A Stone's Throw

I can remember in my Philosophy of Religion class in seminary spent a very long time discussing this issue.  I believe that Dr. Keith Putt knew that we would be facing this issue over and over in our daily lives and ministry.  It seems for a twenty something guy with “the world by the tail” something that might not be applicable at all.  However, it seems that my seminary education got personal very quickly.

One of my great friends is Jenny Crowder Long.  She was Jenny Crowder when I met her as a little 7th grade girl in my youth group.  She was also the youngest daughter of an amazing lady–Martha Crowder.  Martha was my secretary at First Baptist Battlefield, my first ministry position.  Basically, Martha kept me straightened out for the year and a half while I was a youth pastor there in Battlefield.

Right after I took this Philosophy of Religion class, I got a phone call from Jenny saying that her mom had a very aggressive cancer and only had a short time to live.  Why? What do you say? Why would God do this? Eventually, Jesus took Martha home to heaven to be with Him.  That left a huge hole in the lives of those around Martha. The amazing part of this story is what God continues to do to help Jenny use this pain and suffering for His glory.  She is a psychologist and helps people every day to deal with the problems and issues in their lives.

One case in particular where I saw God use Jenny’s pain for His glory was the summer she was my intern in Burleson, TX.  One of my student’s mother was dying of, you guessed it, a very aggressive cancer.  This woman had gone through a battery of therapy to kill the cancer and she had “beat cancer.”  She beat cancer for less than a year.  She eventually was taken home to heaven the spring before Jenny came to be my intern.  God used Martha’s death to help Jenny minister to this young lady in her pain. Does it make the pain of either lady’s death less difficult? Absolutely not! However, God is sovereign over both blessings and suffering (see Job–”he gives and takes away…blessed be the name of the Lord.”)

If you have been living and breathing for very long, you will have to deal with this issue of suffering.  The problem is, especially with guys, we don’t deal with it very well, do we?  We tend to “clam up” and not want to discuss the issues.  We tend to push everything down deep into our hearts.  We often get mad at God and other people who are His representatives.

Our LifeGroup has been wrestling with this issue lately and I have been researching a bit on the topic.  Here is a great series from David Platt on this issue.  Check it out.  Has some great resources as well such as a Small Group curriculum.

Check this out!  What a cool deal!  This couple got married on Saturday and then were baptized on Sunday at Buckhead Church in Atlanta.  Click on the link below and watch their baptism videos.  I absolutely love to hear stories of changed lives!

I am waiting on a couple as I write for some premarital counseling.  I actually enjoy hearing each couples’ story.  I get to hear theirs tonight here in a few minutes.

Camille and Kevin’s Weekend | The Official Buckhead Church Blog .

Check out this message by Mark Driscoll from Mars Hill in Seattle.  He says what a TON of us guys need to hear.  WOW!!  Pretty hard core man!

Here is the outline…

TEXT: 1 Peter 3:7
PREACHER: Pastor Mark Driscoll
DATE: March 22, 2009

After addressing women last week, this week Pastor Mark preached specifically to men.

1. Your father: Adam (Genesis 1–3)

• Marriage is a covenant (Prov. 2:16; Mal. 2:14).
• Men are the covenant head, responsible for their wife and family (Gen. 2:18; 5:2; 1 Cor. 11:2–16, 14:33–34; Eph. 5:21–33; Col. 3:18; Titus 2:3–5; 1 Pet. 3:1).
• Adam and Eve both sinned, both are at fault, and both are cursed, but God held Adam responsible (Gen. 3:9).
• Marriage is cursed (Gen. 3:16). Work is cursed (Gen. 3:17–19). Jesus is the only hope (Gen. 3:15).
  
  
  1. No Sissy Stuff Sam: whatever women do, do the opposite
     
     
  2. Success and Status Stewart: masculinity = material success
     
     
  3. Give’em Hell Hank: angry and abusive
     
     
  4. I’m the Boss Bob: domineering and controlling; in authority, not under authority
  
  
  1. Little Boy Larry: never grew up, disorganized, lives with his mother, etc.
     
     
  2. Sturdy Oak Owen: absolutely dependable but emotionally absent
     
     
  3. Hyper-Spiritual Henry: Hides behind religious behavior and “God talk.” Talks at you but not to you.
     
     
  4. Good Time Gary: irresponsible life of the party
  
  
  1. Honor her maritally. Take a wife honorably. Establish right priorities, and be a one woman man–absolutely faithful to your wife.
     
     
  2. Honor her physically. Be strong for your wife, not against her. Be protective of her and present with her.
     
     
  3. Honor her emotionally. Be emotionally present and intimate. Take her on dates.
     
     
  4. Honor her verbally. Speak honorably to her. Speak honorably of her, when she is present and absent.
     
     
  5. Honor her financially. Provide for the financial needs of your family, organize your budget, and be generous towards your wife.
     
     
  6. Honor her practically. Consider her needs and how you can serve her.
     
     
  7. Honor her parentally. Be “Pastor Dad” by shepherding your children (praying with them, teaching them about Jesus, reading the Bible with them, etc.).
     
     
  8. Honor her spiritually. You initiate and lead prayer, Bible, chats, church attendance, etc. Take responsibility for your church.

2. Your Manhood

Like Adam, the sins of men fall into two general categories: sins of comission (doing what you’re not supposed to do) and sins of omission (not doing what you’re supposed to do). This leads chauvinistic or cowardly tendencies:

Chauvinism

Cowardice

3. Your Savior: Jesus Christ (the Last Adam, 1 Cor. 15:45)

Ephesians 5:25
calls men to love their wives as Christ loves the Church. Men are not
ready to be good husbands until they are a part of the Church and
understand how Christ loves the Church by taking responsibility for her
and sacrificing himself for her.

The essence of true masculinity is taking responsibility.

4. Your Wife

Understand that a wife’s fears (1 Pet. 3:6) are legitimate; men dominate the lives of women and children, for good or for evil. Honor your wife:

What happens when you fail to honor your wife? God ignores you (1 Pet. 3:7). Repent.

Further Study:

• Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, by Wayne Grudem and John Piper
• God, Marriage, and the Family, by Andreas Kostenberger
• New Men, Soft Patriarchs: How Christianity Shapes Fathers and Husbands, by W. Bradford Wilcox