sure you are working on your walk with God.  Spend time in His Word and in prayer.  Don’t neglect the most important relationship we have. One pastor who had fallen in the area of purity described it this way, “When we don’t walk close to God, we walk on the edge of an abyss.”  I’m praying for all of us men that we will walk close to God.

Jonah 2:8 (ESV)     Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love.

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Reading the Purity Principle Together

Posted on January 24, 2015 by Pastor Ron

Last Sunday, we were challenged together to purity in 1 Corinthians 6:12-20.  If you missed it, you can listen to it here.

1-18-15-PursuingPurityInAnImmoralWorld.mp3     

purity-principle-52Below are some of the practical steps we talked about.  One of the ideas was to read the Purity Principle by Randy Alcorn.  As men of Purity, we’d like to read it together starting next week. Grab a book online, or in the library at Village ($5) and each week we’ll read a chapter and then post some thoughts about that chapter with opportunity for comments.  This is a great book that will challenge us to purity and give a lot more great ideas to help us fight this fight.  Join us and let’s stand for purity in a sexually immoral world!

 Strategies:

  1. Be busy glorifying God with every moment
  2. Saturate your mind with truth
    • Memorize some verses on purity (1 Cor 6:13, 19-20; Matt 5:27-30; Eph 5:3; Phil 4:8; 1 Thes 4:3; 2 Tim 2:22; Heb 13:4)
    • The Purity Principle – Randy Alcorn
  3. Be captivated by your spouse!! (Prov 5:18-19)
  4. Remind yourself of the cost of sexual immorality of any kind. Satan will lie about these.
  5. Have accountability with your electronics
    • Don’t isolate your computer from the family, isolate it from porn – http://covenanteyes.com
    • Leave phone and computer accessible to your spouse or a friend
    • Remember other electronic devices – Remove browser if needed from phones / game units
  6. Remind yourself of your relationships
    • On trips, take along pictures of your wife and kids
    • Take pictures of some friends at church reminding yourself your purity affects the body of Christ
    • Ask, “How would I want my sister or brother treated?”
  7. Make sure you have same gender accountability
  8. Have a plan to protect yourself and others
  9. Stay as far away from sexual immorality as possible
    • Don’t allow situations where you are alone in private with the opposite sex
    • No deep friendships with opposite sex other than your spouse
    • Don’t go to movies, watch TV or read material with sexual content (remember the neighbor’s window!)

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Doing Hard Things

Posted on November 7, 2014 by Andrew Gilmore

Oh men of the sword, let’s labor and sweat and read and confront and encourage and love our young men to become men ready to do hard things! Take a few minutes to read about Alex and Brett Harris, authors of Do Hard Things, and see how God has worked in their lives as young men, and then let’s dream about how to put this into practice!

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When Should Children Participate In the Lord’s Supper?

Posted on December 21, 2013 by Pastor Ron

communionDads, this Sunday we will be having the Lord’s Supper during the service.  You will be with your children, so this is a wonderful opportunity to teach your children about the Lord’s Supper as we remember Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.  I challenge you as fathers to take the leadership in this.  I wanted to share a few things to keep in mind as you consider whether your children or any that you are responsible for should participate.

They must be believers

1 Cor 10:16  The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?

When we participate in the Lord’s Supper, we remember the sacrifice of Christ that we have participated in.  If your children have not accepted Christ and do not yet understand the cross and the Gospel, then use this as a teaching opportunity for salvation, but do not allow them to partake in communion.  Taking the Lord’s Supper does not save our children or make them more spiritual. It is an act of remembrance by those who are saved.  If you are not sure, it is better for them not to participate than to partake in an unworthy manner.

Make sure they can tell you what Christ did on the cross

And by this, I don’t mean just that He died!  Do they understand in an age appropriate way that Jesus died in our place taking the punishment for our sins?  This will help discern whether they are believers as well as whether they understand the meaning of the bread and juice.

Make sure they understand the elements

Take some time to explain that the bread symbolizes that Christ offered His life, His body on the cross as our sacrifice.  The breaking of the bread helps us understand that His death was real and brutal.  The juice represents Christ’s blood that was shed in my place for my sins allowing me to be forgiven and adopted into His family!  With children, focus on the payment for sins and forgiveness.  Sometimes I will ask one of my kids if they want their brother or sister to get disciplined for something they did or if they want to be disciplined for something their sibling did.  Then I explain what Christ did on the cross.

Do you as their parent know that your child has taken care of any sin in their lives?

I Cor 11:27-28             Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

It is important to start teaching early that we are to examine ourselves before taking the Lord’s Supper and make sure we are right with God.  If they are struggling with attitude and obedience that morning and have not repented and confessed, do not have them take communion.  This will be a powerful lesson.  (You might want to deal with this before the service rather than as we are taking communion to cut down on the crying!)

Can they take it seriously?

They need to be old enough to realize that this is not just a snack and has meaning.  They also need to be able to take the time surrounding the Lord’s Supper seriously and quietly as well just as we should be doing with the offering time.  Neither are times for talking, but rather times for prayer and worship.

The Lord’s Supper can be a powerful time of teaching and helping our children think through the work of Christ.  I encourage you to be intentional and not be afraid to say no to your child.  If they are upset because everyone else is having it and they are being left out, that’s ok!  In fact, that probably means they are not ready.  When they are ready, sharing this time together will have a much deeper impact.  I look forward to remembering Christ with you as a church family!

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Baseball Fun

Posted on October 3, 2013 by Pastor Ron

I know we have many baseball fans in our group, so I wanted to post some links to reasons why four of the teams in the playoffs might win the World Series. Three of my friends and I have different favorite teams that are all in the playoffs this year so there is considerable interest and discussion regarding the strengths of each team.  So you know, we are all still friends and will always be brothers in Christ!  We’ll be working on keeping it that way throughout the playoffs.  So, just a bit of baseball fun.  Play Ball!

Case for the Dodgers

Case for the A’s

Case for the Red Sox

Case for the Tigers

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