Monthly Archives: August 2012

August 28, 2012 · 12:46 PM

The True People of Hope and Change

Our nation’s legal definition of marriage continues to be a fierce battle ground.  Bible-believing Christians want to preserve God’s design for marriage: one man and one woman freely and fully committed to one another for life.  Radical gay activists are working hard to undermine and redefine marriage in order to include same-sex couples.  Much is at stake in the struggle over how to define marriage.  Countless lives will be affected if our country distorts the boundaries for legal marriage, both in ways that can be predicted and in ways that cannot yet be imagined.  Who could be harmed, and how?

As always, when society loosens the laws that establish healthy limits for marriage and family, children pay the highest price.  Single-parent families have taught us the hard way that children generally do much better when they live with both mom and dad.  Nevertheless, gay activists insist that two moms or two dads will be just as good.  Why should we believe them?  As children grow into adults they desperately need godly models for healthy and responsible sexual behavior, not gender confusion.

Some who oppose same-sex marriage often argue that tradition has established heterosexual marriage as the best foundation for society.  But traditions are established by people and they can change.  Marriage is more than a tradition.  Marriage is instituted and designed by God.  In addition, marriage and family are not simply building blocks for human society.  The Bible presents much higher ideals for marriage.

In the Old Testament, God used husband and wife as a picture of his relationship with his chosen people Israel.  In the New Testament God’s design for marriage is given as a picture of Christ’s bond with his church, his Bride.  More than nurturing children, more than directing young people about their God-given sexuality, more than providing the building blocks of culture and society, marriage is about God’s love for his people.  Essential spiritual Truth is transmitted through God’s design for marriage.

Some would argue that the fundamental spiritual Truth meant to be communicated through marriage is simply love and commitment.  Therefore, loving and committed same-sex couples, we are told, fulfill the Bible’s commands.  If that were true then loving and committed relationships of any kind would eventually be proposed.  But this argument ignores the fact that homosexuality is condemned every time it is mentioned in Scripture.  Should that matter?

The question of defining marriage ultimately brings us to an even more fundamental and critical issue.  What is the Bible?  Is it God’s perfect Word to humanity?  Or is it a collection of words by imperfect people who were searching for divine insight and inspiration?  Those of us who support God’s design for marriage point to the Bible as the premier authority for defining marriage.  As a result, gay activists have attacked the church’s understanding of God’s Word.  Scriptures that clearly condemn same-sex relationships are said to be irrelevant to our age.  But should human desires judge God’s Word or should God’s Word judge human desires?

For those of us who have decided to stand on the perfect Word of God, we must be committed to the whole counsel of God.  The Bible not only condemns same-sex marriage, Scripture also condemns all sexual immorality.  Any sexual misconduct undermines the spiritual Truth that is to be reflected through godly marriage.  Let us not merely fight against a radical gay agenda.  Let us fight for the radical holiness that God has called us to.  Let us do it not because it is traditional, or pragmatic, or comfortable, but because it honors our Lord.  He who called us is holy, so let us be holy in all that we do.

In addition, the whole counsel of God reminds us that we do not simply speak the Truth.  We speak the Truth in love.  Men and women struggling with sexual sin deserve to hear the Truth but they need to hear from someone who genuinely cares.  The many angry voices in the debate over defining marriage easily draw attention to themselves.  God’s people must be different.  Righteous indignation is a legitimate response, but loving confrontation and encouragement is a vital ingredient.  We are the true people of hope and change.

May the people of God rise up and contend for the faith with the love of Christ,

Brother Richard Foster, Pastor
Grace Baptist Church, Camden, AR

 

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August 26, 2012 · 5:18 PM

Would You Wash Judas’ Feet?

Jesus spent time with his disciples just before his crucifixion.  John chapter 13 begins with the account of Jesus washing his disciples’ feet.  Just imagine how flabbergasted they were to see their Master on his knees with a towel and a bowl of water performing such a menial task!  Jesus had to argue with Peter before the proud fisherman would allow it.

After washing their feet Jesus returned to his place of honor at the table and asked his disciples if they understood what he had just done.  They learned three things which still apply to the followers of Jesus today.  First, if the Son of God is willing to perform such a humble task, then all who follow him should be willing to accept assignments that are less than glamorous.

Second, Jesus washed the feet of all twelve of his disciples, including Judas.  Judas had been treated like a close friend, walking side by side with Jesus and his other disciples for almost three years.  Nevertheless, he was about to shamefully betray Jesus, handing him over to his enemies for shocking and cruel treatment.  And yet Jesus washed Judas’ feet, too.  In following Jesus we will find ourselves sometimes serving those who are less than deserving.

Finally, Jesus’ footwashing was more than just a physical act of kindness.  Washing feet symbolized the cleansing of souls.  In fact, Jesus pictured his entire ministry with that one act of service.  When he took off his outer garment and left the table it pictured him setting aside his glory in heaven and stepping into human history at Bethlehem.  When he washed the feet of his disciples it pictured his humility on the cross outside Jerusalem, sacrificing himself to cleanse the souls of sinners.  And when Jesus stood up and assumed again his place of honor at the table, it symbolized his resurrection and ascension to the right hand of the throne in heaven.

In the same way that Jesus’ footwashing was filled with great symbolic meaning, our service is filled with great spiritual purpose.  We do not serve simply to make this world a better place, although our actions will often ease suffering and increase joy.  But much more than that, we are serving in a cosmic rescue mission led by an Eternal Savior who is pulling souls out of the vast kingdom of darkness and opening a way for them to have a permanent place in the everlasting kingdom of Light.

May we always represent our Lord Jesus Christ well through our humble service,

Brother Richard Foster, Pastor
Grace Baptist Church, Camden, AR

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August 26, 2012 · 5:05 PM

Can You Do Greater Things than Jesus Did?

Just before his arrest and crucifixion, Jesus said things to his disciples that were nothing less than astounding.  He told them that he would soon be leaving and returning to the Father.  As a result of his going to the Father, Jesus revealed to his followers that they would do greater things than he had done (John 14:12).  Do greater things than Jesus did?

Jesus turned water to wine at a wedding.  He satisfied over 5,000 hungry people with only five small barley loaves and two small fish.  He walked on water.  He gave sight to a blind man.  He went to a funeral and told the dead man to come out of his tomb, and the man did.  How could Jesus be serious in saying that his followers would do greater things than these?

Jesus made this promise to his disciples before he died on the cross, before giving his life as a ransom for lost sinners.  His death and resurrection was greater than anything he had done before because his sacrifice made eternal salvation available.  After all, what good is it to make a heart merry with wine, a stomach satisfied with food, a pair of eyes able to enjoy light, or even a dead man to get up and walk, if they still face an eternity in hell?

After Jesus died to provide God’s forgiveness and rose again to offer new life, the greater work could be done.  Jesus entrusted the proclamation of his saving work to his followers.  Jesus’ followers still have the responsibility and the honor of telling the world about the greatest work ever done.  What could be greater than seeing lost souls transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of Light, to see a person’s eternity changed from everlasting death to everlasting life?  Eternal salvation is a greater work than food, sight, or even earthly life.

True, Jesus attended to people’s immediate needs, and so should his followers.  But Jesus did not get distracted from the greater work of eternal salvation and neither should his followers.  Our Lord has not only saved us to live a new life, but he has called us to proclaim this new life to others who are still lost.  To enjoy God’s blessings is a good thing.  To live holy lives is pleasing to God.  To help those in need is work worthy of our labor.  But to share in God’s work of salvation is truly the greatest thing we can do.

Please pray about your participation in the core mission of your church, proclaiming the Good News about God’s salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.  Attend a personal evangelism class.  Tell others about the faith.  Invite people to church.  Go or help send someone else on a mission trip.  Find your place in God’s Kingdom mission and enjoy the excitement of doing greater things.

May Jesus Christ always be our greatest passion,

Brother Richard Foster, Pastor
Grace Baptist Church, Camden, AR

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August 26, 2012 · 4:52 PM

Is Jesus a Democrat or a Republican?

Political parties attempt to recruit Jesus as a spokesman for their platforms from time to time.  This is nothing new.  On one occasion, Jesus miraculously fed 5,000-plus people by multiplying five loaves and two fishes.  Some people in that crowd suddenly realized that Jesus would be a great leader for their cause.  They tried to make Jesus king by force.  He declined the invitation.

Jesus was faced with several political choices.  His own people were subject to the sometimes harsh rule of Rome, which motivated various groups to respond in different ways.  One group was convinced that violent resistance was the only acceptable course.  After all, were they not to be ruled by God alone?  This group was deeply committed to throwing off the Roman yoke even if it meant shedding blood.  They were called Zealots.

Jesus rejected the politics of violence.  He refused to engage in brutality or terror in order to build his Kingdom.  The politics of violence is still alive and well in our world today.  Based on Jesus’ actions and teaching, we are persuaded that he would reject the politics of violence and intimidation today, too.

Near the place where Jesus fed the 5,000 another group made their home.  This group saw only evil in both Roman rulers and in the leaders of their own people Israel.  They rejected any kind of real participation in the politics of their day.  They withdrew into the wilderness and formed their own community, pursuing only personal religious goals.  They were called Essenes.

Jesus did not join the Essenes.  He was not absent from the public debate nor was he afraid to face the leaders of his people with challenging ideas.  The politics of withdrawal is practiced in our world, too.  Some groups see political participation as something beneath them, and so they avoid becoming entangled in the complex problems of this world.  We are persuaded that Jesus would not be a recluse from society today.

Other groups in the first century were more pragmatic about politics.  Rome was the center of power and likely to remain so at least into the foreseeable future.  Given the realities of the situation, why not deal with Rome on Rome’s terms?  This group compromised and served the Empire.  They shared power by collecting taxes for the occupiers.  As a result they made bitter enemies among their own people.  To be called a Tax Collector in first-century Israel was not a compliment.

Jesus did not join the Tax Collectors.  In fact, he refused to compromise with anyone about anything.  He claimed to have an independent and superior authority: God.  That claim disturbed those who were invested in the established power structures.  They recognized that Jesus represented a threat to the status quo.  Nevertheless, Jesus refused to soften his message in order to make friends with the powerful people of his day.  We cannot imagine that Jesus would compromise his message today.

Some may wish to argue that Jesus was not political at all, that he was only a religious philosopher or teacher.  But he was political enough to frighten both the Jewish and Roman officials.  They conspired against him and executed him, hoping to get him out of their way.  Ironically they were merely tools in the hands of God, used to advance his Kingdom, the very Kingdom that Jesus was working to establish.  The Kingdom of God challenges the politics of this age, both first century and twenty-first century politics.

True, Jesus did not join the Zealots or the Tax Collectors, but a Zealot and a Tax Collector joined him.  Simon the Zealot and Matthew the Tax Collector would normally have been bitter political enemies, more so than democrats and republicans of today.  But with Jesus they found someone who was greater than their personal politics.  In Jesus they found another way to do politics, leaving behind their previous ideas and embracing his.

So, is Jesus a Democrat or a Republican?  No, he is not.  Jesus does not have to conform to any pre-determined political dogma.  Jesus is himself a power greater than all others and he does politics his own way.  How then do we label Jesus?  Some may say that we cannot and should not, but I disagree.  There is a label for Jesus, the perfect label: Jesus is Lord.

– Richard Foster, Grace Baptist Church, Camden, AR, May 2011
Printed May 2011;  Camden News;  Camden, AR.

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August 23, 2012 · 10:02 AM

Did God Change His Name to Higgs Boson?

On July 4 scientists announced the discovery of an important particle in the universe: the Higgs boson.  It has been called the “God particle.”  Some say that this discovery is another important step toward proving that our universe exists without God.  Is that true?

First of all, despite the fireworks coming from the scientific community over this triumph of human intellect, many riddles about the nature of our universe remain unsolved (What in the world is “dark matter”?).  But why this preoccupation with trying to disprove God’s existence anyway?

Scientific exploration in our world was carried on for thousands of years by men and women who assumed that careful study of the physical world yields answers because the physical world operates based on observable and predictable laws.  The laws governing our universe are guaranteed by the Lawgiver: God.

Because God is the Designer, his world exhibits design, complex beauty which is worthy of our careful study.  And because God has created each of us in his image, we have curious minds capable of recognizing and appreciating design.

But another group of scientists has gained prominence.  They assume that God is a myth, so there is no design and no guarantee of answers.  The question of why the world operates according to laws and principles is taboo with this newer group.  In fact, physical laws are merely accidental forces that are to be described and manipulated, nothing more.

For instance, the law of gravity is manipulated in order to produce flight.  Asking why our universe should have a law of gravity is dangerous because it might lead back to the search for God.  Just fly and don’t ask too many questions.

The godless scientists come with a curious irony.  When badly outnumbered by the God-believing scientists, they insisted on their right to think and explore outside the established dogma.  Now they refuse to allow others the same courtesy.  They insist on limiting exploration of the universe by closing the door on God, or trying to.

But the God question refuses to go away, why?  Because questions about “the beginning” are unavoidable and yet they seem to be beyond the reach of human science.  “The beginning” seems to hide behind a mysterious cosmic curtain that human science is incapable of piercing.

Some scientists may wish to limit the debate, but human curiosity will not be silenced.  If scientists have found the Higgs boson, great! but how did it originate?  Why does it exist at all?  If science finds a particle that explains the beginning of the Higgs particle then we must ask how that particle originated.

The Bible addresses our desire to know about “the beginning.”  Scripture starts with these momentous words in Genesis 1, “In the beginning God created. . . .”  The answer to the beginning of the Higgs boson, of dark matter, and of everything else is God.

Here is the problem for those who want to cut God out: God does more than answer questions about beginnings.  Once we admit that God cannot be removed from the equation then we are faced with the next logical question.  Who is God and what is he like?

According to Scripture God is holy, righteous, and just.  As our Maker, he expects us to be holy because he is holy.  To refuse living by his standard is to fall under his judgment.  To admit that disobedience is wrong and seek his forgiveness is to experience his mercy and love.

Maybe God would be more acceptable to secular science if he simply answered questions about the physical universe without bringing in moral, ethical, and spiritual matters.  But God is indivisible.  To have his answers about origins is to face his challenges about ethics.

Secular people think that scientific exploration of the universe, and everyday life, should be liberated from God.  Such a freedom, however, comes at a terrible cost.  Without God we lose the ability to ever answer the questions about the origins of our universe and about the source of the laws that govern it.  But even more hangs in the balance.

Without God there is no fixed standard of truth, goodness, and love.  In a godless universe these are not eternal realities, they are simply human ideas, subject to constant change, suspension, or cancellation.  But fortunately for us, God has not changed his name nor will he ever change his character.

The God question persists because God persists.  The stubborn question about “the beginning” is a reminder that like God, morals, ethics, and spirituality will never be expelled from human experience.  And because God is eternal and God is love, then love is eternal.

Am I saying that without God there is no love?  Yes I am.  And without God there is no science.  Science depends upon the laws of physics and the laws of physics depend upon the Lawgiver.  Don’t allow anyone to limit you in your quest to learn about “the beginning.”

Richard Foster, Grace Baptist Church, July 2012

Printed July 2012;  Camden News;  Camden, AR.

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August 23, 2012 · 9:56 AM

Should Marriage Be Defined By Tradition or Truth?

In the ongoing debate about marriage, conservative voices often use the word “traditional.”  The legal definition of marriage, they say, should be based on tradition.  Is that right?

Cultures tend to evolve and ours is no exception.  In the last few decades attitudes have shifted dramatically about what behaviors should be accepted, and therefore, should be promoted and protected by our legal system.

First, voices began saying that not every sexual relationship should be restricted to marriage.  As this idea gained acceptance immorality and adultery multiplied.  Decades of progressive attitudes about sex have left their mark.  Has sexual immorality become a new American tradition?

Then people began to say that not every baby deserves to live.  As a result our society legalized and accelerated the destruction of what came to be called “fetal tissue.”  After destroying tens of millions of unborn babies, can we say that abortion has become a sad new American tradition?

Next, people decided that not every marriage is worth fighting to save.  The result was an explosion in the number of broken homes.  Higher and higher percentages of marriages ended in divorce.  Another new American tradition?

It also became popular to say that not every child needs both a mom and a dad.  Single-parent homes emerged as a valid choice for family.  With so many children growing up in one-parent households, could we say that single parenting has become an American tradition?

Now our culture wants to say that not every marriage must be between one man and one woman.  A vocal and politically powerful minority is working hard to establish another new American tradition: so-called “gay marriage.”

If the definition of marriage is determined by tradition, then it is doomed to be tossed about by the fickle cultural breezes that constantly swirl in our country.  Traditions come and go, some good and some not.  Marriage is far too important to be left to the shifting winds of culture and tradition.

The Bible reveals God’s original design for marriage.  Early in the account of creation, in Genesis 2, God’s Word says, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and join with his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”

Note the beginning: For this reason.  For what reason?  Because God made them male and female.  Marriage begins with the unique compatibility between a man and a woman.

Jesus affirmed God’s ancient design for marriage more than a millennium later.  When asked about divorce he quoted Genesis 2, and then he added, “So what God has joined together let no man separate.”  Jesus agreed with God’s original definition of marriage, rejecting the idea that family evolves or that it must bow to popular cultural notions.

Conservative defenders of one-man-one-woman marriage often claim to believe in the authority of the Bible, yet they choose to argue that tradition should define marriage.  Why?  Do they believe that tradition will be more agreeable to a secular culture than the Bible?

Another argument says that traditional marriage is the best foundation for a healthy culture.  This line of reasoning also attempts to persuade culture about godly marriage without mentioning God or the Bible.

One-man-one-woman marriage does offer the best foundation for any culture.  But marriage is more than a strong platform for society.  Marriage is meant to be a visible expression of God’s love for his people.

The risk of rejection is no excuse for softening God’s Truth.  God designed marriage to be one man and one woman totally and freely committed to one another [f]or a lifetime.  Jesus affirmed God’s unchanging design for marriage and added a statement about the permanent nature of the relationship.

So, why not boldly and honestly promote God’s Truth about marriage?  The Bible itself promises that God’s Word is eternal and unchanging: “The grass withers and the flower falls, but the Word of the Lord remains forever.”

In the debate about marriage the church must decide whether to argue for tradition or for God’s design.  Traditions change but God’s Word stands forever.  Let’s take our stand with the Truth.

– Richard Foster, Grace Baptist Church, Camden, AR, May 2012

Printed May 2012;  Camden News;  Camden, AR.

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August 23, 2012 · 9:51 AM

Is Jesus a Communist or a Capitalist?

A young man approached Jesus and asked him how to inherit eternal life.  Instead of a spiritual answer Jesus gave an economic reply.  He instructed the young man to sell all his possessions and give the money to the poor.

Jesus’ response would surprise almost anyone, but it was especially stunning for a very wealthy person.  And this man was very wealthy.

Was Jesus endorsing income redistribution?  Was he telling the man that he should give up his elite financial status and become part of the 99 percent?  Was he saying that economic justice should be top priority?  Is that not advice that Marx would appreciate?

What would the man do?  Apparently he was so attached to his great wealth that he could not bring himself to obey Jesus.  So he turned and went away sad.

The man’s love for his wealth is no surprise.  What is remarkable is that Jesus had nothing more to say to him.  He merely allowed the rich young man to choose his own gloomy destiny.

If Jesus believed in redistributing wealth, he certainly had a strange way of showing it.  He did not insist on passing a law that forced the man to give up his riches.  He did not start a revolutionary uprising among workers to take back what was rightfully theirs.  He did not even put up tents in the park and organize a protest against the injustice of economic disparity.

So Jesus agreed that the man had a right to own property, lots of property, when others were in desperate need, even though it could not bring him true happiness.  Jesus must be a capitalist.

But why did Jesus urge the man to sell all his property and give the money to the poor?  It was his wealth, after all.  Why not just give a generous donation and stay rich?  He could do more for the downtrodden by maintaining a healthy income stream, right?

As the rich young man walked away, Jesus turned to his followers and uttered one of his best-known sayings.  “Easier it is for a camel to go through the eye of a needle,” he said, “than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God.”  That sounds bad for rich people.

On another occasion Jesus told about a wealthy man who ignored a dirty beggar named Lazarus.  But a great reversal took place in the presence of God.  The rich man found himself in torment while the poor man was comforted.

Is that a fair outcome?  The beggar was just a welfare case who refused to work, right?  Apparently the Lord expected the rich man to do more than trickle down on the poor man.

Jesus taught that nobody can serve both God and money.  He warned about the riches of this world, pointing out that material wealth is prone to theft and decay.  He told his followers to give, and if someone takes what belongs to them, do not demand it back.  Does that sound like capitalism?

Change the terminology to socialism instead of communism or to free markets instead of capitalism if you wish.  The point is the same.  Jesus cannot be recruited to promote our popular systems of macro-economics, unless he is severely edited.  And editing Jesus is difficult because, as he said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words (all of them) will never pass away.”

How are we to understand Jesus on wealth?  He did more than instruct that rich young man to give his riches to the poor.  Jesus urged the man to come and follow him.  Wealth was not the issue; it was a distraction from the issue.  The issue was, and is, following Jesus.

If we could undo all the economic injustice in this harsh world, but we did not become followers of Jesus, then our efforts would be of no lasting value.  If we could produce a great fortune that creates jobs and income for millions, but we did not become followers of Jesus, then our accomplishments would be trivial.

The rich young man did not like what Jesus had to say about wealth so he walked away.  He elevated his ideas and feelings about wealth above Jesus.  If we elevate our ideas about wealth above Jesus, whatever they may be, then we, too, have missed the point.

Instead of hearing only the words of Jesus that seem to support our preconceived ideas about wealth, let us hear all that he has to say.  When we do, we will find that Jesus Christ has much more to offer than economic freedom or fairness.  Jesus is more than a reformer.  Jesus is Redeemer.

– Richard Foster, Grace Baptist Church, Camden, AR, January 2012

Printed January 2012;  Camden News;  Camden, AR.

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August 23, 2012 · 9:04 AM

Is Jesus a Liberal Or A Conservative?

Both liberal and conservative groups claim to represent the ideals of Jesus Christ.  But the two positions often adopt very different ideas about moral and ethical issues.  How can this be?  Is one side or the other simply mistaken?  Is one side or the other being dishonest?

The crowds were somewhat fickle about Jesus, sometimes following him in large numbers, other times abandoning him because his teaching did not tickle their fancy.  The rulers, however, quickly targeted Jesus as their enemy.  They had much to lose and so they could not afford to be lukewarm about this powerful preacher and miracle-worker.  They believed that he would undermine their authority and so they were looking for a way to destroy Jesus.

On one occasion these hostile rulers confronted Jesus with a quandary that they felt sure would at least embarrass the carpenter-turned-rabbi.  They presented him with a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery.  In front of witnesses, they asked Jesus what he thought should be done with her.  Should she be stoned to death according to the Law of Moses?  Or should she be shown mercy and set free?

The religious leaders who concocted this heartless trap for Jesus thought that they had backed him into an ethical corner.  If he agreed with stoning the woman, then he would come across as harsh and unforgiving to the everyday people who were helping to fuel his ever-threatening popularity.  More importantly, he would be endorsing an action that was forbidden by the occupying Romans.  Rome denied the Jewish people the authority to carry out capital punishment.  Jesus could then be painted as a subversive in the eyes of the Romans; and the Empire had zero tolerance for any movement that challenged their absolute authority.

On the other hand, if Jesus did anything but support the woman’s execution, he would be challenging the authority of God’s holy Law given through his revered servant Moses.  If the rulers could prove that Jesus broke the Jewish Law then his preaching ministry would be severely damaged in the court of public opinion.  So what could Jesus do?  Was it possible for him to uphold God’s Law and yet show mercy to the woman?

Jesus responded with some of his best known and often repeated words, “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”  Shocked into silence and shame, the hostile group dispersed.  Without witnesses the woman could not be condemned, according to the Law.  Jesus followed the letter of the Law and he spared the life of the woman.

Jesus then uttered words that should also be well known and often used.  He told the woman, “Go, and from now on sin no longer.”  With these words Jesus made it clear that the Law prohibiting adultery is good.  He did not justify her lifestyle.  He did not agree with her sexual immorality.  He encouraged her to make better choices.

Despite some liberal assertions, God’s grace does not proclaim a sinful activity to be upright.  God’s grace declares a sinful person to be forgiven, which requires a standard for upright behavior.  To the angst of some conservatives, God’s grace to sinners is immeasurable.  There is no three-strikes-and-you’re-out protocol in God’s Kingdom.  All who admit their mistakes and turn back to God find in him an apparently inexhaustible fountain of mercy.

No matter how utterly frustrating to liberal ideals, God’s standard for upright behavior never changes to accommodate popular culture.  No matter how endlessly aggravating to conservatives, God’s tolerance for repentant sinners never wavers.

So God’s standard for right human behavior is unchanging, but at the same time, his love for rebellious yet repentant people is unwavering.  These two characteristics of God seem irreconcilable to rigid right-left thinking.  Yet God’s holiness and God’s love met head-on at an old rugged cross just outside of Jerusalem.  The results are cosmic and eternal.

Unfairly condemned, the sinless Son of God voluntarily sacrificed his life.  In doing so, Jesus sealed both the honor of God’s righteousness and the salvation of his people.  Jesus is the guarantee that God’s standard for upright behavior is not broken, and yet God’s love for repentant sinners is not denied.

So, is Jesus a liberal or a conservative?  Yes, he is.  Jesus is the most liberal conservative to ever walk the face of the earth.  In Christ the simplistic human notions of liberal and conservative converge and become something far greater: God’s amazing grace.  How sweet the sound.

– Richard Foster, Grace Baptist Church, Camden, AR, September 2011

Printed September 16, 2011;  Camden News;  Camden, AR.
This article also won Award of Outstanding Merit at the Amy Foundation.

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August 22, 2012 · 1:21 PM

Teachings on Prayer

One sign of the Lord’s favor is answered prayer.  Jesus promised that if we remain in him and his words remain in us, that we can ask him for what we want and it will be done (John 15:7).  He also said that whatever we ask in his name, he will do (John 14:14).  These are startling promises from the Lord Jesus Christ.

I’m afraid that many people have a short relationship with prayer.  Somewhere along the way they hear that you can ask God for things and he will answer.  They try asking in prayer for a few things that they truly want.  They do not get what they want.  As a result, they determine that prayer doesn’t work and that is the end of their serious efforts at prayer.

A person that has had an experience like this with prayer may say that prayer doesn’t work, but they are wrong.  The truth is that their prayer doesn’t work. Jesus’ prayer works.  His disciples were so amazed by Jesus’ prayer that they asked him to teach them to pray.  We can learn a lot about effective prayer from Jesus.

Jesus did not offer a principle or a formula to make prayer work.  Prayer is asking God for something and God is a person with certain characteristics and traits.  Children learn over time what kinds of answers to expect from their dad when they ask him for something.  They know because they have lived with him and they have learned to understand his character.  After asking him for things many times, they learn to predict pretty well what his answer will be to most of their requests.

In the same way that children should not expect their dad to give them things that go against his nature, followers of Jesus should not expect God to give things that go against his nature.  The Bible teaches us that sometimes we ask with incorrect motives and so God simply says “No” to our request.

Some people are disappointed to find out that God will only say “Yes” to things that he agrees with. Their idea about prayer was selfish all along and the notion of submitting to God’s will is out of the question for them.  Others are sincerely confused because they felt certain that God would agree with their request.  Perhaps they asked for a loved one to be healed or they needed a job in order to pay bills.  How could God say “No” to such good things?

Jesus said that we must pray in his name and that his words must remain in us.  Only then can our desires be expressed in prayer and answered by the Lord with his “Yes.”  This goes beyond simply knowing what God will do and limiting our requests to his character. Jesus is talking about having a heart that actually desires the things that God will do.  Only a change of heart will enable us to have the powerful prayer life that Jesus describes.

Jesus also said that answered prayer will bring glory to God.  In simple terms, to glorify God means to make him look good.  When our prayers are answered it makes God look good. He is glorified.  So prayer is not only something that benefits us, it also does something good for God.  If we really love the Lord and want to bring him glory, then this is another reason to learn how to pray.

The Bible tells us to pray continually! (1 Thessalonians 5:17)  Prayer can be woven into all parts of our lives, touching all that we do.  A single prayer can be very simple, but a life of prayer should be rich and complex.  One of the best ways to get better at prayer is to pray more.  Please pray.

May God’s Spirit give us a heart that desires his glory,

Brother Richard Foster, Pastor
Grace Baptist Church, Camden, AR

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August 22, 2012 · 1:19 PM

In Jesus’ Name

Jesus carefully prepared his followers for what they were about to experience.  Just hours before his arrest, conviction, and crucifixion, he gave special instructions which are recorded in John 13-16.  We spent five months looking carefully at the things that Jesus taught on that night.  What we learned will benefit us now.

Jesus developed three important ideas as he instructed his followers that evening.  His disciples would need the vital truth that Christ shared with them in order to have great victory in the face of many trials.  These truths will serve us well, too.

First, Jesus repeatedly promised his followers that although he was leaving, he would surely return.  “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me,” he said.  The Early Church lived in anticipation of Jesus’ imminent return. Our spiritual vitality will be enhanced by that same anticipation.

Second, Jesus wanted his followers to understand that they could depend on the Presence and power of God’s Spirit in their lives.  After Pentecost, when God’s Spirit was poured out on all Jesus’ followers, mighty and wonderful things happened.  The same Spirit of power and wisdom inhabits God’s people today.  By walking in the Spirit we can see God accomplish marvelous things in us and through us each year.

Finally, Jesus emphasized the importance of prayer in his followers’ lives.  Jesus was opening up unprecedented access to God.  In Old Testament days the worshiper was faced with walls, doors, priests, altars, and veils that stood between him and God’s personal Presence. In his name, Jesus’ followers could begin to speak directly to God and know that he hears and answers.

Consider this carefully. Never before had anyone prayed in Jesus’ name.  Many of us were raised hearing prayers always offered in the name of Jesus. As children we were taught to pray in Jesus’ name.  We may not fully appreciate what a great privilege it is to approach the throne of grace with confidence knowing that we will receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Prayer is the key that enables us to understand God’s plan, which will climax with the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.  Prayer also helps us to stay in step with God’s Spirit, living in the power and understanding of God’s personal Presence.

So, remember that Jesus is alive and he is coming back for you.  Learn to lean on the power of God’s Spirit dwelling in you.  And pray in Jesus’ name, knowing that God hears and answers you.

May God’s Holy Spirit do a mighty work in us and through us always,

Brother Richard Foster, Pastor
Grace Baptist Church, Camden, AR

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