Some Reflections On My Fiftieth Birthday

I turned 50 on Saturday. Quite a milestone. A few of my reflections:

The speed of life: There’s no way that was fifty years.

The stewardship of life: I have to give an account for every second of 50 years. Sobering.

The uncertainty of life: I’ve been in two serious car accidents and had two life-threatening episodes of multiple blood clots in my lungs. And then there are the multiple times God has preserved my life that I’m not even aware of – especially before I was converted. We know not what a day or an hour will bring forth.

The weakness of life: Although I work out four or five times a week at the gym, I’m increasingly aware that my body will never be what it once was. No matter how many sets and reps I do, I can’t hold back the slow inexorable tide of aging. I’m even getting close to giving up on my dream of playing professional soccer!

The happiness of life: God in his mercy has given me a wonderfully happy marriage and family life. When I think of what could have been had God not intervened in sovereign mercy in my early twenties…. That’s not to say my family life is perfect; far from it. There’s nothing so humbling and challenging as parenting – especially five very different children ranging from two to twenty years old. So much wisdom and patience needed – not virtues I abound in. I now love and appreciate my own parents more than ever before, and miss them terribly.

The Gospel of life: Not only has God  given me faith in Christ but also the privilege of preaching Christ and even training others to do the same.

To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ (Eph. 3:8).

I never thought I’d ever be blessed with another congregation like my precious flock in Stornoway. But God in his unfathomable kindness has given me, if possible, even greater joy in my congregation here in Grand Rapids. I so love my church family.

The unpredictability of life: I could never have planned or predicted my life. I think back to my years growing up in the city of Glasgow, my spiritual rebellion, my godlessness, and worldliness. But God. I think back to when I was pastoring in my first congregation in Lochcarron, a time of the most incredibly painful experience of church struggles, divisions, and injustice. But God. I remember walking along the beaches of the Scottish Highlands in all weathers with my two little boys. Last night, on the evening of Memorial Day, I took one to the airport to start his US Marine infantry training in California, and another is installing heating and cooling systems; now my go-to guy for anything that involves more than a hammer and a nail. But God. 

The need for life: I have family members, including my beloved twin brother (a far nicer and better guy than me), who are still without Christ and without hope in the world. As each birthday passes, eternity hastens towards them and the poignant words haunt me and drive me to prayer: “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved!” (Jer. 8:20).

The protection of life: My birthday present was two guns! A Remmington .22 and a Ruger LC9. At this point my Canadian and British friends are now convinced that I’ve left the faith. “Have you stopped trusting God, Murray?” Well, the Remington is also for helping my daughters learn how to shoot as they’re both super-keen on getting into hunting. The Ruger? I give you the words of Oliver Cromwell: “Trust in God – and keep your powder dry.”

The talent of life: I don’t know how many talents of life I have left. Might be less than 50 days. Could be another 50 years – but I’m not counting on it. When the finishing line is coming closer and closer, I want to make sure that every precious day is multiplied for Gospel usefulness. “Only one life, will soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.


Check out

Blogs

The zoo was right to kill the gorilla to protect the boy | Denny Burk
Denny Burk defends the decision to shoot the gorilla and save the boy. Did I just write that?

One of the vices of the Ninevites of old was that they didn’t know the moral difference between people and animals (Jonah 3:8; 4:11). It was a sign that as a civilization they did not know that human beings alone are created in God’s image and as such have a superior value and dignity over all other creatures. The Ninevites were pagans, and they did not retain the knowledge that God made mankind alone in his own image (Genesis 1:26-27). It is an ominous sign of the times that the error of pagan Nineveh has overtaken the American mainstream.

Hughes Oliphant Old: A Personal Remembrance | Reformation21 Blog
This is a touching memorial:

Tomorrow the remains of Hughes Oliphant Old (April 13, 1933 – May 24, 2016) will be interred at the Christian Street Cemetery in White River Junction, Vermont. A prince in Israel has died, leaving behind mourners who will miss both his genteel Christian piety and the vast body of knowledge that he will take with him to the grave. The reward in heaven for this humble servant of Christ will be great.

Living in a (Nominal) Religious Context | The Exchange
Ed Stetzer with some encouragements and challenges for living in a nominally Christian culture.

4 Ways to Make Disciples | Mark Dever
“Discipling doesn’t seem like the most obvious way to establish and strengthen a kingdom, does it? Kingdom building is typically the stuff of royal battles, dynastic wars, great fortunes, or works of political philosophy by old men with long gray beards. But Jesus concluded his time on earth by commanding his disciples to make disciples. Is that really how his kingdom would be built?”

Know When to Walk Away | Desiring God
Tony Reinke with twelve stops on how to be a better steward of the web and social media.

Confident Pluralism Indeed | Carl R. Trueman | First Things
Carl Truman offers a brief review of an important book:

Inazu’s book should be read by all who desire a more civil, thoughtful society than the one in which we find ourselves. If nothing else, it sets forth a vision of what we might be if the world were not so intent upon unchaining the earth from the sun. How we get there is not clear, however, and I for one think the situation is much bleaker than Inazu acknowledges. But optimism is perhaps one of the more forgivable sins.

Don’t Count Out the Mommy Blog | True Woman Blog | Revive Our Hearts
To encourage all Mommy Bloggers out there:

I’d like to ask you to extend some grace to the Mommy Blogger. I want to encourage you: Don’t count out the Mommy Blog—not just yet. Here’s why.

10 Ways NOT to Fail at Your First Job Interview
A few of our kids will be experiencing this for this first time in coming months. And here’s what NOT to do at your first interview.

Kindle Books

For your non-Kindle book buying needs please consider using Reformation Heritage Books in the USA and Reformed Book Services in Canada. Good value prices and shipping.





New Book

Gospel Evidences

Gospel Evidences of Saving Faith by John Owen. One of the “Pocket Puritan” series which offers cut-down and modernized versions of Puritan Classics.

Video

Cardus (root: cardo) is a think tank dedicated to the renewal of North American social architecture. They conduct independent and original research, produce several publications, and regularly stage events with Senior Fellows and interested constituents across Canada and the U.S. And they’ve just opened a new office in Ottawa, the heart of Canada’s political life.


Remember With Reagan

Video from Hillsdale College

May we, as Abraham Lincoln famously said, “highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”


Check out

Blog Posts

A Day in the Life of a Pilot — Preparing for Takeoff
A Fascinating behind-the-scenes look into what the average day is like for an airline pilot.

The Summer of Great Family Reads | Redeemed Reader
Some great recommendations to get your family reading this summer.

Britain really is ceasing to be a Christian country | The Spectator
We hardly needed statistics to confirm this:

A landmark in national life has just been passed. For the first time in recorded history, those declaring themselves to have no religion have exceeded the number of Christians in Britain. Some 44 per cent of us regard ourselves as Christian, 8 per cent follow another religion and 48 per cent follow none. The decline of Christianity is perhaps the biggest single change in Britain over the past century.

10 Things You should Know about Satan | Sam Storms
Just for starters.

Satisfaction and Contentment | Sinclair Ferguson
Contentment through knowing Christ in four dimensions.

You Are Not Your Sexuality | Sam Alberry
Five messages for the church to communicate when ministering to those who are tempted with same-sex attraction.

Kindle Books

For your non-Kindle book buying needs please consider using Reformation Heritage Books in the USA and Reformed Book Services in Canada. Good value prices and shipping.





New Book

Church History 101

Church History 101: The Highlights of Twenty Centuries

Video

One-Third of Pro-Choice Women Turn Against Abortion After Viewing Video of Procedure


Check Out

Blogs

Why I Am Not Roman Catholic | Tim Challies
“In very important ways the answer to the question ‘Why am I not Roman Catholic?’ is ‘R.C. Sproul…’ ”

When Grace Hurts the Church | Aaron Menikoff, TGC
“…it’s helpful to remember that when it comes to God’s sovereignty in salvation, most of us fit into one of three categories:”

Gospel-Centered Comfort for Suffering: Martin Luther’s Pastoral Counseling | Bob Kelleman, RPM Ministries
“We can encapsulate Luther’s practice or methodology of sustaining in tweet-size fashion: The human comforter is a sorrow sharer who points people to the supreme Comforter by incarnationally entering the sufferer’s earthly story.”

Browse Worthy: Eternity Etched on My Eyes | Barry York, Gentle Reformation
“Katie is a dear friend to most of us on Gentle Reformation. She recounts on Warhorn blog, in a post entitled ‘Eternity Etched on My Eyes’, her testimony of the long valley of pain the Lord took her through due to surgeries seeking to correct a misshapen spine. In so doing, she also honors her parents, Dave and Jenny Long, who moved heaven and earth to help their daughter, and ends by reflecting on how her suffering prepared her family for what happened to her father.”

Six Questions Leader s Should Routinely Ask Themselves | Eric Geiger
“Because our leadership is short, we should lead and serve with thoughtful intentionality. Wise leaders routinely evaluate their lives and leadership. Here are six questions leaders should routinely ask themselves:”

Grieve and Receive the Gift of Special Needs | Andrew Wilson, Desiring God
“Because our children are such a beautiful gift, we often feel guilty for even saying this, but we might as well admit that we didn’t want our children to have regressive autism, any more than we wanted them to have Down syndrome, or cerebral palsy, or whatever else. ”

Family Worship: A Guide to Daily Reformation at Home | Donald John Maclean, Meet the Puritans
“Reformation Scotland Trust was formed in 2013. Their stated aim is ‘to promote the restoration of the Christian Church in Scotland, by informing, educating and promoting understanding of the attainments of the Second Reformation in Scotland.’”

Why I Bought a Chromebook Instead of a Mac | Matt Novak, Gizmodo
“Chromebooks have surpassed sales of Mac laptops in the United States for the first time ever. And that doesn’t surprise me. Because roughly a year ago I made the same switch. Formerly a lifelong Mac user, I bought my first PC ever in the form of a Chromebook. And I’m never looking back.”

Kindle Deals


Holman Commentary Series ($2.99)


Shame Interrupted: How God Lifts the Pain of Worthlessness and Rejection by Edward T. Welch ($2.99)


The Church: The Gospel Made Visible by Mark Dever ($2.99)


Laser-Sharp Focus. A No-Fluff Guide to Improved Concentration, Maximised Productivity and Fast-Track to Success by Joanna Jast ($0.99)


LGBT: Great thoughts but what can we actually do?

“Excellent assessment. Now can you give us a list of things Christians can actually do about all this?”

That was Mark Wright’s response to the 15 reasons I gave in answering the question, “Why are we flushing thousands of years down the toilet?”

Ouch!

Though painful, it’s a good question. It’s easier to engage in intellectual analysis of “Why?” than to address the practical question of “What now?”

So, I’m going to have a stab at this, aware that this needs much more than a brief blog post composed in an hour. So please supplement with your comments, and let’s all keep thinking about, “What now?”

Pray
Right upfront because it is our biggest need and our only ultimate hope. We are facing incredibly powerful forces in both the worldly and the spiritual sphere: “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting” (Mark 9:29).

Confess
Some Christians and churches have sinned against individual LGBT’s by communicating only 100% condemnation towards them, showing them only hatred. Surely we can admit this, or confess it if we have sinned there.

We should also make clear to the LGBT community that although their sins may not be our sins, we do have sinful struggles of our own that need forgiveness and removal.

By admitting our own sinful hypocrisy, our own shortcomings in our relationships with LGBT people, and our own sinfulness, we will hopefully break down barriers, destroy caricatures, and gain a hearing for our case.

Distinguish
It’s important to find out what kind of LGBT person we are engaging. There are two extremes in this movement. First, there are “given-over” types — the Romans 1:18-32 LGBT’s who are generally militant, arrogant, aggressive, and persecuting. But at the other end of the scale, there are 1 Corinthians 6:9 types who, though struggling with sinful sexual desires, and falling into these sins, yet they hate the desires and practices, wish to be delivered from them, and are more open to listening. We make a great mistake to lump together all LGBT people under Romans 1 condemnation, just because they are the loudest and proudest.

Ask
DADT (“Don’t ask, don’t tell”) used to be the military’s approach to homosexuality. Many Christians’ response to LGBT’s is TDA (“Tell, don’t ask”). We just tell them “the truth” and walk away. Though we need to tell the truth, we would often be better to ask questions first. We can ask questions about their lives, their histories, their interests, their challenges, their hurts, their jobs, their hobbies, and so on. We must demonstrate personal interest in them and in their whole lives. We need to show that we do not define or identify people just by their sexuality.

Challenge
We must get beyond the specific sins to the presuppositions behind them. For example, we can ask, “In your moral world, what is wrong? And how do you decide? Where would you draw the line morally and why?” We’re trying to help our opponents identify whether they have any moral foundations, any objective way to measure what is “moral,” and how weak and inconsistent their moral basis is.

We might challenge those who are not LGBT, but who have bought into the agenda, “Have you thought through the consequences? Do you have any idea where this is going? Have you considered the potential damage to children in gay marriages, or the danger of putting young girls just inches away from sexually confused men in bathrooms?” As this article asks, “What about compassion for our children?”

When we provide preferential treatment to a segment of society based on an individual’s choice to identify as a gender other than his or her biological sex at birth, we’re ignoring who really needs our protection: children. They haven’t asked for this, they aren’t demanding safety, but they should expect that we will fight for their protection.

Appeal
Many supporters of LGBT rights are trying to silence their consciences by seeking cultural, social, and judicial approval of their lifestyles. We can surely appeal to this need, this inner accuser, God’s sentry within, and urge them to seek the silencing of their consciences through the only effective silencer — Christ’s blood.

Expose
We can highlight the political opportunism of the Democratic party using such issues to distract from the bigger messes in our nation and to motivate more black voters by equating Transgender rights with the Civil Rights movement — which many black people are seeing through (see I fought for civil rights; it’s offensive to compare it to the transgender fight)

We can expose the personal and social damage of the gay lifestyle and the transgender lifestyle (see here, here, here, and here).

Fight
One of the reasons why the President and the Judges have supported the LGBT agenda is that LGBT’s are so vocal and aggressive in lobbying for change whereas Christians have been so muted and passive. The Government thinks it can get off with pandering to the LGBT community and Christians will just roll over. We need to prove them wrong: perhaps by letters of protest, or by changing our votes, or by withdrawing from schools, or, most powerfully, by withdrawing dollars.

I’m with John Piper on boycotting. I’m doing everything I can to avoid or limit the number of my dollars going to companies that are supporting the LGBT agenda. In the case of Target, that means my family has stopped shopping there until it reverses its decision, just as we and millions of Christians did with J C Penney. As for Apple, I’ve put off replacing my Apple products and will only do so when absolutely necessary.

Evangelize
Many are being sucked into the LGBT lifestyle with promises of happiness. They are going to be badly disappointed. They will thirst again. We need to come alongside them with the cleansing and refreshing water of life that if they drink, they will never thirst again. I’m looking forward to hearing many testimonies of grace in the years to come (see here, here, and here)

Love
When LGBT men and women turn up in our churches, let’s welcome them, and show them love that they have never experienced anywhere else. Rosaria Butterfield has often spoken of the “fellowship” of the gay community and how much catchup Christians have to do in this area of hospitality if we are to attract and keep such people in our churches. We also love them by telling them the truth about their need for the Gospel of grace in Jesus Christ. We must have faith in the message of the Gospel to draw the worst of sinners to the best of sinners. LGBT’s do not need another Gospel; they need exactly the same Gospel that saved us.

Finance
We might financially support organizations that have some political influence (e.g. Family Research Council), media influence (ERLC), or who are helping defend Christians in court (e.g. Alliance Defending Freedom).

Equip
Let’s teach our children to think and speak on these issues so that they not only believe what is right, but understand why they believe, and articulate it too. I’d recommend some blogs that regularly tackle these issues: Denny Burk, Al Mohler, Kevin DeYoung, Russell Moore, and Carl Trueman at FirstThings. You’ll also get good book recommendations there such as Kevin DeYoung’s What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality?, Rosaria Butterfield’s Openness Unhindered, and Sam Allberry’s Is God Anti-Gay?

Pray (again)
Call upon God who holds the king’s heart in His hand, just like the rivers of water, and who can turn it wherever He wishes (Prov. 21:1).

What else would you add?