Grow By Learning[2] Jan To April 09

Charles Whisnat February 13, 2010 GROW BY LEARNING

To Bloggers Everywhere Charles E. Whisnant, GROW BY LEARNING BLOGGER BLOGS, POST, ARTICLES AND PHOTOS FROM JANUARY THRU APRIL 2009. There are 170 post from this series. I hope you will enjoy them as much as I have. 1

Contents 2008 IN REVIEW A LOOK BACK 10 ITS OKAY, A NEW YEAR 2009 12 IS THE KJV THE ONLY BIBLE? 13 TO SPEAK BOLDLY: THE LOVE CHRIST 15 2009 IS GOING TO BE GOOD 16 Only One To Call Me Chuck 17 FORD, GENERAL MOTORS AND THE CHURCH 18 CHARLES SPURGEON WAS SAVED TODAY 1850 20 TO WIN A SOUL TO CHRIST? 22 UNION MILLS CONFECTIONERY WEST PORTSMOUTH OHIO 23 BIBLICAL SEPARATION IS RATHER CLEAR 25 I LOVE TRAINS AND BIBLICAL THEOLOGY 26 GOOD SERMONS ARE HARD TO FIND 26 Beyond The Gates of Splendor - 26 GOD DELIGHTS IN HIS SON CHRIST 27 PASTOR'S OFFICE, AND STUDY AND LIBRARY 29 MY CONFIDIENCE OF MY SALVATION IS 31 A SNOWY HILL WITH A TRAIN 33 JOHN PIPER MAKING A SNOW ANGEL 35 ELLEN WHAT IS THIS ALL ABOUT? 36 YOUR FAITH VIRAL OR PEDAGOGICAL? PT 1 36 YOUR FAITH VIRAL OR PEDAGOGICAL? PT 2 37 UNION MILLS IN THE WINTER SNOW 38 GREETINGS TO THE PEOPLE AT ROJBC 39 3

THE VOICE OF JOY AND PRAISE 40 INTRODUCTION: SECOND COMING IS COMING 41 JOHN PIPER ON THE ECONOMY ISSUE 41 MACARTHUR ON THE WORD OF GOD 41 ARE WE MISSIONARIES OR MISSION FIELDS 42 PRESIDENT NUMBER 44 AND 56TH TIME 43 OABAMA SWORN IN AS 44TH PRESIDENT 44 GEORGE BUSH IS STILL MY MAN 44 HOW TO PRAY FOR OUR PRESIDENT 44 SO I LIKE GEORGE W. BUSH 45 YOUR FAITH VIRAL OR PEDAGOGICAL PT 3 45 REDISCOVERING HOLINESS AS BELIEVERS SHOULD 45 EXPOSITIONAL PREACHERS ARE MODERN DAY PROPHETS 46 ABORTION HAS ALWAYS BEING AN ISSUE 47 JOHNNY EDWARDS SINGING SOUTHERN GOSPEL MUSIC 48 A MINISTRY SUCCESSFUL SEEN OVER TIME 48 HAPPY THIRD ANNIVERSARY ERIC AND LESLIE 49 SNOWY IN PORTSMOUTH OHIO JANUARY 27 50 ONLY HERE TO HEAR A SERMON 50 CARING! LOVING! FRIENDLY STARTS WITH US 50 RESULT OF SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT BRINGS CONTENTMENT 51 SNOW FLAKES IN PORTSMOUTH OHIO 2009 51 IS STUDY FROM COMMENTARIES OKAY 52 FAITHFUL PASTORAL MINISTRY OF JOHN MACARTHUR 53 TEN QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR PREACHING/TEACHING 54 4

FRAMING A SERMON BY JAY ADAMS 56 40 YEARS OF ENDURING PASTORAL MINISTRY 58 MINISTERING GOD'S TRUTH IN A BROKEN WORLD 60 KIRK WARNER AND XL111 SUPER BOWL 61 WHAT DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE UH! 61 CHILDEN AS CAREGIVERS OF THEIR PARENTS 63 THE MODEL OF HOLINESS AND REVERENCE 65 EVANGELISM SHOULD NOT BE ANNOYING 66 FACEBOOK A FORM OF SMALL TALK 67 The Autobiography of Charles H. Spurgeon 68 SANCTIFICATION MEANS CONCENTRATION ON GOD 68 A HAPPY BIRTHDAY ERIC AND BECKY 69 ACTIONS THAT I SHOULD HAVE LEARNED 70 SOCIAL NETWORKING OR BIBLICAL EVANGELISM BETTER 71 KEEPING UP WITH THE NEW GENERATION 72 THE DARK SIDE OF LIFE SHOWN 73 OUR GANG HEART THUMPS IN 1937 73 MY MOM, WHO LOVES TO EAT 73 DIVINE SIDE AND THE HUMAN SIDE OF SALVATION 74 FOR ME TO LIVE IS CHRIST 75 THE DUTY OF EVERY PASTOR/TEACHER 76 NETWORKING WITH FRIENDS, FAMILY, FOLLOWERS, FOLKS. 77 RIVERS OF JOY BAPTIST CHURCH MINFORD OHIO 79 DALE EARNHARDT SR DIED IN 2001 80 Dale Earnhardt Tribute Video 82 5

WHY MEMBERS ARE MEMBER LOCAL CHURCHES 82 THE QUESTIONS I TRY TO FOLLOW 83 THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST IN YOU 84 Monday, February 23, 2009 84 CHARLES AND CHARITY SITTING IN A TREE 86 ACCOUNTABLITY TO THE TASK OF PASTOR 86 The Hawk On Charles Walk 87 RIVERS OF JOY BAPTIST CHURCH MINFORD OhioINSIDE 87 RIVERS OF JOY BAPTIST CHURCH SERMON BY PASTOR CHARLES E. WHISNANT 88 RIVERS OF JOY BAPTIST CHURCH INSIDE VIEW 88 SOME WISE COUNSEL GIVING FOR LIVING 88 QUESTIONS I ASK MY SELF PART FOUR 89 AMERICA IS THE PLACE WE LIVE 90 THE CHALLENGE OF LEADERSHIP IN THE CHURCH 91 SATAN IS OUT TO WIN CONTROL 92 QUESTION I ASK MYSELF PART FIVE 94 WHAT SHOULD THE CHURCH CONSCIOUSLY BE 95 Rivers of Joy Baptist Church Pastor Office 96 UNION MILLS BAKERY CHRISTMAS DINNER 2009 96 Friday, March 06, 2009 96 Union Mills Dinner 2009 97 Union Mills Bakery May 2009 97 Shepherd's Conference 2009 The best ever/ 97 Saturday, March 07, 2009 98 PHOTO OF THE SHEPHERD'S CONFERENCE 2009 98 6

COLLECTION OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS 1 98 SUNDAY MARCH 08 2009 REFLECTION TIME 98 THE TRAIN KEEPS ON COMING ON 23 99 FINANCIAL BONDAGE IS BONDAGE OF MIND AND FREEDOM 99 Biblical Christianity: Baptist Pastor in Illinois shot and killed d... 100 JOHN 3 16 Part two: GOD 'SO LOVED.' 100 Every self respecting Calvinist is a 6 Day Creationist 100 TEN WAYS PAUL DID NOT MINISTER 102 MUSIC AMAZING GRACE BY II DIVO 102 CHARLES E. WHISNANT PASTORAL STUDY OFFICE 102 SO WHY PRAY IF GOD IS GOD 103 STEM CELL RESEARCH AND SCIENCE THOUGHT 103 Sunday March 15 Church News 104 JOHN CALVIN PREACHING EXPOSITIONAL WAS NORMAL 109 A DAY WITH THE WHISNANT'S 109 GOD IN THIS MANNER SET FORTH HIS LOVE 110 PAUL'S DAY CARE CENTER - THE MOTHER'S CARE 112 Todd Johnson Bass Guitar & Kristin Korb: Going Home 112 SO WHAT IS GOOD PREACHING ANYWAY 112 Tuesday, March 17, 2009 113 Paul's Day Care Center, The Mother Part two 113 OKAY WHERE ARE OUR SONS 113 Rivers of Joy Baptist Church, Study of Orgins 114 CHARLES E. WHISNANT 116 SO SHOULD WE TEACH THE BIBLE 117 7

Rivers of Joy Baptist Church Wednesday 118 Charity and Charles Whisnant Kids 2009 119 Eric and Leslie's Baby Shower by Charity, Becky, Brittney 119 TO BELIEVE TRUTH IS TO APLPLY TRUTH 119 Friends and Family over the Weekend 121 CREATION IN GOD'S VAST UNIVERSE SHOWN 122 A NICE WALK DOWN THE CORN FIELDS 123 A GREAT VIEW AROUND OUR HOUSE 123 Baby Shower of Eric and Leslie 124 Charles E. Whisnant, Sermon on Sunday 124 Train traveling over the tunnel 124 VISITING MY FAMILY IN TEXAS 124 THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST SHOWN CLEARLY 125 GOD'S GRACE SHOWN BY CHRIST DEATH 125 Vacation 2009 125 THE UNIVERSE AND BEYOND CREATED BY GOD 126 THE SOUL WINNER'S TOOLBOX EXPLAINED BIBLICALLY 126 Vacation 2009 127 Vacations 2009 part one, the silly stuff 127 Vacation 2009 Part Two 128 VACATION 2009 129 John 3:16 Notes and Video Coming 130 VACATION 2009 IN TEXAS & MISSISSIPPII & KY. 133 HIS ONLY BEGOTTON SON PART ONE 133 JESUS RODE INTO JERSUALEM WITH TEARS 1 & 2 133 THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD JESUS 134 8

Saturday, April 11, 2009 136 WHY IS TEACHING THE BIBLE IMPORTANT? 136 THEY DID NOT FIND JESUS AT THE TOMB 137 HIS ONLY BEGOTTON SON PART THREE 141 SOMEWHERE IN TIME VIDEO GREAT 141 Scottie Pippen Retired, & Michael Jordan Hall of Fame 141 WHAT THE WORLD TODAY NEEDS IS 142 Post Number #999 On Blogger 142 THE X'S AND Y'S OF SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP 144 THE REASON FOR THE LORD'S SUPPER 144 ELDERS NOTES AND CREATION NOTES POSTED 144 HAS YOU LIFE STYLE CHANGED 144 SOCIAL NETWORKING IS NOT REALLY BAD 145 A Train Engine or Trees of Beauty 146 John 3:16 "He Who Believes in Christ" Part two 146 HEAVEN AND HELL AND WITH & WITHOUT A MEDIATOR 146 STAY ON THE MEANING OF THE TEXT 147 BE OF GOOD COURAGE IN MINISTRY 148 So What About God's Universe 149 God Is The Creator of All Things 150 9

2008 IN REVIEW A LOOK BACK Thursday, January 01, 2009 PART ONE: A LOOK BACK TO A FEW EVENTS IN 2008Our vacation took us this year to visit Susan in Mississippi in April Union Mills was rather busy at Easter, Mother's Day and Grad Day and a dozen other days THE SUMMER LIFE. THE 318 WAS THE UPGRADE OUR VACATION TOOK US TO SEE THE BOYS OUR VACATION TOOK US TO VISIT ELLEN AND HERSHEL CHARIY AND BECKY ON VACATION IN TEXAS OUR VACATION TOOK US TO VISIT MOM ON HER 85 BIRTHDAY ON OUR VACATION THIS WAS THE VERY FIRST PICTURE I TOOK THE FELLOWS AT LENORA FUNERAL A VIEW OF THE STAIR LANDING IN MY HOUSE CHARITY'S FAVIORITE PASS TIME READING A COLLECTION I DISPLAED OF NASCAR A VIEW OF THE NEW 19" SCREEN THE COOKIE LADY AT UNION MILLS 10

ENJOY THE DAY Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 05:34AM (-06:00) ITS OKAY, A NEW YEAR 2009 Thursday, January 01, 2009 I love Jesus Christ.” And as I say it, I want to make clear what I mean: I am in awe of Jesus Christ more than any other human or angelic being. I take pleasure in his ways and his words more than I enjoy the ways and words of anyone else. I want his endorsement more than I want the approval of anyone else. I want to be with him more than I want to be with anyone else. I sense more grateful to him for what he has done for me than I do to anyone else. I trust his words more fully than I trust what anyone else says. I am gladder in his adoration than in the exaltation of anyone else, including me. Would you pray with me that in 2009 we would love Jesus Christ more than we ever have? And may our Lord Jesus grant that from time to time we would deliver quietly and naturally a thunderclap into the hearts of others with the simple words, “I love Jesus Christ.” “Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory” (1 Peter 1:8). Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 01:09PM (-06:00) 12

IS THE KJV THE ONLY BIBLE? Friday, January 02, 2009 Have you done research on the KJV/other version controversies yourself? • Yes I have. And I would add, probably more so than many KJV onlyists who tend to only read literature published from within their own circles, just as I did when I was a practicing KJVer. The question is meant to "expose" some alleged fatal flaw in the arguments of the non-KJV onlyist. It is suggested that a person reads and uses a modern Bible version (MBV) because he or she doesn't know any better and is blindly following a favored teacher or what was taught at the Bible college where the person attended. Many KJV onlyists believe this about the non-KJV onlyists. It is assumed they are ignorant, but this is merely a strawman objection. I would throw back a question to our KJV onlyist: • As a quick review, • KJV only advocates teach that the King James Bible, also known as the Authorized Version, is the only translation, English or otherwise, that accurately contains the Word of God as it was revealed by God through His prophets and Apostles. The KJV translation is considered to be perfect; with out any error either in the original language documents used in its translation or in the English translation itself. Additionally, the translators are said to be the greatest scholars the world has ever known, and it is argued God used these men to preserve once and for all His Word to humanity. Personally I hate lies, and when the falsehood are told in relationship to the Bible it is sad. And the above statement about the KJV is not true. • I have always being a Indpendent Baptist, Fundementalist. I have always read from the pulpit the KJV. But I have never believed that the KJV was the only translation that Christians should read. Well, maybe I believed that in the early 50's and 60s when I was a child, and thought as a child, but when I grew up and studied, I realized that the KJV was not the only version that Christians could read. I believe, in the early 80's I realized maybe the Bible was perfect in its orginial form, and from that point on there were errors made in the printing of the Bible. And the shock was to learn that the KJV was not perfect. The falsehood of material put out by the KJVonly people is really not biblically right. Even with the idea of a perfect bible, certainly those who taught from the bible had a lot of error on their interpretation of the scriptures. It seems those who hold this position, also believe they don't make any error in their interpretation of the Word of God. I believe in a sovereign God, who doesn't need perfect people or a perfect printed bible to accomplish His purposes and plan for mankind. I believe even with all the false teachings about God's plan and His means whereby He saves sinners, those whom God has chosen unto salvation will be saved. (Acts 13:48, Romans 11:7, Romans 8:30, John 10:27 and Philippianss 1:6) I really do not believe any of those whom God gave Jesus Christ to die for at the Cross will be lost because someone might use a NASV or RS or any other translation. (John 6:37, John 17:6). I do believe its better to have everyone in the church service to have the same bible 13

translation, (its only a personal preferrence). Because most people are easily confused. And when you ask the people to read together in the Psalms, it is rather hard when there are ten translation been read at one time. You know? I have over the years put into the minds of people the idea that the KJV is the best translation on the market of the day. But I have never taught that the KJV is perfect in its translation. And I have never believed you have error when you change the words of the KJV. When I teach from the KJV, I change the words. When the KJV uses "it" in refering to the Holy Spirit, its okay to change "it" to Holy Spirit. When the KJV uses Holy Ghost, it is okay to use Holy Spirit. It is okay in I Corinthians 1:11 to read "that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind." to read it "that you might be perfected together in the same mind." I use Ephesians 4:13 a lot to explain Christian growth. "unto a perfect man". Well we are not perfect in the human sense, but the word "perfect" is better translated "full grown" or" spiritual mature man." Explaining the text, using different words is not changing the Words of God. • It is obvious that believers, all of whom have unredeemed flesh (Rom. 7:14; 8:23), cannot in this life fully and perfectly attain the measure of the stature which belongs to the fulness of Christ. But they must and can reach a degree of maturity that pleases and glorifies the Lord. The goal of Paul's ministry to believers was their maturity, as indicated by his labors to “present every man complete (teleios, mature) in Christ” (Col. 1:28–29; cf. Phil. 3:14–15). John MacArthur, Jr. King James Version 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: American Standard Version 4:13 till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a fullgrown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: Bible in Basic English 4:13 Till we all come to the harmony of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to full growth, to the full measure of Christ: Have we done harm to the Word of God by using a different translation from the KJV? Will we do harm to the Word of God when we do not teach the Word of God as God meant the Word to be taught. We are not to teach our ideas, or our personal application, we are to explain the Words of God in its context and allow the Word to speak for themselves. God expressed the Bible in language, and language has a way of changing. Therefore we are to teach the Bible in the language that people can understand. Can people in the English language be saved and learn the commands of God in other translations of the Bible? Do I need to be afraid someone might go to hell if they read another translation? You might say, "Why just not stick with the KJV?" Well personally, I am. I read from the KJV and then I study a lot to figure out what it says. I love study, I love research, I love to dig deep into the scriptures. 14

Like my sermons, I stop in the middle of some messages. I will pick up another time. • Conclusion: No English translation is without problems including the revered King James Version. People are unaware that the accusations the KJV only supporters are using against all modem versions holds true with the very translation they are defending. It is true not all modem versions are good and many should be avoided. But let us be careful to follow the truth when making statements of support or statements of avoidance over a particular English version of the Bible. • Conclusion two: "The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it" (Psalm 68:11). • Ruckmanism is the false teaching that the King James translation is absolutely inerrant, and is superior to any Hebrew or Greek text. It is the teaching that the King James Version is perfect and that there is no value in examining the Hebrew and Greek text from which it was translated. • In my opinion, the term "King James Only" is a misleading name for this movement. I myself am King Jame preacher. I preach from the KJV because it is the better translation, based on the better Hebrew and Greek manuscripts. As far as I can know. But it doesn't mean all the other translation are wrong. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 05:22AM (-06:00) TO SPEAK BOLDLY: THE LOVE CHRIST Friday, January 02, 2009 December 31, 2008. I read this post today: Generally he has a lot of great articles and I enjoy reading them. "I have a goal this year to evangelize one person every single day. I can pass out a gospel tract to get that done, but I prefer to talk to someone. The latter is what I want and the former what I'll settle with to reach the goal. To add some accountability, I will write about my evangelism experience every day. It will be found at a new blog called Open Boldy. You may ask: "Another blog? Come on!" Well, I won't be able to reach this goal in front of a computer. This is just very public accountability like Weight-watchers is for weight loss.My theme verses are Ephesians 6:19-20:" • And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. I have heard of evangelist and preachers strive for that goal. Its a goal that I am not sure is really biblical sound. I have been raised in this atmosphere most of my life. What I have seen is a lot of evangelist talk and a lot of results that last less than a week. And people in the pew will see this as a fruitless ministry. I trust all of us could speak of Jesus love to those we meet daily. 15

• A friend of mind who works for the County Court system, shook hands with a woman today, who shot and killed three people at point blank range a couple of months ago, and said, "Jesus loves you." That took courage. Amen for him. May we all do that when we have the chance. He almost always makes a point when possible to tell those who are criminals, Jesus love you, and you need Jesus. Amen. I have read and listen to a number of men, evangelist, pastor, who made it their goal to speak the gospel to someone each day of their lives. And I am not saying that is wrong. What I am saying I have seen where we force the committment, there is a lot of false salvation made. I have personally seen this with my self. While at Hyles College, we would go block by block, house by house and try to get someone saved. Time after time we would use the Roman Road and get people to say yes. Only the next week they would say it again to someone else. As a Pastor I have tried to impress a follow pastor with my approach to soul winning, and get someone to say yes, they will be saved. Only to have them not open the door the next week. I have taken a dozen soul winning courses, and they are all good to a point. While its true we should present Jesus Christ to the lost, in our zeal we sometimes sure push for decsions that are not made by the person we are talking to. Well you say, its better to get one in ten then none at all. I fully disgree with that point of view. As a pastor/teacher I do have the opportunity four times a week to share Christ with people. And to share the Word of God with people is the joy of my life. But the decision for people to be saved is Jesus Christ. I am thankful for my friend who has a passion for Jesus in the work place. And his boldness to speak of Jesus Christ love is the key to witnessing for God. (1971-1974 Madison Missionary Baptist Church, Minford Ohio) May we take a conscious effort to make Christ known daily to those who we come contact with. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 09:03PM (-06:00) 2009 IS GOING TO BE GOOD Saturday, January 03, 2009 As we go into another year, we sometimes think we will get a new start, and this time do it right. Well, I have had over fifty new starts, to do it right again. And you know, this is getting better with practice. (cookies at Union Mills) 16

Last year, at 60 years old, (believing I am only in my forty's) I took on the task of preaching, and teaching and working with a group of folks at Rivers of Joy Baptist Church. After a few years layoff from serving in a church, I find myself back in full swing doing what I love doing the most. Most amazing I am enjoying every minute of the experience. I have being getting ready for pastoral ministry and teaching again for about five years. I will share with you, the experience the last eight years has being mixed. I have not chosen to quit. Like Charity says "Charles will be fired before he quits"? Let me see, I have been let go, fired, what ever, three times, from ministry. Well. I am still standing. God must not be finished with me yet. (old churches on the flood wall in Portsmouth) I guess no experiences go void. The Lord is still bringing us to maturity. I am still preaching the same sermons, using the s a m e methodology, have the same wife, using the Word of God, still wear a suit and tie. So what is the difference? Still have the same belief that I have for the last thirty years. Still love Christ, Charity and Children, and the Church, and Christy (friend) and Calvin, and chocolate Ice Cream, coffee and cookies and cake. I thought about checking into a ministry rehab. Kidding, of course. I am thankful that the Lord and those in Rivers of Joy Baptist Church have been so good to us. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 01:18PM (-06:00) 17

Only One To Call Me Chuck Monday, January 05, 2009 THE NUNNENKAMP FAMILY Kurt and Michele Nunnenkamp Tom and Alana Ayers A few years ago these three young ladies were members of our church in Kansas.Kathy Songer, Alana Ayers and Christy Heaton THE JOHN AND CHRISTY HEATON FAMILY Pastor of a church is a real joy. Pastor of a church for sixteen years is greater. And the greatest is after you have left the church for twelve years you still have these friends. I love up dates from families who were in FBC. (Of course a photo sent to me, could get on this Blogger). Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 09:20PM (-06:00) 18

FORD, GENERAL MOTORS AND THE CHURCH Tuesday, January 06, 2009 Mistakes The Church Can Learn From The Auto Industry…Part One Vehicle sales in the United States were sharplylower for nearly all auto companies, and the two largest U.S. manufacturers reported the lowest number of sales in nearly five decades.General Motors reported Monday that its sales dropped 31 percent in December, and fell 23 percent for all of last year. It sold fewer vehicles in 2008 than any year since 1959. Ford says its U.S. sales plunged by almost one-third between November and December, and about 20 percent for all of 2008, the lowest number of sales in 47 years. Chrysler reported a 53 percent plunge in December. For the full year 2008, the company's sales slid 30 percent. 1. They Were Focused on the Wrong Message While the auto industry was spending time and millions of dollars telling people to buy American made cars what they should have been doing instead was spending that same amount of time and that same about of money actually making better cars that people across the world would actually want to purchase. The same thing can be said about the church. Many times we can get too focused on, “please bring people to church” “get people to church” “do whatever it takes to bring people to this place” rather than creating a worship experience that exalts the name of Jesus and promotes life change to such an extent that people actually want to bring friends to church. We should focus way more on what is happening in our services than advertising about them. AND…another danger as a church is getting focused on ANY other agenda other than Jesus and His Kingdom. More on that at another time! You focus on your worship and your singing, and your preaching and your fellowship and you focus on your teaching. If we love these things we will invite others to share with us our love for Christ and the church. 2. Trusting in Tradition One of the mistakes the auto industry made was thinking because of our strong and successful past we will always have a strong and successful future. People have always been loyal to us therefore people will always be loyal to us. While they were basking in the glory of their tradition, up-start car companies came along and surpassed their quality of excellence and relevance in the society in which we live. 19

One of the mistakes we can make as a church is to begin to trust in tradition and think because we had a strong and successful past that we, our particular church, will always have a strong and successful future. The past is something that should always be celebrated. The past is something to be thankful to God for. But the past is not an indicator of our future. The past is merely and reflection of God’s faithfulness and God’s faithfulness will continue in the future not as we embrace tradition but as we embrace his leadership through his Holy Spirit. Another mistakes we can make is to think our tradition of the past even when the results have resulted in failure will in some way get us a better future. Our focus is to be on Christ and His faithfulness and not focus on the traditions of the church. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 05:47PM (-06:00) CHARLES SPURGEON WAS SAVED TODAY 1850 Tuesday, January 06, 2009 Today in 1850, Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892) heard the voice of God calling him in the words of Isaiah 45:22, through the sermon of a Primitive Methodist preacher: “Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth.” Spurgeon looked and was saved at age 15, and went on to become one of the greatest preachers of modern times. He preached a vast number of sermons in his life, but he excelled in preaching a clear message of salvation in a way that could reach sinners. He knew from experience that they were eager for that clear, simple direction: Look to Jesus and be saved. By one count, he told the story of his conversion 280 times in his published sermons, so some minor variations have slipped into the accounts. Here is my favorite: • I sometimes think I might have been in darkness and despair now, had it not been for the goodness of God in sending a snowstorm one Sunday morning, when I was going to a place of worship. When I could go no further, I turned down a court and came to a little Primitive Methodist Chapel. In that chapel there might be a dozen or fifteen people. The minister did not come that morning: snowed up, I suppose. A poor man, a shoemaker, a tailor, or something of that sort, went up into the pulpit to 20

preach. He was obliged to stick to his text, for the simple reason that he had nothing else to say. The text was, ‘Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth.’ He did not even pronounce the words rightly, but that did not matter. • There was, I thought, a glimpse of hope for me in the text. He began thus: ‘My dear friends, this is a very simple text indeed. It says, “Look.” Now that does not take a deal of effort. It ain’t lifting your foot or your finger; it is just “look.” Well, a man need not go to college to learn to look. You may be the biggest fool, and yet you can look. A man need not be worth a thousand a year to look. Anyone can look; a child can look. But this is what the text says. Then it says, “Look unto Me.” ‘Ay,’ said he, in broad Essex, ‘many of ye are looking to yourselves. No use looking there. You’ll never find comfort in yourselves.’ Then the good man followed up his text in this way: ‘Look unto Me: I am sweating great drops of blood. Look unto Me; I am hanging on the Cross. Look: I am dead and buried. Look unto Me; I rise again. Look unto Me; I ascend; I am sitting at the Father’s right hand. O, look to Me! Look to Me!’ When he had got about that length, and managed to spin out ten minutes, he was at the length of his tether. • Then he looked at me under the gallery, and I daresay, with so few present, he knew me to be a stranger. He then said, ‘Young man, you look very miserable.’ Well, I did; but I had not been accustomed to have remarks made on my personal appearance from the pulpit before. However, it was a good blow struck. He continued: ‘And you will always be miserable — miserable in life and miserable in death — if you do not obey my text. But if you obey now, this moment, you will be saved.’ • Then he shouted, as only a Primitive Methodist can, ‘Young man, look to Jesus Christ.’ There and then the cloud was gone, the darkness had rolled away, and that moment I saw the sun; and I could have risen that moment and sung with the most enthusiastic of them of the Precious Blood of Christ.” Sunday, January 6, 1850, is the most widely-accepted date for Spurgeon’s conversion, but there is some scholarly disagreement abut it. The late Lewis Drummond’s book Spurgeon: Prince of Preachers makes a pretty good case that January 13 is more likely to be actual date. He compares various accounts, reports on the actual preachers’ log for the local Primitive Methodist church, and checks the best available meteorological reports for the winter of 1850. The last point is telling: In London, at least (no records exist for Spurgeon’s Colchester), January 6 was a clear day, but January 13 had heavy snow. (Most of the relevant argument about the dating can be seen in the preview of the book available at Google books) The fact is, Spurgeon and his earliest biographers were all a little sloppy about recording this event. I appreciate that. That little bit of reportorial sloppiness helps downplay the event itself, the event considered as a moment in the biography and the psychological history of the man Spurgeon. Instead, it keeps the message of salvation central: Look to me and be saved. Spurgeon certainly did that, sometime around January 6. And it made all the difference in the world, and he told the story 280 times in sermons. But Spurgeon draws our attention to his own experience of conversion for a much greater reason than to fill out the pages of his biography accurately. He draws our attention to his own conversion so that we too can look to Jesus, where salvation is. One of the first time I preached outside my Dad's church was in North Caroline, at Fate Spenser's church. I was asked to preached on Sunday Morning, and Donald was to speak on Sunday Night. Well, I had studied a sermon by Charles Spurgeon. And I read 21

and studied the sermon. So I thought I would preaching his sermon. I got the introduction down good. I was at least 16 or 17 years old. I do like Spurgeon. I don't think the people was impressed with Spurgeon's sermon, it was not emotional enough. If I remember, Donald message was rather emotional. They liked that. Over the years I have read a number of Spurgeon's Sermons. I must I have used several of the outlines. But generally I use Spuregon as a sound board, if Spurgeon believed it, I generally believed it myself. I have two orginal sermon books by Spuregon. And one of the first 20 volume's set I bought in Seminary was Spurgeon Sermons. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 08:38PM (-06:00) TO WIN A SOUL TO CHRIST? Wednesday, January 07, 2009 What is the real winning of a soul for God? So far as this is done by instrumentality, what are the processes by which a soul is led to God and to salvation? I take it that one of its main operations consists in instructing a man that he may know the truth of God. Instruction by the gospel is the commencement of all real work upon men's minds. • "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." Teaching begins the work, and crowns it, too. The gospel, according to Isaiah, is, • "Incline your ear, and come unto Me: hear, and your soul shall live." It is ours, then, to give men something worth their hearing; in fact, to instruct them. We are sent to evangelize, or to preach the gospel to every creature; and that is not done unless we teach them the great truths of revelation. The gospel is good news. To listen to some preachers, you would imagine that the gospel was a pinch of sacred snuff to make them wake up, or a bottle of ardent spirits to excite their brains. It is nothing of the kind; it is news, there is information in it, there is instruction in it concerning matters which men need to know, and statements in it calculated to bless those who hear it. It is not a magical incantation, or a charm, whose force consists in a collection of sounds; it is a revelation of facts and truths which require knowledge and belief. The gospel is a reasonable system, and it appeals to men's understanding; it is a matter for thought and consideration, and it appeals to the conscience and the reflecting powers. Hence, if we do not teach men something, we may shout, "Believe! Believe! Believe!" but what are they to believe? Each exhortation requires a corresponding instruction, or it will mean nothing. 22 "Escape!" From what? This requires for its answer the doctrine of the punishment of sin.

"Fly!" But whither? Then must you preach Christ, and His wounds; yea, and the clear doctrine of atonement by sacrifice. "Repent!" Of what? Here you must answer such questions as, What is sin? What is the evil of sin? What are the consequences of sin ? "Be converted!" But what is it to be converted? By what power can we be converted? What from? What to? The field of instruction is wide if men are to be made to know the truth which saves. "That the soul be without knowledge, it is not good," and it is ours as the Lord's instruments to make men so to know the truth that they may believe it, and feel its power. We are not to try and save men in the dark, but in the power of the Holy Ghost we are to seek to turn them from darkness to light. Teach gospel doctrines clearly, affectionately, simply, and plainly, and especially those truths which have a present and practical bearing upon man's condition and God's grace. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 06:40AM (-06:00) UNION MILLS CONFECTIONERY WEST PORTSMOUTH OHIO Wednesday, January 07, 2009 UNION MILLS CONFECTIONERY BAKERY IN WEST PORTSMOUTH OHIO Debbie Blevins/ Charity Whisnant Co-Owners and Operators Sisters and daughters of Bob and Lenora Temple A SPECIALTY BAKERY (740) 858-4633 1120 Galena Pike, West Portsmouth, OH 45663 Charity and Debbie Union Mills is a“Made from Scratch” Bakery (call ahead of time to place your special order) 740 - 858 - 4633 A small town bakery, locally owned, and personally hands on operation. “Made from Scratch” Pies Bread Cookies Cream Horns Decorated sheet Cakes Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 07:05AM (-06:00) 23

BIBLICAL SEPARATION IS RATHER CLEAR Wednesday, January 07, 2009 It is better to stay at home and read God's Word (Arthur Pink, "A Call to Separation") "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and the Devil? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols?" 2 Corinthians 6:14-16 This command is so plain, that it requires no interpreter. Righteousness--and wickedness; light--and darkness; Christ--and the Devil; God's temple--and idols. What do they have in common? This is a call to godly separation. This passage gives utterance to a Divine exhortation for those belonging to Christ--to hold aloof from all intimate associations with the ungodly. It expressly forbids them entering into alliances with the unconverted. It definitely prohibits the children of God walking arm-in-arm with worldlings. It is an admonition applying to every phase and department of our lives--religious, domestic, social, commercial. And never, perhaps, was there a time when it more needed pressing on Christians, than now. The days in which we are living are marked by the spirit of compromise. On every side we behold unholy mixtures, ungodly alliances, and unequal yokes. Many professing Christians appear to be trying how near to the world they may walk--and yet go to Heaven! To Israel, God said, "So do not act like the people in Egypt, where you used to live, or like the people of Canaan, where I am taking you. You must not imitate their way of life. You must obey all My regulations and be careful to keep My laws, for I, the Lord, am your God!" (Leviticus 18:3-4) And again, "Do not live by the customs of the people whom I will expel before you. It is because they do these terrible things--that I detest them so much!" (Leviticus 20:23) It was for their disregard of these very prohibitions, that Israel brought down upon themselves such severe chastisements.God's call to His people in Babylon is, "Come out of her, My people! Do not take part in her sins!" (Revelation 18:4) No one can be a whole- hearted follower of the Lord Jesus who is, in any way, "yoked" to His enemies!"Do not be yoked together with unbelievers." This applies first to our religious connections. How many Christians are members of so-called "churches," where much is going on which they know is at direct variance with the Word of God--either the teaching from the pulpit, the worldly attractions used to draw the ungodly, and the worldly methods employed to finance it, or the constant receiving into its membership of those who give no evidence of having been born again. Believers in Christ who remain in such "churches" are dishonoring their Lord. Should they answer: "Practically all the churches are the same, and were we to resign, what would we do? We must go somewhere on Sundays!" Such language would show they are putting their own interests, before the glory of Christ. It is better to stay at home and read God's Word--than fellowship with that which His Word condemns! ~~~~ Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 10:39PM (-06:00) 25

I LOVE TRAINS AND BIBLICAL THEOLOGY Thursday, January 08, 2009 Surely God’s Word is plain enough in teaching that believing is not a meritorious act. It affirms that Christians are a people "who have believed through grace" (Acts 18:27). If then, they have believed "through grace," there is absolutely nothing meritorious about "believing," and if nothing meritorious, it could not be the ground or cause which moved God to choose them. No; God’s choice proceeds not from anything in us, or anything from us, but solely from His own sovereign pleasure. Once more, in Romans 11:5, we read of "a remnant according to the election of grace." There it is, plain enough; election itself is of grace, and grace is unmerited favour something for which we had no claim upon God whatsoever. Mr. Pink Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 07:36AM (-06:00) GOOD SERMONS ARE HARD TO FIND Thursday, January 08, 2009 Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 09:20AM (-06:00) 26

Beyond The Gates of Splendor - Thursday, January 08, 2009 53 years ago today (Jan. 8), Jim Elliot and four other missionaries were killed in Ecuador seeking to meet and evangelize the Waodani people. Here is a video about their mission: Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 05:35PM (-06:00) GOD DELIGHTS IN HIS SON CHRIST Friday, January 09, 2009 I BELIEVE GOD IS GOD WHO IS THE GOD OF ALL THE WORLD AND EVERYTHING THAT IS IN IT. AND THE ENTIRE WORLD IS GOD'S.THE ENTIRE FUTURE OF THE WORLD IS GOD'S TO DOWHAT HE WILL.The Lord’s Chosen Servant Isaiah 42:1-25 42:1 Behold my Servant, (Christ) whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon Him; (Christ) He will bring forth justice to the nations. 2 He will not cry aloud or lift up His voice, or make it heard in the street; 3 a bruised reed He will not break, and a faintly burning wick He will not quench; He will faithfully bring forth justice. 4 He will not grow faint or be discouraged till He has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for His law. 5 Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens mand stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it: 6 “I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, 7 to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. 8 I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols. 9 Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.” Sing to the Lord a New Song 27

10 Sing to the Lord a new song, His praise from the end of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that fills it, coastlands and their inhabitants. 11 Let the desert and its cities lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar inhabits; let the habitants of Sela sing for joy, let them shout from the top of the mountains. 12 Let them give glory to the Lord, and declare His praise in the coastlands. 13 The Lord goes out like a mighty man, like a man of war He stirs up His zeal; He cries out, He shouts aloud, He shows himself mighty against His foes. 14 For a long time I have held my peace; I have kept still and restrained myself; now I will cry out like a woman in labor; I will gasp and pant. 15 I will lay waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their vegetation; I will turn the rivers into islands, and dry up the pools. 16 And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them. 17 They are turned back and utterly put to shame, who trust in carved idols, who say to metal images, “You are our gods.” Israel’s Failure to Hear and See 18 Hear, you deaf, and look, you blind, that you may see! 19 Who is blind but my servant, or deaf as my messenger whom I send? Who is blind as my dedicated one, or blind as the servant of the Lord? 20 He sees many things, but does not observe them; his ears are open, but he does not her. 21 The Lord was pleased, for his righteousness’ sake, to magnify his law and make it glorious. 22 But this is a people plundered and looted; they are all of them trapped in holes and hidden in prisons; they have become plunder with none to rescue, spoil with none to say, “Restore!” 23 Who among you will give ear to this, will attend and listen for the time to come? 28

24 Who gave up Jacob to the looter, and Israel to the plunderers? Was it not the Lord, against whom we have sinned, in whose ways they would not walk, and whose law they would not obey? 25 So he poured on him the heat of his anger and the might of battle; it set him on fire all around, but he did not understand; it burned him up, but he did not take it to heart. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 06:58AM (-06:00) PASTOR'S OFFICE, AND STUDY AND LIBRARY Saturday, January 10, 2009 YES THIS IS PART OF MY OFFICES AT CHURCH. YEP, ISN'T GOD GOOD AND THE FOLKS AT RIVERS OF JOY BAPTIST CHURCH? VIEW OF MY STUDY BOOKS IN LIBRARY ROOM VIEW OF RESEARCH BINDERS IN LIBRARY ROOM DESK IN LIBRARY AND STUDY ROOMWITH VIEW OF BOTH BOOKS AND BINDERS. A LOOK THAT THE ROLL OF THE PASTOR'S OFFICE The Pastor's Office includes the church pastoral leadership, as well as the directors of our ministry divisions.The meaning of the Greek word we translate as pastor is shepherd. The job title pastor therefore refers to a spiritual shepherd. (See Ephesians 4:11) In this way, Jesus is referred to as the great Shepherd of the sheep. (Hebrews 13:20) He is the role model for all of God's pastors. Jesus is the great Shepherd and all of His pastors are the lesser shepherds. By looking at how Jesus shepherds the sheep we can see how a pastor should shepherd the flock of God - God's people. In Paul's letter to the Ephesians we learn that the office of pastor (spiritual shepherd) is one of the offices that contributes to the 29

equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry for the building up of the body of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11) In the same letter, we learn some important aspects of how Jesus Christ carries out his role as the great Shepherd. Paul writes, "Husbands love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of the water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hates his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church." Ephesians 5:27-29 - NKJV This exhortation, although it is directly applied to husbands, also applies to pastors and exhorts them to follow the model Christ provides. Christ is the great Shepherd of the Church, the husband is the shepherd for his wife and, likewise, the pastor is the shepherd for his flock in the church. The pastor is to give his life for the flock in ministering the Holy Spirit and the Word to them. He is to nourish and cherish (that is, tenderly look after) his church. The role of pastor - it is important to recognise - is not peculiar to the New Testament church. We see it also in the Old Testament church of God. God had high expectations, even back then, of His pastors and He upbraided them when they did not fulfil those expectations. As the mouth piece of God Jeremiah declares, "For the shepherds [of the people] have become like brutes, irrational and stupid, and have not sought the Lord or inquired of Him or required Him [by necessity and by right of His word]. Therefore they have not dealt prudently and have not prospered, and all their flocks are scattered." Jeremiah 10:21 - 30

From this we see God expects His pastors to - seek Him inquire of Him require Him - which is to petition Him in prayer. We also see that He expects, as a consequence of doing this, that they will - conduct themselves wisely ensure that the flock stays together in unity Ezekiel also provides us with a similar understanding of God's expectation for His pastors. He writes, "Thus says the Lord God to the shepherds: 'Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks?'" Ezekiel 34:2 - NKJV What does God expect from His shepherds, His pastors? He expects them to spiritually feed (that is, nourish) God's people. Ezekiel continues, "The weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who were sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away, nor sought what was lost; but with force and cruelty you have ruled them." Ezekiel 34:4 - NKJV Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 10:36AM (-06:00) MY CONFIDIENCE OF MY SALVATION IS Tuesday, January 13, 2009 "Faith cannot be without a settled peace of mind, from which proceeds the bold confidence of rejoicing," John Calvin wrote in his commentary on Hebrews in the mid-sixteenth century. This point is most striking, and mostly underplayed by many exegetes. How could Calvin write something so...insensitive? And again: "We hence conclude that those who assent to the gospel doubtfully and like those who vacillate, do not truly and really believe. "Just as faith is the assurance of things hoped for, so, too, is faith the constant and confident hope of the believer (Heb. 11:1; cf. 3:6). For Calvin, then, faith necessarily includes a firm confidence in that which has been believed: "Besides, what firmness of confidence can there be when men know not what they ought to believe?" But again we must ask, did not Calvin see how unsympathetic this doctrinal point would be to the one who has doubt in his or her interest in the heavenly Jerusalem? How might Calvin respond to such an inquiry? Whether he anticipated this question or not, the truth is that the reader will not be able to simply skim his writings for an answer. It is there, but it is not all laid out in plain view, so to speak. One lyrical gem comes to mind that falls in line with his understanding that faith cannot 31

be without a firm persuasion of the promises of God. Writing on predestination, Calvin quipped that if someone were to ask him how he is to know that he is elect, his answer would be "Christ is more than a thousand testimonies to me." That is, being persuaded of the veracity of the promises of God made certain in the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus provide a more substantial ground of assurance than a thousand outward attestations of faith (both in personal good deeds and in verbal compliments paid by our peers). In other words, man's praise should be cast at the foot of the cross. What we see here is a bold affirmation of the supernatural gracious gift of faith over against a worked-for faith. But this confidence of which Calvin spoke is not brazen; it is Spirit-filled meekness, and "meekness" here does not mean "timid" but "unpretentious." As one version of the Bible translates it: "Happy are those who are humble; they will receive what God has promised!" (Matt. 5:5, TEV). It is no coincidence that Saint Matthew's gospel and the letter to the Hebrews agree that receiving what God has promised comes as a result of being meek (or put differently, of having saving faith). Thus, the settled peace of mind attached to the faith of which Calvin spoke does not declare, "I'm so saved, I couldn't go to hell if I tried." Rather, it cries along with the tax collector: "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!" (cf. Luke 18:9-14; see also 15:1-7). To be sure, Calvin granted that absolute certainty in this life is unthinkable, given that one anxiety or another always assails assurance. But saving faith is not stagnant, nor does it endlessly embrace gross doctrinal errors (the two points against which Calvin's argument is directed). This, then, is the context within which we must view Calvin's statements about faith above. The Genevan reformer was a committed preacher and churchman, as the records of his persistent preaching and congregational and missional ministries show. He was not insensitive to his parishioner's needs. And the need that he was meeting was the dispensing of all false notions of security. His opponents had posited the idea that a person could fail to grasp the content of the gospel and yet have faith. This had the unfortunate effect of sending many people through life wrapped in a false blanket of assurance. But passages like Hebrews 3:6 remind us, according to Calvin, that "we are always to make progress even unto death; for our whole life is as it were a race." In like manner, we must be equally concerned today with, for example, such mistaken conceptions as "carnal Christianity." This is why we say that the believer's sanctification necessarily flows from his or her justification. That is, good works in Christ Jesus follow from being saved by grace alone through faith alone. Such works are done in gratitude for salvation -- not as prerequisites for salvation. Knowing this also helps us to understand what is happening when we see those who have but a transitory faith yield no lasting fruit. They are like the third seed in our Savior's parable, the one that was sown among the thorns and eventually strangled by the cares of this world (Matt. 13; Mark 4). The only certain ground of assurance, which the letter to the Hebrews makes clear time and time again, is the finished work of the risen Christ. A confidence based on anything less can only lead to a baseless faith. For this reason, let us "lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God" (Heb. 12:1b-2). *****This article originally appeared in Tabletalk magazine (February 2004). I am ask, "Do you think someone was a Christian?" My confidence of my salvation is only 32

based upon the finished work of Christ at the Cross. My salvation, my confidence of my salvation is not based upon the idea that I am a preacher or teacher, or pastor of a church, or forty years of ministry. By confidence rest upon Christ, who has given me this inner peace of His work for me. Therefore for me to speak of others without knowing their mind, I can't really say. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 06:17AM (-06:00) A SNOWY HILL WITH A TRAIN Tuesday, January 13, 2009 The Bible Translation That Rocked the World Luther's Bible introduced mass media, unified a nation, and set the standard for future translations. Martin Luther was many things: preacher, teacher, orator, translator, theologian, composer, and family man. He came to symbolize everything the Protestant Reformation stood for. But perhaps Luther's greatest achievement was the German Bible. No other work has had as strong an impact on a nation's development and heritage as has this Book. In Luther's time, the German language consisted of several regional dialects (all similar to the tongue spoken in the courts of the Hapsburg and Luxemburg emperors). How were these scattered dialects united into one modern language? The rise of the middle class, the growth of trade, and the invention of the printing press all played a part. But the key factor was Luther's Bible. The Wartburg Wonder Following the Diet of Worms in 1521, Luther's territorial ruler, Frederick the Wise, had Luther hidden away for safekeeping in the castle at Wartburg. Luther settled down and translated Erasmus's Greek New Testament in only eleven weeks. This is a phenomenal feat under any circumstances, but Luther contended with darkened days, poor lighting, and his own generally poor health. Das Newe Testament Deutzsch was published in September 1522. A typographical masterpiece, containing woodcuts from Lucas Cranach's workshop and selections from Albrecht Durer's famous Apocalypse series, the September Bibel sold an estimated five thousand copies in the first two months alone. Luther then turned his attention to the Old Testament. Though well taught in both Greek and Hebrew, he would not attempt it alone. "Translators must never work by themselves," he wrote. "When one is alone, the best and most suitable words do not always occur to him." Luther thus formed a translation committee, which he dubbed his "Sanhedrin." If the notion of a translation committee seems obvious today, it is because such scholars as Philipp Melanchthon, Justus Jonas, John Bugenhagen, and Caspar Cruciger joined 33

Luther in setting the precedent. Never before, and not for many years after, was the scholarship of this body equaled. Forcing Prophets to Speak German Luther remained the principal translator, however. His spirit motivated and guided the Sanhedrin in producing a translation that was not literal in the truest sense of the word. He wanted this Bible to be in spoken rather than bookish or written German. Before any word or phrase could be put on paper, it had to pass the test of Luther's ear, not his eye. It had to sound right. This was the German Bible's greatest asset, but it meant Luther had to straddle the fence between the free and the literal. "It is not possible to reproduce a foreign idiom in one's native tongue," he wrote. "The proper method of translation is to select the most fitting terms according to the usage of the language adopted. To translate properly is to render the spirit of a foreign language into our own idiom. I try to speak as men do in the market place. In rendering Moses, I make him so German that no one would suspect he was a Jew." The translators used the court tongue as their base language but flavored it with the best of all the dialects they could find in the empire. Luther, a relentless perfectionist who might spend a month searching out a single word, talked at length with old Germans in the different regions. To better understand the sacrificial rituals in the Mosaic law, he had the town butcher cut up sheep so he could study their entrails. When he ran into the precious stones in the "new Jerusalem" that were unfamiliar to him, he had similar gems from the elector's collection brought for him to study. Luther longed to express the original Hebrew in the best possible German, but the task was not without its difficulties. "We are now sweating over a German translation of the Prophets," he wrote. "O God, what a hard and difficult task it is to force these writers, quite against their wills, to speak German. They have no desire to give up their native Hebrew in order to imitate our barbaric German. It is as though one were to force a nightingale to imitate a cuckoo, to give up his own glorious melody for a monotonous song he must certainly hate. The translation of Job gives us immense trouble on account of its exalted language, which seems to suffer even more, under our attempts to translate it, than Job did under the consolation of his friends, and seems to prefer to lie among the ashes." In spite of this, the Sanhedrin worked rapidly but accurately, translating in a tone more apologetic than scientific. The result was a German Bible of such literary quality that those competent to say so consider it superior even to the King James Version that followed it. And because it sounded natural when spoken as well as read, its cadence and readability have made it a popular Bible in Germany to this day. The Book Must Be in German Homes Germans everywhere bought Luther's Bible, not only for the salvation of their souls (if such was their concern), but also for the new middleclass prestige it conferred. It was the must book to have in their homes, and many Germans had no choice but to read it: it was likely to be one of the few books they could afford to buy. It was the first time a mass medium had ever penetrated everyday life. Everyone read Luther's new Bible or listened to it being read. Its phrasing became the people's phrasing, its speech patterns their speech patterns. So universal was its appeal, and so thoroughly did it embrace the entire range of the German tongue, that it formed a linguistic rallying point for the formation of the modern German language. It helped formally restructure German literature and the German performing arts. Its impact, and Luther's in general, were so awesome that Frederick the Great later called Luther the personification of the German national spirit. Many scholars still consider him the most influential German who ever lived. Uncle of the English Bible 34

As might be expected, the German Bible's impact reached well beyond the borders of the empire. It was the direct source for Bibles in Holland, Sweden, Iceland, and Denmark, and its influence was felt in many other countries as well. Most important, the Bible left a permanent impression on a great translator of the English Bible. William Tyndale, one of the Reformation's champions, had fled from England to the Continent about the time Luther was publishing his German New Testament. He, too, was translating from the original manuscripts, and possibly he and Luther met in Wittenberg. One strong point of Luther's work that impressed Tyndale was the order given to the books of the New Testament. In previous Bibles, there had been no uniform arrangement; translators placed them in whatever order suited them. Luther, however, ranked them by the yardstick of was treibt Christus—how Christ was taught: the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John); the Acts of the Apostles; the Epistles, in descending order of the Savior's prominence in each; and, finally, the Revelation of John. Tyndale followed Luther's lead, as have virtually all Bible translators since. Many phrases we know today came from Luther, through Tyndale. From the German's natürlich, Tyndale wrote natural, and the phrase natural man appeared in 1 Corinthians 2:14. Luther's auf dem gebirge became was a voice heard in Matthew 2:18. Tyndale translated from Luther the place of dead men's skulls in John 19:17, Ye vex yourselves off a true meaning in 2 Corinthians 6:12, Doctors in the Scripture in 1 Timothy 1:7, and hosianna in Matthew 21:15. Like Luther, Tyndale eschewed the Latinized ecclesiastical terms in favor of those applicable to his readers: repent instead of do penance; congregation rather than church; Savior or elder in the place of priest; and love over charity for the Greek agape. Both translations flowed freely in a rhythm and happy fluency of narration; and, wherever he could, Tyndale upheld Luther's doctrine of justification by faith. While in many instances the two translators must have reached the same conclusions independently, Luther's strong influence on the father of the English Bible is unmistakable. Since Tyndale's English translation makes up more than 90 percent of the King James New Testament and more than 75 percent of the Revised Standard Version, Luther's legacy is still plain to see. Luther was exceptionally gifted in many areas. But the aspect of his genius perhaps most responsible for his impact is the one least heralded: his skill and power as a translator and writer. Had it not been for that, the Protestant Reformation and the growth of a united German nation might have taken an entirely different course. Henry Zecher is a personnel specialist at the U. S. Department of Health & Human Resources. Formerly, he wrote for the Delaware State News. Copyright © 1992 by the author or Christianity Today International/Christian History magazine. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 02:21PM (-06:00) JOHN PIPER MAKING A SNOW ANGEL Wednesday, January 14, 2009 WHO SAID PREACHERS COULDN'T HAVE FUN IN THE SNOW! NOT ME! Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 08:46AM (-06:00) 35

ELLEN WHAT IS THIS ALL ABOUT? Thursday, January 15, 2009 Okay Ellen what is this all about? Find out here A new Pilate Move? - At least its not a brick! Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 06:35AM (-06:00) YOUR FAITH VIRAL OR PEDAGOGICAL? PT 1 Friday, January 16, 2009 WHAT GUIDES YOUR FAITH? pt 1 Faith, of whatever variety, is increasingly viral rather than pedagogical. Viral: (an e-mail message, usually in the form of advertising, that contains elements that makes recipients want to forward it to others. It's contagious and spreads like a virus on the internet. Sometimes funny, shallow, awful or scary Among the first to write about viral marketing on the Internet was media critic Douglas Rushkoff in his 1994 book Media Virus. The assumption is that if such an advertisement reaches a "susceptible" user, that user will become "infected" (i.e., sign up for an account) and can then go on to infect other susceptible users. As long as each infected user sends mail to more than one susceptible user on average (i.e., the basic reproductive rate is greater than one), standard in epidemiology imply that the number of infected users will grow according to a logistic curve, whose initial segment appears exponential. Ped-a-gog-i-cal: teaching: the science or profession of teaching (educational, academic, instructive, tutorial, didactic. • With people spending less time reading the Bible, and becoming less engaged in activities that deepen their biblical literacy, faith views are more often adopted on the basis of dialogue, self-reflection, and observation than teaching. Feelings and emotions now play a significant role in the development of people’s faith views - in many cases, much more significant than information-based exercises such as listening to preaching and participating in Bible study. 36

later today part two...... with pictures.... and a example of faith........ Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 06:51AM (-06:00) YOUR FAITH VIRAL OR PEDAGOGICAL? PT 2 Saturday, January 17, 2009 WHAT GUIDES YOUR FAITH PART TWO MID-WEEK BIBLE STUDY AND FELLOWSHIP. Several topics I would like to view tonight: 1A How does the preaching and teaching of the Word help you in your daily life? What is your life scriptural verse that you live by, and how? 2A Do you believe the Gospel that we preached a generation ago has the same affect on lost people today? 3A There is one gospel. Yes, the Roman Road was effective in my youth, but is that same form affective today as it was? 4A Why are we not seeing the unsaved coming to church as we used to? 5A Another topic: Does it seem in the culture that we live in today, seems fewer and fewer people being raised with a Judeo/Christian ethic. Increasing numbers are growing up without understanding of sin as being a violation of God's moral law, which will result in our approach to sin and forgiveness of sin. 6A Many Christians are finding resources for living other than the preaching and teaching of the Word of God in the Church. What most affects my opinion on my spiritual behavior? • Is it God’s Word, Preaching/Teaching, Dr. Phil, Oprah, or my own personal self- wisdom? You might say I don't listen to talk TV or radio, I do my on self wisdom thing? That is what I mean. "You have your own spiritual path you are taking, and it’s a little this and a little that." A spiritual teacher on Oprah, Elizabeth Lesser. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.(Ephesians 5:17 – ESV) 37

In light of viewing Oprah yesterday, she interviewed a spiritualist teacher. She, along with a number of other spiritualist teachers, has offered their opinion and subjective feelings and impressions about how to achieve spirituality with the inner self. I want to address this issue of the godly spiritually. While you might say, I don’t listen to Oprah, or you don’t buy into her spirituality talk, many buy into a host of other spiritualist teaching from our culture. Secular spiritualists have been around since Solomon. Those who try to connect the body life with the spirit being of a person have driven the culture for ever. “The activating or essential principle influencing a person,” known as a spirit, one of many definitions of the term as noted below. • Footnote: You will find a somewhat good definition of the term spiritualist here http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spirit which is another whole subject I would like to address later. All spiritualist teaching even in the secular culture are striving to help people have a productive life, the question being, productive for whom? We all desire an industrious life, that gives meaning to our living on planet earth. In the midst of our normal life, we constantly live surrounded by a number of factors that alter our thinking, behavior and affect our acts, and affect our temper or disposition of mind or outlook. Thus There are a number of cultural, secular spiritualists, who offer advice as to how to gain spiritual health. I personally like this one: • Rejuvenation of body, mind and soul along with spiritual expansion and exploration is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself! And, what better place to experience this than the beautiful paradise island of Kauai whose panoramic lush views and heart energy embrace you lovingly.· http://www.customizedspiritualjourneys.com/ The number of “Christians” who encounter major distractions in their life, death of a family member, financial difficultly, marriage-related stress, family members’ worries, fears of actual threats and danger, sickness in the family, the workplace environment. Then there is the related emotional state of anxiety which typically occurs without any external threat, those who just can’t handle living their life due to personal mental stress. Some have certain kinds of phobia (from Greek: "fear"), which is an irrational, intense, persistent fear of certain situations, activities, things, or people which drive their emotion. And in many cases, leads the “Christian” to be distracted, unfocused, troubled, agitated and ready for the death bed of living life productive for Christ. Part three later today. hopefully Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 05:30AM (-06:00) 38

UNION MILLS IN THE WINTER SNOW Saturday, January 17, 2009 “Legalistic remorse says, ‘I broke God’s rules,’ while real repentance says, ‘I broke God’s heart.’ Legalistic repentance takes sin to Mt. Sinai, gospel repentance to Mt. Calvary. Legalistic repentance is convicted by punishment, gospel repentance becomes convicted by mercy.” - Timothy Keller, Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 08:09AM (-06:00) GREETINGS TO THE PEOPLE AT ROJBC Saturday, January 17, 2009 GREETINGS TO THE MEMBERS AND FRIENDS OF RIVERS OF JOY BAPTIST CHURCH WHEN IS ATTENDING A LOCAL CHURCH GOOD? If you are a "Christian" a believer, and a Baptist, you know attending a local church is what Christians who love the Lord do. We all know that. On the positive side, many will go to church on Sunday, (some on Saturday) some will go Sunday Evening, and some on Wednesday. Many really love to attend their church services. Many enjoy singing in the choir, singing special, teaching a children's class, teach the teens, and adult classes. Some even like hearing the preaching/teaching from the Pastor/Teacher. - To really love getting up in the morning, and getting ready, and being ready for worship, fellowship and encouraging others, is really a joy. Many experience that each week. - To walk in to the church building and experience and know and believe there is going to be worship, and 39

fellowship is joyfulness at its best. You find yourself glad you are their, before you even pull up on the parking lot. You have your Bible, note book, and you are ready, and you are thirty minutes early. You sing in the choir, you sing with the other folks, you talk to others, you witness the joy of others that have joined you to worship, and have fellowship, read the scripture and pray, and listen to the preaching and teaching, and you are filled with the joy of the Lord. You are excited to teach your Bible class, you are excited to give an offering to the Lord, you are excited that you have Christians friends who join you in this wonderful joy of the Lord. NOW THAT IS WHAT CHURCH EXPERIENCE SHOULD BE LIKE. And for a lot of people that is what really happens. And you know how that happens? YOU MAKE IT HAPPEN. GROWBYLEARNING/CHURCH PAGE Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 11:18AM (-06:00) THE VOICE OF JOY AND PRAISE Sunday, January 18, 2009 What is interesting, about this Christian life, your prespectives can change. In the years 1947 thru 1996 going to church on Sunday and Wednesday was never a question with me. Going to church generally was the joy of my life. The reason I guess was that I was deeply involved in ministry of the local church. Being involved in a local ministry, keeps you enjoying going to the local church. In the years 1997 thru the middle of 2008, church ministry was not as a pastor/teacher, but as a staff member, or member of the church with little responsibility. There were times in the last four years, that my desire to even go to a local church was getting a test of my enjoyment. Just been honest. My love for the Lord has not decreased, but have learned more about the Word in these last four years than I have in the previous 10 years or twenty years. My element is preaching/teaching and pastoring a local church. Herein is the real joy of my life. 40

THE JOY OF THE LORD • Psalms 32:11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart. • Psalms 42:4 When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday. When I remember these things, these things that the Lord has allowed me to experience for these many years, I look back with a voice of joy and praise. When you filter out all the stuff that has distracted you in doing ministry, and focus on the ministry itself, and you focus on your great salvation, and you focus on our great God and Jesus Christ, your voice is of joy and praise. FOCUS ON CHRIST AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, FOCUS ON HIS GIFT OF SALVATION TO US. FOCUS ON THE COMING OF THE SECOND COMING. I AM LOOKING FOR JESUS. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 02:18PM (-06:00) INTRODUCTION: SECOND COMING IS COMING Monday, January 19, 2009 Sunday I recorded the message THE SECOND COMING IS COMING. The message was 45 minutes. But as I have learned, YouTube only takes ten minutes. I am learning this process slowly as you will see. I was using myKodak, which does great. I just need to get better. Which I will. I have been able to upload five minutes of the message. I was in the Fellowship Bible Study room on Sunday. Also I downloaded the message, and put the mesage on a DVD. This is my very first DVD. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 11:15AM (-06:00) JOHN PIPER ON THE ECONOMY ISSUE Monday, January 19, 2009 Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 04:56PM (-06:00) 41

MACARTHUR ON THE WORD OF GOD Monday, January 19, 2009 John MacArthur has being my role model for thirty years. Preaching and teaching the Word My personal desire is to have a church where people love the Word of God. • I desire that the Lord would give us people who truly love to know HIM, and know His Will, and desire to SERVE Him, and to desire to hear the teaching and preaching of the Word of God. The center of our ministry at Rivers of Joy Baptist Church, is going to be the teaching of the Word of God. My hope is this: Christians are going to be hunger to know the Word, and will desire to learn what God is saying to us about Him and Jesus Christ His Son. How He wants us to love Him, and praise Him and to give Him glory and worship. And that is why we have three times on Sunday and once on Wednesday to hear the teaching of the Word, and that is why I have a Blogger and a Website. THE CHURCH THAT WILL HONOR THE LORD IS A CHURCH THAT LOVES HIM, HIS WORK AND HIS WORK. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 04:59PM (-06:00) ARE WE MISSIONARIES OR MISSION FIELDS Tuesday, January 20, 2009 Christians or Pragmatists? WE ARE CONFUSED WHAT IT MEANS TO BE "BORN AGAIN" because Americal is a melting pot of belief and mostly pragmatists. H o w w e understand incidents and events in our lives depends on how we view the world we live in. It depends on whether we think God is sovereign over life or if we think nobody is home in heaven. Most of us are inconsistent about these things. Our viewpoint comes from the melting pot. We get mixed up. Our pot has a dash of faith and a dash of skepticism. We are at once Christian or religious and secular. We believe in God, He is in control, or He is sometimes. Our faith or belief has elements of superstition at some times and is tempered by sober science at other times. 42

We are at the same time Christians and card-carrying pragmatists. On Sunday we read our Bible. On Monday we are fatalists. We try to separate our Christian or church life from the rest of our life. We live by holding contradictory beliefs. Living in contradictions can be exciting. Life is surely more than logic. But the contradictory life is a confusing life, a life of inconsistency and incoherence. Its bottom line is chaos. We are inconsistent and confused because we fail to understand where Christianity ends and paganism begins. We do not know where the boundary lines are. Consequently we move back and forth across the lines, making an attempt at some new occupation or activity between darkness and light. We are lost in our own culture, swirling around in the melting pot . We're not sure whether we are the witnesses or the ones being witnessed to. We don't know if we are the missionaries or the mission field. While we believe we are "Christians", what we don't know how that "faith" works out in the culture. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 05:40AM (-06:00) PRESIDENT NUMBER 44 AND 56TH TIME Tuesday, January 20, 2009 The meteoric rise of Barack Obama has been nothing less than astounding. To think that five years ago the now President of the United States was an Illinois state senator is the political story of my generation. The fact that a black man has been sworn in as the President of the United States during the lifetimes of people who endured segregation is even more amazing and far more important. It was only 43 years ago that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stood at the Lincoln Memorial and gave his "I Have a Dream" speech to an overflowing Washington Mall crowd. Today a black American stood on the opposite end of the Mall and repeated the oath that only 43 men in history have uttered. This inauguration, the 56th in our nation's history, is a historical moment unlike any other in our nation's history. - Some good thoughts on this Inauguration Day check here. Dan Philips and Phil Johnson and the team are great. You will get some interesting perspectives on the day. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 08:02AM (-06:00) 43

OABAMA SWORN IN AS 44TH PRESIDENT Tuesday, January 20, 2009 Obama's sworn in as 44th President of the United States (video) I am not going to debate this issue, Obama is our President of the country that I am a member. Remember we had Clinton as President too. Nevertheless, we as Christians are called to pray for this nation. If I am not mistaken, God is sovereign, and God is in control. I will leave the history of America to Him. What He has called us to do, is to be the Christian that He calls us to be in the next four years. America is made up of all people, the Christian believer and the unbeliever. And we can not believe that unbelievers are going to Christians. We are not a Christian nation. We are it seems a mixed of people with all kinds of faith in all kinds of beliefs. Those who call themselves Christians are not together in that they believe. I am more concern with those who call themselves Christians than I am with the secular world. God called us (Matthew 28:18-20) to be the light in a lost world. God did not call the Presdent to speak for him. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 04:27PM (-06:00) GEORGE BUSH IS STILL MY MAN Tuesday, January 20, 2009 Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 08:28PM (-06:00) HOW TO PRAY FOR OUR PRESIDENT Wednesday, January 21, 2009 A Prayer for President Obama Our Father, Lord of all creation, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: We pray today with a sense of special urgency and responsibility. We come before you to pray for our new President, Barack Obama, and for all those in this new administration who now assume roles of such high responsibility. (read the rest of Al Mohler's web) Praying for our President, Barack Obama As Americans, I suspect that none of us can fully appreciate the far-reaching significance of this event, though our nation and much of the rest of the world are electric with the inauguration of Barack Obama as the new President of the United States of America. To say that this is historic, is a gross understatement. (read the rest of this pastor's idea, great) - AND PRAY FOR GEORGE BUSH AS WELL..... Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 05:15AM (-06:00) 44

SO I LIKE GEORGE W. BUSH Wednesday, January 21, 2009 'When I go home tonight and I look into the mirror, I'm not going to regret what I see.' GEORGE W. BUSH, speaking to a crowd of supporters in Midland, Texas following President Obama's inauguration THE PHOTO OF GEORGE W. BUSH BY TIMES GREAT VIDEOS Also a great article on what the Presidents do after their term is over here. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 06:29AM (- 06:00) YOUR FAITH VIRAL OR PEDAGOGICAL PT 3 Thursday, January 22, 2009 WHAT GUIDES YOUR FAITH? PT 3 (BACK January 17th)_ What most affects my opinion on my spiritual behavior? Is it God’s Word, Preaching/Teaching, Dr. Phil, Oprah, or my own personal self-wisdom? You might say I don't listen to talk TV or radio, I do my on self wisdom thing? That is what I mean. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 06:44AM (-06:00) 45

REDISCOVERING HOLINESS AS BELIEVERS SHOULD Thursday, January 22, 2009 One of the most profound books I have read, and continue to read, and often quote from is J.I.Packer's Rediscovering Holiness. I first read the book in December 1992, and even today read and quote from this book. I believe today we are current losing the biblical truth about holiness. Today, we are ever losing the reality of biblical truth. There was a time when all Christians put great emphasis on the reality of God's call to Holiness. I am amaze today to see many who say they are "Christians" yet their lives and talk and behavior often don't picture or mirror the reality of Christ's holiness in their live. Take time today to ask God to get your attention off self and others, and back on Christ. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 06:33PM (-06:00) EXPOSITIONAL PREACHERS ARE MODERN DAY PROPHETS Friday, January 23, 2009 SO MANY pastors out there want a formula to make their church grow…and so they hop from conference to conference trying to figure out what might work rather than BEGGING God for a white hot vision that will change the community that they are in. Here’s the deal… lets be faithful to pray and seek God's vision for our church. My job as a pastor is NOT to find the latest, greatest church growth methods…but rather to be completely faithful and obedient to the vision God has poured inside of me. As I have said up front, this is God's Ministry, and its God's Business to Bless as He desires, Its my job and joy to be faithful in the teaching and preaching of the Word of God. And be faithful in living the life that God has called me to do. One more thing…yes, we SHOULD go to conferences…we should learn as much as we can from others…however, our leadership should be DOMINATED by REVELATIONfrom God rather than INSPIRATION from others. Quote from an unlikly preacher. MY MIND HAS BEING DEELY INTERNAL TO SEEK GOD'S VISION FOR THE CHURCH. ITS ABOUT GETTING UNDERSTANDING OF THE WISDOM OF GOD IN THE MATTER OF CHURCH MINISTRY. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 08:54AM (-06:00) 46

ABORTION HAS ALWAYS BEING AN ISSUE Friday, January 23, 2009 Extrabiblical Jewish Literature Gene Veith recommends the book, Abortion and the Early Church: Christian, Jewish and Pagan Attitudes in the Greco- Roman World: by Michael J. Gorman. It turns out that, far from being a modern medical procedure, abortion was rampant in the ancient world. Especially in Rome. And Christians, as well as Jews, consistently opposed it, standing up for life from the very earliest days of the church. The noncanonical Jewish wisdom literature further clarifies first-century Judaism's view of abortion. For example, the Sentences of Pseudo-Phocylides 184–186 (c. 50 B.C.–A.D. 50) says that “a woman should not destroy the unborn in her belly, nor after its birth throw it before the dogs and vultures as a prey.” Included among those who do evil in the apocalyptic Sibylline Oracles were women who “aborted what they carried in the womb” (2.281–282). Similarly, the apocryphal book 1 Enoch (2nd or 1st century B.C.) declares that an evil angel taught humans how to “smash the embryo in the womb” (69.12). Finally, the first-century Jewish historian Josephus wrote that “the law orders all the offspring to be brought up, and forbids women either to cause abortion or to make away with the fetus” (Against Apion 2.202). Contrast these injunctions with the barbarism of Roman culture. Cicero (106–43 B.C.) records that according to the Twelve Tables of Roman Law, “deformed infants shall be killed” (De Legibus 3.8). Plutarch (c. a.d. 46–120) spoke of those who he said “offered up their own children, and those who had no children would buy little ones from poor people and cut their throats as if they were so many lambs or young birds; meanwhile the mother stood by without a tear or moan” (Moralia 2.171D). Early Christian Literature Against the bleak backdrop of Roman culture, the Hebrew “sanctity of human life” ethic provided the moral framework for early Christian condemnation of abortion and infanticide. For instance, the Didache 2.2 (c. A.D. 85–110) commands, “thou shalt not murder a child by abortion nor kill them when born.” Another noncanonical early Christian text, the Letter of Barnabas 19.5 (c. A.D. 130), said: “You shall not abort a child nor, again, commit infanticide.” There are numerous other examples of Christian condemnation of both infanticide and abortion. In fact, some biblical scholars have argued that the silence of the NT on abortion per se is due to the fact that it was simply assumed to be beyond the pale of early Christian practice. Nevertheless, Luke (a physician) points to fetal personhood when he observes that the unborn John the Baptist “leaped for joy” in his mother's womb when Elizabeth came into the presence of Mary, who was pregnant with Jesus at the time (Luke 1:44). 47

http://theologica.blogspot.com/2009/01/abortion-and-early-church.html • More than merely condemning abortion and infanticide, however, early Christians provided alternatives by rescuing and adopting children who were abandoned. For instance, Callistus (d. c. A.D. 223) provided refuge to abandoned children by placing them in Christian homes, and Benignus of Dijon (3rd century) offered nourishment and protection to abandoned children, including some with disabilities caused by unsuccessful abortions. Bill Gothard's All Day Ministers Seminars that I went to for over 15 years. The teaching was, give solutions to abortions rather than fight abortions. We are not called to put up signs in front of a abortion doctors office, we are called to teaching the Word of God to the lost. We need to start with our own field of influnece. Protest in front of the doctor's office is not the way to cut down on abortions. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 05:06PM (-06:00) JOHNNY EDWARDS SINGING SOUTHERN GOSPEL MUSIC Monday, January 26, 2009 Sunday Night Johnny Edwards singing for the Rivers of Joy Baptist Church in Minford Ohio. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 02:12AM (-06:00) A MINISTRY SUCCESSFUL SEEN OVER TIME Tuesday, January 27, 2009 MADISON MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH 1972 Charity is on the right second row. A few of the kids that were coming that Sunday Charity and I were in Minford and I visited with the Pastor Kevin at Madison. They church today is doing rather well. Randy Barkley is still going to the church, and is still working with the kids and the Bus Ministry. I do believe the success of ministry is to see the ministry of the church continue to be successful 35 years after you leave. To see people who were in the church in 1973 and some kids, who are still serving the Lord in 2009. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 08:18AM (-06:00) 48

HAPPY THIRD ANNIVERSARY ERIC AND LESLIE Tuesday, January 27, 2009 HAPPY THIRD ANNIVERSARY TO OUR SON AND WIFEERIC AND LESLIE WHISNANT Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 09:14AM (-06:00) 49

SNOWY IN PORTSMOUTH OHIO JANUARY 27 Tuesday, January 27, 2009 Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 09:26AM (-06:00) ONLY HERE TO HEAR A SERMON Tuesday, January 27, 2009 NOW YOU WILL ONLY GET A THREE MINUTE SERMON HERE ON GROW BY LEARNING. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 03:02PM (-06:00) CARING! LOVING! FRIENDLY STARTS WITH US Wednesday, January 28, 2009 In whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.( Ephesians 2:21)– ESV) Solidarity is defined as common interest and active loyalty within a group. They go together: not just doing activity, and not just being within. Not on the outside and not stationary, inside and involved. Not simply showing up once in a while and perhaps participating when we want to, but staying within the group and in an active way. To both be present and to participate regularly. You can’t do that on TV, folks. Tuned in to TV doesn’t mean turned on to God. One reason we have to go to church is that we cannot do self-evaluation properly. When you pray like David in Psalms 19:12-14 or Psalms 139:23-24 for the Lord to reveal sins to you, God often answers you through other people. For David it was the prophets like Gad or Nathan. For us it will be through the loving, caring, body of believers of the local church. We can complain all we want about that certain local church not being a “loving, caring community”, but consider this. In Matthew 7:3-5, Jesus talks about having a beam in our eye. Now consider how having a beam makes us see everything as having a beam in it. Sometimes we don’t notice a certain type of car all over the road until you own one 50 yourself. You see a problem because you ARE a problem, we all are, but God uses the

means of each other to help us all out. If you think that you don’t need church you are wrong, but even if you didn’t, even if you did have it all together well then you should come help the rest of us. That which you have the ability to accomplish, do it, don't expect others to do what you are yourself not willing to do, or you yourselfe are able to do with a little effort and work. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 06:44AM (-06:00) RESULT OF SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT BRINGS CONTENTMENT Wednesday, January 28, 2009 A ten minute video of the message I preached Sunday Evening from Philippians 1:19 -21. tHIS MESSAGE IS ADDRESSING Philippians 1:20 .This is the series from Philippians I am preaching/teaching on Sunday Evening. THE OUTLINE FROM THE MESSAGE IS AS FOLLOWS: Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 07:31AM (-06:00) SNOW FLAKES IN PORTSMOUTH OHIO 2009 Wednesday, January 28, 2009 A PHOTO I TOOK. NOTICE THE FLAKES. LOVE THE SNOW, BUT THE ICE WAS BAD. Charity said, "Charles come down and look at the large snow fakes outside." And I took video about 11:30 a.m. I am telling you they are large. Snow, Rain, Snow, Ice, Snow..... what a day. I am also working on another site, like I need another one. 51

I have added another page over on GROWBYLEARNING WEBSITE Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 11:11AM (-06:00) IS STUDY FROM COMMENTARIES OKAY Wednesday, January 28, 2009 Should preachers/teachers use commentaries to learn what a passage of scripture means? For some reason we believe that we should as preachers be able to read a text from scripture and have a understanding of the passage. Is this correct thinking? The group of preachers who were in my life the last sixty years, have pride themselves on the idea that they don't need commentaries to understand the meaning of the Word of God. They simply use the KJV 1611. And in most cases that is all they use. You can tell. So should we use commentaries and use what we call technical resources books? Quoting Charles Spurgeon: • "The man who never reads will never be read; he who never quotes will never be quoted. He who will not use the thoughts of other men’s brains, proves that he has no brains of his own." QUOTING JAY ADAMS • "Speaking of exegesis, how do you do it? Do you cobble together bits and pieces from various commentaries into some explanation of the preaching portion? Or do you do the hard work of figuring out for yourself what the passage says, using various commentaries to help you? Between these two approaches to the text, there is a large difference. That for which you have worked will come through in your preaching as authentic. That which has been cribbed from some commentator who did the work, will come through as inauthentic (unless, of course, you are an astute actor). Hard work requires using a goodly number of sources to help you come to valid decisions about a passage. But it doesn’t mean abusing them by mere copying. Are you guilty of this sin, preacher? If so, repent, and begin to do the right thing that you know, down deep, you ought to be doing. Rightly handling the Word of God is not only work, but a great responsibility." So what do you do? Is it cheating to read what Charles Spurgeon says about a text? Is it cheating what John MacArthur says? It is cheating to read what Lloyd-Jones says about a text? No. I was so shock in 1983 after going to the Shepherd's Conference and learning there were commentaries and technical books. (example: Linguistic Key to the Greek New Testament). I believed Oliver B. Greene and John R. Rice were the best men to understand the text. I didn't know there were any other men, except Charles Spurgeon. 52

I was so dump founded to learn that the KJV was a translation from the Greek and Hebrew. And that the KJV that I had was not really a 1611 edition, that knowledge really floored me, really, dumb isn't it.? I was always taught that the KJV was self explanatory, and you didn't need anything else, except maybe a Webster dictionary. Jay says "How do you do exegesis?" I didn't know what that meant? I didn't know you were to understand what a verse really meant, that was not how preaching was done. Preaching was never about the verses you read. You were not preaching or teaching the verses, you were preaching what you wanted to say. It really didn't occur in thought that you were to explain what the verses were saying. Really. So should one who believes he has been called, or he desires to preach the Word of God, learn how to preach and learn the Word of God? How should one learn how to preach? How should one learn what the Bible is saying? Should one do exegesis? Should one even study at all? What I didn't know until 1983, (that it would be okay to believe them) there was another whole group of men who had another whole approach to preaching and teaching the Bible. I was so shock that John Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, Martin Luther, John Gill, John Bunyan, John Owen, and many others were okay to read and study. SO THE QUESTION STILL REMAINS; SHOULD WE STUDY THE WORD OF GOD? Charles E. Whisnant GrowByLearning.com CWhisna.blogspot.com FOOTNOTE: This article was written at GoogleDoc. Then saved, and then sent to my blogger. Isn't that amazing. Its not 11:20 p.m. Google published the document here. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 10:13PM (-06:00) FAITHFUL PASTORAL MINISTRY OF JOHN MACARTHUR Thursday, January 29, 2009 THE MINISTRY AND INFLUENCE OF JOHN MACARTHUR This weekend, Grace Church will celebrate the 40th anniversary of John MacArthur's ministry at our church. It was February, 1969 when John started as the pastor-teacher at Grace. Now, forty years later, our congregation has the opportunity to rejoice in God's goodness to us over the last four decades. We do so with grateful hearts, thanking the Lord for the gift our pastor has been to us. Personally, since 1973 I have followed the ministry of John MacArthur and the Grace Community Church. My first sermon I heard John preach was from Ephesians 4:12. And that message set the plan in my mind about the biblical means of doing ministry and 53

preaching and leading a church. I have no apologies about my love for the work that John MacArthur accomplished and those who have come alone side him and helped him in the ministry of Grace Community Church and Grace To You. I know he could not have done any of this without the blessings of the Lord, and the work of many people who work for the church, the gty ministry. John always said, "I preach and teach, others have accomplished all the books, and tapes, etc." . IN 1983 and again in 1990 while pastor of First Baptist Church, Altoona, Kansas, I attended the Shcpherd Conference and there I bought the Video Library on Expository Preaching by John. The rest is history as far as my teaching and preaching the Word of God. I have never said otherwise that John has influence my style of ministry and preaching. . While I have a biblical library of over 400 books specifically about preaching the Word of God, and understanding the t e x t o f Scripture, it has being through the Shepherd's Conference that I have gain the knowledge of ministry as a pastor and teacher. I could write a volumn more about this experience, and I will over time. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 06:55AM (-06:00) TEN QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR PREACHING/TEACHING Friday, January 30, 2009 TEN QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR SELF ABOUT YOUR PREACHING AND TEACHING STYLE? 54 1. Where do you place the importance of preaching in the grand scheme of church

life? 2. In a paragraph, how did you discover your gifts in preaching? 3. How long (on average) does it take you to prepare a sermon? 4. Is it important to you that a sermon contain one major theme or idea? If so, how do you crystallize it? 5. What is the most important aspect of a preacher’s style and what should he avoid? 6. What notes, if any, do you use? 7. What are the greatest perils that preacher must avoid? 8. How do you fight to balance preparation for preaching with other important responsibilities (e.g., pastoral care, leadership responsibilities)? 9. What books on preaching, or exemplars of it, have you found most influential in your own preaching? 10. What steps do you take to nurture or encourage developing or future preachers? As I ponder this matter of delivering a message, which I have done since 1963, what has changed about the way I deliver and prepare a message. In those early years, as a teen, I learn by viewing my Dad and the men who came and preached for Dad, and the many preachers who I heard preach when Dad went to Fellowship meetings. I never had a lesson specific on how to preach or even to deliver a sermon. My view of preaching was skewered, that is I had no clue. Preaching was not viewed as an academic exercise. This was the feeling I had anyway about preaching. Getting a sermon on your own was the way to go in those days. Of course Dad had a great library of sermons. Also Dad had received a lot of church papers, and the Sword of the Lord listed some great preachers of the past and current preachers which I looked read. But most of all I would, even in those teen years, take a chapter and see if I could understand the meaning of the chapter. Dad had the John R. Rice, Oliver B Greene commentaries and H.A. Ironside commentaries, which I believed were good. Dad had the American Commentaries set as well, which I still use today. And they were all good. My first series of study was Galatians, I still have the material that I wrote down in 1965. But as for someone telling me how to deliver a message or even study for a message, that was by viewing others method. My strength was in teaching. That I could do. Revelation and Psalms were the first two books I taught in 1963-1966 (27 months as teacher of the Teens/Young Adults in the Roanoke Baptist Temple, Roanoke Virginia). I still have those notes by the way. Spurgeon was great on the Psalms. The idea was not to come up with my own interpretation of the verses, at 16 I didn't have any training in that area. So I learned early to study from those who did have an idea what the passages was saying. I didn't want to give my opinion on the text that I didn't 55

have any idea what the text was saying. That happens a lot I found out later. So preaching for me was more about teaching what the Bible was saying, within the context of the passage rather than coming up with an idea and then talking about it. Which seemed to be the trend of preaching. You to need to understand the field of preachers around me in those days, were fundamental independent baptist, not reformed, covenant pres preachers. Who were those men anyway. John Calvin and Martin Luther? If there were not IFB they were not to be trusted or read. I have said in other articles, seminary was not the place to learn to preach. Most all the teachers were good preachers, nevertheless they did not teach preaching skills. They did teach the Scriptures, but they did not teach the skills necessary to gain understanding of the scripture. The techniques I guest was to be caught rather than to be learned or taught. John Wesley was sarcastically dubbed a “methodist” when he began to promote an organized approach to the communication of the Gospel. His commitment to method implies that there is a disorganized way to communicate the truth as well as an organized way. Wesley’s success, demonstrated by his place in history, is a strong argument for the latter. To study the scripture in a manner of learning was considered by many as "nonspiritual." That is you do not need to study, God and the Holy Spirit will give you understanding. Even the method of learning to "teach" or "preach" was not taught, it was more caught. What we considered good teaching, and good preaching was by the sound rather than the content. And the content was at times more important than the actual understanding the text. Even today in many of the IBC circles this method holds true, "you are on your own." Or you are trained by those who hold to this method. There is a method and an organized way to teach the Word of God, and a method whereby you learn the meaning of the Word of God. Next time. Stay tune..... Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 08:38AM (-06:00) FRAMING A SERMON BY JAY ADAMS Saturday, January 31, 2009 56

Frame It! Jay E Adams Betty (my loving wife) paints. I’m not talking about refurbishing the exterior of the house but about the kind of painting that eventuates in pictures hanging on the wall. She’s good at it, so I like to listen to what she says about it. Recently, she told me, “A picture isn’t a picture until it’s framed.” Profound! She’s right. Putting a frame around a painting makes all the difference. It defines, delimits, focuses and sets off the thrust of the painting. Truly, it makes a picture out of a painting. While there is much more to a painting than the frame—try hanging an empty one on the wall—the frame enhances the painting. It is a shame to see good work diminished by either no frame or a poor one that fails to complement the painting. A picture becomes a picture when it has a frame! The same is true of a sermon. Many preachers never take the time required to frame their sermons. And even when they do, some choose frames that clash rather than blend with the sermon itself. What is a good sermon frame? It is one that directs the listener’s attention to the focal point of a biblical message. This may be done in any number of ways, but let me list just two. First, a good sermon frame is one that limits. A painting with a frame is bordered on all sides. That is also true of a good sermon. It does not extend out in every direction covering all sorts of topics and ideas thrown together in some haphazard fashion. Rather, it confines the sermon to those elements that are central to the Scripture portion from which the preacher is speaking. A good frame holds one’s attention upon what is inside of it. Likewise, a good sermon frame restricts a preacher to the topic at hand. In that way a preacher helps his listeners to concentrate on the one thought of the passage rather than distracting them by extraneous ideas. There are a number of ways in which preachers may fail to limit their messages. The may wander off onto tangents. Usually, these are chunks of thought that interest the preacher, but have little direct bearing on the main point of the passage. They are bits of information that have caught his attention, about which he thinks (usually wrongly) that the congregation will be as interested as he is. Better to jot them down and file them for future use when they do pertain to the truth of another message. Take it as an axiom that whatever doesn’t directly contribute to the message of the hour will detract from it. 57

Some preachers fail to frame messages when—unlike the writers of Scripture—they think that they must say everything about every subject. It can’t be done. The attempt is futile. Biblical writers don’t do it, so why would you think that you need to? What am I talking about? The idea that unless you treat every aspect of any subject you have failed to preach the truth. It took Paul years to preach “the whole counsel of God” at Ephesus; how do you think that you can do so in less time? Jesus, for instance, told His disciples that when they would ask anything in His Name the Father would give it to them (John 16: 23). Now, apart from the fact that this promise was made to them in the context their future ministry, even if the passage can be applied to us in a secondary way, it fails to tell us everything about how to pray. Elsewhere, James says that we must pray rightly (not to satisfy our desires), that to be “effectual” it must be uttered by a “righteous” person, and that we must pray without doubting—in faith believing. We would have to refer to numerous passages about prayer in order to gather the entire scriptural doctrine of prayer. But neither Jesus nor James did any such thing. Nor do you have to do so. What you do need to do, instead, is to know and hold all aspects of prayer in the back of your mind when preaching about any one of them so that, some day, when you preach about the next aspect, you won’t contradict what you said in a previous message. In each biblical passage the writer (or speaker) has a particular point to make, so he didn’t go into all aspects of his subject. Nor should you! Secondly, as an appropriate picture frame pulls the eye inward toward the object that the painter wants to emphasize, so too a good sermon frame helps to attract ear to the focal point of a message. A common thread running throughout the message may accomplish this. Like a ribbon tying up a package (to change the simile) a sermon frame packages truth. A word, phrase or example repeatedly referred to throughout the sermon will often accomplish the same thing. Or a matching introduction and conclusion-a match that keeps the main subject before the listener and summarizes it in the conclusion—is another way to appropriately frame truth. A question asked in the introduction, then raised again and again within the message, and answered only at the end also tends to frame things well. In short, we may say that the scriptural message stands out most vividly in a sermon when it has been properly framed. Good preachers always do it. Go thou and do likewise! FOOTNOTE: Personally I have met Jay Adams several times, and have many of his books. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 04:16AM (-06:00) 58

40 YEARS OF ENDURING PASTORAL MINISTRY Sunday, February 01, 2009 40 YEARS IN ONE CHURCH AS PASTOR/TEACHER AND WITH ENDURING MINISTRY. John MacArthur Grace to You, the radio ministry of John's preaching, put together a book entitled Truth Endures. Each chapter is one of John's most enduring sermons he has preached taken from various periods during his 40 years of ministry. Phil Johnson introduces each chapter with a brief historical sketch of the times we were living when John preached the particular message. The special treat is the 60 plus page biographical essay by Iain Murray of John's life and ministry. I will have more of a review of the book later this week, but here is John holding the book after it was presented to him, FEBRUARY 1, 2009 A Retrospective on 40 Years: John MacArthur with Rick Holland In the book, Stand: A Call for the Endurance of the Saints, a snippet of a conversation I had with him stands out to me: • Early in my first year or so at Grace Community Church, I had this little kind of motto that I used: “If you concentrate on the depth of your ministry, God will take care of the breadth of it.” My ministry hasn’t changed since that first year in that small, little 59

church. For me, it’s all about getting into the depth of Scripture and my own personal walk with the Lord. Breadth is something that God does. . . . Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 07:27PM (-06:00) MINISTERING GOD'S TRUTH IN A BROKEN WORLD Monday, February 02, 2009 THE STORMS OF LIFE AND PUTTING BROKEN LIVES BACK TOGETHER AND PASTORAL HELP I have to realize that we as pastors/ teachers/ leaders/ counselors have to deal with a world of broken lives. To be critical of people who you don't believe to be faithful to the Lord's work, one has to stop and realize that maybe it's because they are faced dealing with broken lives. I have to stop to realize people who do love the Lord and love the church, are sometimes faced with broken lives in their family. I am glad that because of our love for our family we don't kick those who have broken lives out of the house. While it's hard for me personally, (maybe it because of my gender) to be emotionally involved with people, I do realize the emotional burden that parents, especially moms have toward their family. HELP FORPASTORS: We live in a broken world. "It’s a Jungle Out There" Each year, the administrative, legal, and regulatory challenges of ministry seem to grow more time-consuming and complex. Because of the chaos of many lives, their lives affect others as well. As Christians we usually are affected by the chaos of our family and church family, and often they feel drained by the stress and frustration. As a result the energy to spiritual service is forced to the back burner.'' "Tide was high, I don't wanna knock my head on rocks." THE CHALLENGE OF MINISTRY • Getting the work of ministry done is always a challenge. The ability to motivate and engage others in the work to be done is a critical aspect of achieving your ministry goals. And, without able and energized volunteers, any church will grind to a halt. How to cultivate and nurture effective ministry in lives of those who are spiritually 60

challenged is a task. • The world in which we live has become increasingly complex and filled with laws affecting our ministries that we did not need to deal with in the past. Regardless of the state in which you minister, you are subject to “abuse reporting” rules of some type. The failure to comply can affect your ministry and subject you to personal fines or even incarceration. THE STORMS OF LIFE Ministry is just a succession of storms of life. There is always a storm coming through our ministry. Mark 4:1-2 You believe you are ready for any storm that comes into your life and the life of the church; but as you come into the storm, you begin to realize maybe you are not ready. Storms in life, broken lives coming into our care, will bring out your belief in God. The challenge is to put our faith in a God who is in the boat with us. "Lord, do you care for us, or not." Mark 4:35-41. "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?" You are sleeping during our storm. What do we really believe about God, what is your theology? It comes to light in a storm. The challenge in the pastor's life is to know God is in this ministry with us. The challenge with the people is to know God is in the boat with us as we deal with storms and broken lives that come into our life. The challenge with pastors, elders, is to let the people know, you too are in the boat with them. I fail to realize I need to say, "How can I help you?" But maybe the Lord is still teaching us. The Lord is giving me wisdom and understanding as I have taught in Proverbs 4:1-10 this past Sunday. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 05:09AM (-06:00) KIRK WARNER AND XL111 SUPER BOWL Monday, February 02, 2009 Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 08:40AM (-06:00) WHAT DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE UH! Tuesday, February 03, 2009 PERSPECTIVE WHAT IS IT? PARTICULAR EVALUATION OF A SITUATION OR FACTS, ESPECIALLY FROM ONE PERSON ‘S POINT OF VIEW. A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ON THE MATTER.WHAT DO YOU SEE IN THIS PHOTO? 61

Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 07:03AM (-06:00) 62

CHILDEN AS CAREGIVERS OF THEIR PARENTS Thursday, February 05, 2009 Kids taking care of their parents? Maybe the title should be: The confession of a son. I googled adult children taken care of their parents. That was interesting for sure. I had never done any research on children taking care of their aged parents. (Of course as a pastor/teacher/son I realize there are biblical principles, but it is principles and needs to be fleshed out in reality). So do not get biblical on me. Becoming 'parent of your parent' an emotionally wrenching process. I just haven't taken the time to review all this about parents. In my mind, Mom was able to take care of herself, and I just didn't give it much thought really. I believed she was in good hands and just let it go at that. I was acting as I had all my life with Mom. Why all of a sudden would I start doing things differently? I have never been involved in any decisions Mom has made nor in any decisions made for her. I am not saying it was okay, but it is what is is. There is no way to really know, unless you go through it. I am not sure I really understood this whole matter. And even in the process of Charity and I and Debbie and Rob with Lenora That last year of Lenora life was an experience. We were at their house everyday for a year. Now I admit Charity and Debbie did all the work. I just was there most of the time. I was never really connected with Lenora, but I did get a little attached in the end. The difference was that the three kids were working together because they were here where she lived. And I admit they worked well together, for the first time. Also, Bob had all the means to take care of all the financial needs of Lenora. Therefore, we didn't have any expense, except the gasoline, and a few other things. So again, in my mind was they were well taken care of. Even now Bob is well taken care of. Charity and Debbie and Rob really never got along really well until Lenora was dying. Even now it's not great, good but not great. Kids sometime don't get along very well, until one of their parents is dying and they come together as a team and work well together. That is the hope you have. Nevertheless, it would have been different, I believe, if we three were not within living distance. Well maybe. As I was reading some of the articles on this subject of taking care of our parents, I found it interesting to say the least. 63

How you flesh out biblically "honor your parents" and how you live up to what some people say you should, is interesting as well. The problem is, it's a lifestyle that you have with your parents from the time you are born. You honor your parents as a youth and as a teen, and then as an adult. Our culture today, is not like the days in the past. Children and parents lived together, we are in a whole other world as to the lifestyle of living. We lived close together in the other world. Today families live all over the country. It's good that some families live together. Often one family member will live near the parents, and it seems it falls on that member to take care of their parents. I certainly didn't think about changing my behavior toward Mom after dad died. I certainly didn't think about Mom any differently when I went to college, or was married, or as we moved on in our life. And it's been that way as long as I remember. I really didn't do a study on the subject of children's responsibility toward their parents in their older years. While I worked in the Nursing Home for 16 years, you do get a perspective on the subject. But for some reason, it never occurred to me about MOM. I just believed Mom was well able to take care of herself, and I did what I have always acted. Believing it was okay I just kept doing what I was doing. I can't remember ever writing a letter to Mom, I would send a birthday card, a Mother's Day card, a Christmas card. I would call on occasion. I always felt she was okay in living her life. For a while Mom and I lived in the same area. For a while she played the piano for us at the church I pastored for three years. Then she played the piano at the church where I was the Asso. Pastor. She played the organ at Victory for a number of years. Even when Charity and I moved to Kansas she was still working full time. And I was rather satisfied she was doing very well. On trips back from Kansas to Ohio over the next sixteen years, at least once a year, we would visit her along with Charity's family for about a week. So for a week a year we usually had time with our parents. In my mind I was happy that we could see our parents once a year. Charity's parents would come to see us in Kansas. Mom was working full time and couldn't come as often as she would have liked I am sure. She also had to visit Don and Ellen. I read in an article this week, that kids should sit down together and work out a plan for our parents when they come to the point they can't take care of themselves. This should happen before our parents get in that condition. Becoming 'parent of your parent' an emotionally wrenching process This article http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/eldercare/2007-06-24-elder-care- cover_N.htm tells what AARP has found out about caregivers. AARP estimates that unpaid caregivers who contribute financially spend an average of $2,400 a year on care. Adult Children, Aging Parents and the Law This article http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/unenforced-filial- responsibility-laws/ is good too about the law and taking care of your parents. 64

"Thanks to the marvels of medical science, our parents are living longer than ever before. Adults over age 80 are the fastest growing segment of the population, and most will spend years dependent on others for the most basic needs. That burden falls to their baby boomer children, 77 million strong, who are flummoxed by the technicalities of eldercare, turned upside down by the changed architecture of their families, struggling to balance work and caregiving, and depleting their own retirement savings in the process." Like I said, I had never done any research on the subject, even though I had worked in a nursing home for almost 16 years. Maybe if I had this article fifteen years ago http://planit.cuna.org/013178/article.php?doc_id= 852 I would have had a different perspective on the subject. But really I was clueless on the subject. I saw Charity's parents as well and able to take care of themselves. I saw Mom doing well, and able to take care of her independent self. She is still rather independent in wanting to take care of her self at 85 years old. So is Charity's dad, very independent and doing well at 77 years old. They had all worked very hard and had a good retirement plan. Is it the responsibility of children to care for their elderly parents? http://www.helium.com/debates/137346-is-it-the-responsibility-of-children-to-care-for- their-elderly-parents And this I will close but certainly a lot more could be said. Maybe later. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 07:18AM (-06:00) THE MODEL OF HOLINESS AND REVERENCE Thursday, February 05, 2009 THIS IS NO SECRET I FOLLOW THE MINISTRY OF JOHN MACARTHUR. 65

Paul said, "Be a follow of me." So I would say that to see flesh out the principles of the Word of God, is not a bad idea. Preachers are personalities. Because of the media, John has being a personality in the Christian field. He is as well known in the Christian field and Kobe Bryan is known in the Sports field. John has not chosen to promote himself, the media has done that. If I have heard negative remarks about any preacher, its about John. If there has been false remarks made about a preacher, its being about John MacArthur. Those who have had a problem with John's teaching, please click here to read to get a clear understanding about what he teaches. If you are interested. In the past generations, they created an image of pastors that focused on distance, separation, and holiness, and it sometimes overdid the nobility of that image. Today this generation has undone that image and, in the process, has become enamored with "authenticity" and "I'm just like you in every way." But I don't believe the apostles Paul had that notion in mind when he sent off his instructions for elders in the Pastoral letters. Leaders lead because they've got something to say and show to others. So many pastors take off their tie and suits and just like like anyone else. That is cool they say. What seems to be the need today is a model who models before God holiness and reverence. Today its seems the personality of the pastor is in the forefront and God is in the back ground. I see in John MacArthur a person who is an example of one who as put to death self and the flesh. As pastors stand before their congregation its the whole package: pastor, father, husband, menor, spiritual director, sibling, friend, and fellow Christian. As a "fellow" Christian the pastor is a model before everyone of the "death of self, death of the flesh' life and lifestyle. Its true you don't want to put pastors on the pedestal, yet at the same time you need to have a pastor who is going to be a good example of what it means to live properly before God. And in my opinion that man for me is John. Half the time I think I should quit, when I think where I am in my lifestyle and roll as a husband, father, pastor, menor, and friend and fellow Christian. While I have truly strived to be the right kind of person, pastor and husband, etc. I note that I have a long way to go. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 08:01PM (-06:00) EVANGELISM SHOULD NOT BE ANNOYING Friday, February 06, 2009 Things We Can Mistake for Evangelism 66

1. Annoyance We mistakenly take evangelism to be manipulation. But that's what the world says. In truth, we're not trying to impose our beliefs on anybody. Biblically, we can't impose our beliefs on anybody. Force and coercion cannot finally bring about the change that God demands. You can't expand Christianity by the sword. Evangelism is not some sort of intellectual imposition. To believe that something is true and to share that with others is not coercion. We don't impose when we evangelize. We freely offer it to all and do not, cannot, force it on anybody Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 08:11AM (-06:00) FACEBOOK A FORM OF SMALL TALK Saturday, February 07, 2009 FACEBOOK How I sign up for Facebook? I wonder why? But its the new idea of small sound bite communication I guess. I must admit the forty friends on the first day was a suprise, of course I believe they were on my e mail list, well most were. Well its 3 a.m. and have being up since 2 a.m. Charity is trying to sleep and get over her cold. This form of Blogging in my case is one way, since there is no comment link, even though you could e mail my in box. But I see that could happen over at FACEBOOK. So what MYSPACE? Oh know. OKAY NOW ITS 9:04 P.M. I have being away for a while today. 67

So what is the purpose of FaceBook? I am really clueless. But I do know this, I enjoyed some of the comments made. I am not so sure I want everyone to read what I say. Wait a minute, what about this Blog? Oh! I have contol of this Blog. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 02:15AM (-06:00) The Autobiography of Charles H. Spurgeon Saturday, February 07, 2009 The Autobiography of Charles H. Spurgeon By Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Susannah Spurgeon, Joseph Harrald: ""The last thing Dever left us with at the pastor's conference was a quote by Charles Spurgeon to illustrate how he viewed his role as a shepherd of God's people. I am occupied in my small way, as Mr. Great-heart was employed in Bunyan's day. I do not compare myself with that champion, but I am in the same line of business. I am engaged in personally- conducted tours to Heaven; and I have with me, at the present time, dear Old Father Honest: I am glad he is still alive and active. And there is Christiana, and there are her children. It is my business, as best I can, to kill dragons, and cut off giants' heads, and lead on the timid and trembling. I am often afraid of losing some of the weaklings. I have the heart-ache for them; but, by God's grace, and your kind and generous help in looking after one another, I hope we shall all travel safely to the river's edge. Oh, how many have I had to part with there! I have stood on the brink, and I have heard them singing in the midst of the stream, and I have almost seen the shining ones lead them up the hill, and through the gates, into the Celestial City. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 08:33PM (-06:00) SANCTIFICATION MEANS CONCENTRATION ON GOD Monday, February 09, 2009 “Faith, in all its degrees, still reads the inscription, ‘The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin;’ and if at times the eye is so dim that it cannot read these words, through blinding tears or bewildering mist, faith rests itself on the certain knowledge of the fact that the inscription is still there, or at least that the blood itself (of which these words remind us) remains, in all its power and suitableness, upon the altar unchanged and uneffaced. God says that the believing man is justified: who are we, then, that we should say, ‘We 68

believe, but we do not know whether we are justified?’ What God has joined together, let not man put asunder.” – Horatius Bonar, The Everlasting Righteousness; or, How Shall a Man be Just with God? (Carlisle, Pa.: Banner of Truth, 1874/1993), 23 I AM TEACHING FROM FIRST THESSALONIANS, I AM NOT YET IN CHAPTER FIVE, BUT I WILL GET THERE, SO HERE IS A LITTLE TASTE OF WHAT IS IN CHAPTER FIVE. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly. First Thessalonians 5:23-24 When we pray to be sanctified, are we prepared to face the standard of these verses? We take the term sanctification much too lightly. Are we prepared for what sanctification will cost? It will cost anintense narrowing of all our interests on earth, and an immense broadening of all our interests in God. Sanctification means intense concentration on God's point of view. It means every power of body, soul and spirit chained and kept for God's purpose only. Are we prepared for God to do in us all that He separated us for? And then after His work is done in us, are we prepared to separate ourselves to God even as Jesus did? "For their sakes I sanctify Myself." The reason some of us have not entered into the experience of sanctification is that we have not realized the meaning of sanctification from God's standpoint. Sanctification means being madeone with Jesus so that the disposition that ruled Him will rule us. 1. Are we prepared for what that will cost? It will cost everything that is not of God in us. 2. are we prepared to be caught up into the swing of this prayer of the apostle Paul's? 3. Are we prepared to say - "Lord, make me as holy as You can make a sinner saved by grace"? Jesus has prayed that we might be one with Him as He is one with the Father. The one and only characteristic of the Holy Ghost in a man is a strong family likeness to Jesus Christ, and freedom from everything that is unlike Him. 1. Are we prepared to set ourselves apart for the Holy Spirit's ministrations in us? Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 03:26AM (-06:00) 69

A HAPPY BIRTHDAY ERIC AND BECKY Tuesday, February 10, 2009 THIS IS POST NINE HUNDRED AND ONE.........SINCE August 2006FEBRUARY 1O,2009WE WANT TO WISH OUR SON ERICAND DAUGHTER BECKYAN GREAT BIGHAPPY BIRTHDAYAN A VIDEO IS COMING ASSOON AS I CAN GET CHARITY Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 06:17AM (-06:00) ACTIONS THAT I SHOULD HAVE LEARNED Tuesday, February 10, 2009 1. A relationship is more important than a check 2. Forgiveness is the #1 thing been most like Jesus 3. The only good thing about us is Jesus 4. Christ gathered unto Himself the OUTCASTED. 5. Sin destroys sensitivity. Destroy your sense to the power of the conviction of God. 6. We do not do well in excess. 7. He is all that He should be, but none in excess. Not one thing dominant. 8. We need to do well, without letting it hurt or life to excess 9. Living in Excess: Limits You. Label’s You. Lead You. Loads You Down. 10. Learn to divorce lessen your emotion from your life work. 11. DARE TO LIVE WITH PURPOSE. 12. AIM AT WHAT YOU BELIEVE IS THE PURPOSE OF GOD AND HEAD THAT WAY WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT 13. WITHOUT PURPOSE YOU DRIFT 14. SET YOUR SAIL IN A NOBLE DIRECTION. 15. Security: equals TRUST 16. DISCIPLINE: EQUALS NO FEAR 17. The church is determined by its concern not by its size 18. There will always be a time when you will put yourself in position where you will have to restrain yourself 19. Don’t your senses control your actions? 20. Self-control is the root of all VIRTRUE 21. You have never become a man until, you have master the art of restrained. 22. Restrained looks to a great appetite 23. Key to Success. Others. 24. Losing your grip on leadership: People seeing your nakedness. 25. Your first start to quitting is to start being critical of others, and things. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 06:59AM (-06:00) 70

SOCIAL NETWORKING OR BIBLICAL EVANGELISM BETTER Wednesday, February 11, 2009 SOCIAL NETWORKING OR BIBLICAL EVANGELISM BETTER Now I understand a little why Bloggers might have a little trouble with have people stop buy and reading their posts FaceBook and MySpace might be two reasons. They are a free-access social networking website I believe the idea of these two places is to provide a more personal email inter exchange of conversation. = I am not real sure that knowing that John Tuck is watch a TV show is what I desire to know. But than again you might be on my site and learn that I am doing as well. So who knows. ] A social network service focuses on building online communities of people who share interests and/or activities, or who are interested in exploring the interests and activities of others. Most social network services are web based and provide a variety of ways for users to interact, such as e-mail and instant messaging services. / Social networking has created new ways to communicate and share information. Social networking websites are being used regularly by millions of people, and it now seems that social networking will be an enduring part of everyday life. The main types of social networking services are those which contain directories of some categories (such as former classmates), means to connect with friends (usually with self-description pages), and recommender systems linked to trust. Popular methods now combine many of these, with MySpace and Facebook being the most widely used in North America. So the idea of social networking, created ways to communicate and share information. That is a new idea. . These early communities focused on bringing people together to interact with each other through chat rooms, and share personal information and ideas around any topics via personal homepage publishing tools which was a precursor to the blogging phenomenon. . Social Networking might be at Church on Sunday, now there is an idea. Funny uh! Sorry about that. . Now we can reach friends in Altoona, Chanute, Neoesdah, Fredonia Kansas. And over the last three days, and connected with those who we have not seen in 10 years. . WE ARE JUST ONE BIG FAMILY UH! . Nevertheless, I like posting on Blogger. Of course you really have to want to visit the site. 71

One good thing, all 900 posts are still there. So you can wait a month to read them, or look at the photo or view the Video. . Then there is the cell phone or land line phone, do we call anymore, just get on a social network. We really are having a great time. Now I need to really learn how to net work with members of my family and those of the church. . Let's have a great time and keep it clean. lol as they say. . Thanks for the interaction, its as really really being good. . And of course the idea of these social networking maybe a little too much for us older folks. So sticking to the email is a challenge enough for some of us too. . .BUT WE REALLY LIKE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR MINISTRY, AND LOVING PRAYING FOR JESUS CHRIST'S RICHES BLESSING FOR YOU. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 04:21AM (-06:00) KEEPING UP WITH THE NEW GENERATION Thursday, February 12, 2009 KEEPING UP WITH THE NEW GENERATION OF NETWORKING IS GOING TO BE GREAT I have finally joined FACEBOOK I beleive on Monday of this week. COMPUTER MICROPHONE MONITER HOLSTER/LAPEL CLIP • On Wednesday February 11, 2009 I bought a Cyber Acoustics computer microphone. ($8.45) And what is cool, I have the brains to figure this out. Googled Cyber and they gave me instruction how to turn on the Sound Recorder, which was already on my computer. The amazing coolness was, I could read and follow those instructions. Save the file and then go to GrowByLearning.com and put my very first recording on the opening page. And the recording will play auto when you are on the site, and you will only hear my voice. That is coolness. AWAKEN GENERATION.COM • This morning as I was viewing FaceBook Ray Prichard link us over to this Awaken Generation a networking for those 18-24 age group. So I joined. I have not listen to anything yet. So I will later. Its free but you have to sign in. IN FUTHER UPDATES I WILL REPORT. 72

Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 07:39AM (-06:00) THE DARK SIDE OF LIFE SHOWN Friday, February 13, 2009 The real me sitting at my desk at 4 a.m. Web cam does good. Truth is the foundation of learning so we need to learn truth. John 18:36-38 NOTE THEN Ephesians 6:13-18 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; Ephesians 6:13-18 HOW DO WE SEE TRUTH? Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 04:54AM (-06:00) OUR GANG HEART THUMPS IN 1937 Saturday, February 14, 2009 Our Gang Hearts Are Thumps 1937 Uploaded by lilrascalman The Little Rascals was still on in 1950's when I was a lad, and I watched them every day, if I could find a friend or neighbor who had a TV. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 01:41AM (-06:00) MY MOM, WHO LOVES TO EAT Sunday, February 15, 2009 First photo taken in her bed when she didn't feel like getting back up. Her mouth was FULL of food! Cute! 73

Second photo in the early evening when she was determined to make it back to the table, the exact spot where just earlier the death angel stood. Thanks to my sister Ellen for this photo of our Mom. Love you Mom Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 08:29PM (-06:00) DIVINE SIDE AND THE HUMAN SIDE OF SALVATION Sunday, February 15, 2009 The following excerpt is from "The Father's Will," a sermon first published in 1873. We start with the text Spurgeon was preaching from: "This is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day" (John 6:39-40). The two phrases set forth the divine side of salvation and the human side of salvation. You know, beloved friends, that the general custom is, with the various sects of Christians, to take up one part of the Bible and preach that part, and then it is the duty of 74 all divines on that

side of the question not to preach anything but that. Or if they find a text that looks in rather a different direction, these gentlemen are expected to twist it round to suit their creed, it being supposed that only one set of truths can possibly be worth defending, it never having entered into the heads of some people that there can be two apparently irreconcilable truths which nevertheless are equally valuable. Think not that I come here to defend the human side of salvation at the expense of the divine; nor am I desirous to magnify the divine side of it at the expense of the human; rather would I beseech you to look at the two texts which are together before us, and to be prepared to receive both sets of truths. I think it a very dangerous thing to say that the truth lies between the two extremes. It does not: the truth lies in the two, in the comprehension of both; not in taking a part from this and a part from that, toning down one and modulating the other, as is too much the custom, but in believing and giving full expression to everything that God reveals whether we can reconcile the things or not, opening our hearts as children open their understandings to their father's teaching, feeling that if the gospel were such that we could make it into a complete system, we might be quite sure it was not God's gospel, for any system that comes from God must be too grand for the human brain to grasp at one effort; and any path that he takes must extend too far beyond the line of our vision for us to make a nice little map of it, and mark it out in squares. This world, you know, we can readily enough map. Go and get charts, and you shall find that men of understanding have indicated almost every rock in the sea, almost every hamlet on the land; but they cannot map out the heavens in that way, for albeit that you can buy the celestial atlas, yet as you are well enough aware there is not one in ten thousand of the stars that can possibly be put there; when they are resolved by the telescope they become altogether innumerable, and so far exceed all count that it is impossible for us to reckon them up in order and say, that is the name of this, and this is the name of that. We must leave them: they are beyond us. There are deeps into which we cannot peer; even the strongest glass cannot show us much more than a mere corner of the starry worlds. Thus too is it with the doctrines of the gospel: they are too bright for our weak eyes, too sublime for our finite minds to scan, save at a humble distance. Be it ours to take all we can of their solemn import, to believe them heartily, accept them gratefully, and then fall down before the Lord, and pour out our very souls in worshipping him. CHARLES H. SPURGEON.............. THE TEACHING OF THE DOCTRINE OF GRACE IS NEEDFUL TO OUR PEOPLE. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 09:01PM (-06:00) 75

FOR ME TO LIVE IS CHRIST Monday, February 16, 2009 "Too many people convert to a church style or Christian culture rather than to Christ." Really have you notices. People are more into church style rather than into Christ. Yet Christiantiy is Christ, not church.My outline from Philippians 1:21 "For ME to live IS Christ, and to DIE is GAIN." You take out "Christ" and "Gain" you have "For me to live is to die." Living without Christ can lead to anger about living. Church life, is of no value if we are not living to live for CHRIST. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 08:10AM (-06:00) THE DUTY OF EVERY PASTOR/TEACHER Monday, February 16, 2009 OUR CHURCH IS ELDER/PASTORAL LED. THUS WE HAVE A PLURALITY OF PASTORS WHO WORK TO ACCOMPLISH THE OBJECTIVES THAT CHRIST HAS SET FORTH IN SCRIPTURE. 76

THE PURPOSE OF THE PASTOR/TEACHER IN THE LOCAL CHURCH........ FROM THE TIME I ATTENDED THE SHEPHERD'S CONFERENCE IN 1982, 1990, etc. THE GOAL HAS BEEN TO TEACH, FEED, LEAD THE PEOPLE WHOM THE LORD ALLOWS ME TO BE THE UNDERSHEPHERD. 1. to feed the flock (John 21:15-17) 2. to proclaim the whole will of God ( Acts 20:27) 3. to present everyone perfect in Christ (Colossians 1:28-29) 4. to prepare God’s people for works of service (Ephesians 4:12) 5. to equip God’s people to be fisher’s of men (2 Timothy 4:5) 6. to keep watch over oneself until the task is complete (1 Timothy 4:16) Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 04:53PM (-06:00) NETWORKING WITH FRIENDS, FAMILY, FOLLOWERS, FOLKS. Tuesday, February 17, 2009 CONNECTING PEOPLE TO THE CHURCH, CHRIST, AND US. While it is true you are being connected with us through the Internet, via the social/church networking as it is called, the purpose is two-fold at least. ONE: It is great to have this almost instant communication with people literally all over the world in seconds. And now you can talk live with each other. Just amazing, isn't it? TWO: You can have one 150 letter statement (Twitter) updated anytime you desire. 77

THREE: If you so desire you can have a group of FaceBook "friends" read what you want which 1. Gives me valuable connection to people from my past. 2. Exposes a different audience to my blog posts (through Facebook Notes) and my tweets (through Facebook status updates Is more personal.) 3. Gives me a connection with people. FOUR: Then there is Blogger: 1. Gives me an outlet for writing. Writing gives me energy and renews my passion. Blogging gives me that outlet. 2. Is a great journaling tool. I'm not a journal guy -- but I see and appreciate the value in journaling. I can look back at a few years of blogging and re-live some of my journey along the way. 3. Is easy to archive. Pretty much anything I've ever blogged is easy to find and retrieve. All 910 posts, or articles. 4. Helps me stay connected to the thoughts of my friends, my staff, my leaders, and my mentors. I get a glimpse into their hearts and minds when I read what they've been blogging. FIVE: THE INBOX - E MAIL Electronic mail, • Quick. Today you can just about do anything in an email. Photo. Audio and Video. • I like this method the best in that I can send one email to one person or a dozen. WHAT IS YOUR HABIT OF COMMUNICATION WITH PEOPLE: Maybe there are yet some who comunicate over the Phone, Cell Phone, Letters via USPO. And I haven't even touched the real world of communication. THEN THERE IS THE CHURCH CONNECTION: 78

• The Cloud Network is a web-based tool for churches who want to do ministry online. Churches are able to upload mp3’s, post events, create social networks, send emails to people or groups in their church, manage their music, stream audio, podcast, blog, post job classifieds, gather additional visitors using our online network and other valuable options. • I was amazed at the number of networks that have the church connection. Your church family can be connected over the Internet with easy access. If they all had the High Speed Internent that would be wonderful. I remember back in 1966 when working in Danville, VA, as a Youth Director and working in the church office, I would send out post cards each week to over 100 people in the church. Communication has changed over the last 40 years, wouldn't you say. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 05:01AM (-06:00) RIVERS OF JOY BAPTIST CHURCH MINFORD OHIO Wednesday, February 18, 2009 OUR NEW WORSHIP LEADER SONG DIRECTOR AT RIVERS OF JOY BAPTIST CHURCH OUR BIBLE STUDY FELLOWSHIP ROOM ANOTHER VIEW OF OUR BIBLE STUDY FELLOWSHIP HALL 79

The view of Rivers of Joy Baptist Church in Minford Ohio were I am the Pastor/Teacher. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 08:07AM (-06:00) DALE EARNHARDT SR DIED IN 2001 Wednesday, February 18, 2009 677 races run over 27 years We were living in Lexington Ky in 2001 and after church a group of us men, about 15 went to a friends house and watch the Daytona 500. We watch the whole race. We watch the crashed. But we left without knowing Dale had died. After church that night, we were watching the TV and about 9 p.m. we learned that Dale had died in the crash. Talk about a shock, such so that the feeling is still with us today. I had been a fan of NASCAR and Dale since the 90's. And it has not been the same since. 2001: Earnhardt dies in Daytona 500 Racing legend Dale Earnhardt died today in a crash during the Daytona 500. “The accident happened a half-mile from the finish of the NASCAR season-opener as Earnhardt’s newest driver, [Michael] Waltrip, and [Earnhardt’s] son Dale Earnhardt, Jr. were in front racing toward what should have been the most triumphant moment in the brief history of Dale Earnhardt Inc.,” reported The Frederick Post on February 19, 2001. Earnhardt was trying to place third when driver Sterling Martin 80 bumped the back of his stock car. Earnhardt’s vehicle then fishtailed, cut across the track

and hit Ken Schrader’s car. Both smashed into the concrete wall head-on at roughly 180 miles-per-hour before sliding back into the infield of the track. Earnhardt was cut out of his car and taken to Halifax Medical Center where he was pronounced dead due to head injuries. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 09:08PM (-06:00) 81

Dale Earnhardt Tribute Video Wednesday, February 18, 2009 Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 10:09PM (-06:00) WHY MEMBERS ARE MEMBER LOCAL CHURCHES Thursday, February 19, 2009 THE MINISTRY OF THE LOCAL CHURCH WHY CHRISTANS ARE MEMBERS OF THE LOCAL CHURCH IT IS WITHIN THE CHURCH PARTICULAR THAT WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH FELLOW BELIEVERS AND SUBMIT OURSELVES TO ACCOUNTABILITY, DUTIES, AND RESPONSIBILITIES. IN THIS ASSEMBLY OUR CHRISTIAN CHARACTER IS SHAPED. IT IS THE CONTEXT IN WHICH OUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS ARE DEVELOPED AND EXERCISED. IT IS THE FAMILY WHOSE TIES CANNOT BE BROKEN. IT IS THE TRAINING CAMP THAT DISCIPLES AND EQUIPS BELIEVERS TO BE GOD’S PEOPLE AGAINST THE WORLD AND FOR THE WORLD. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 05:08AM (-06:00) 82

THE QUESTIONS I TRY TO FOLLOW Friday, February 20, 2009 This series based on Second Timothy 2:15 tells us this. Questions I Try To Keep In Front Of Me - 2 of 6 I am trying to ask myself six questions based on this verse… #1 - Am I giving God my absolute best? The first three words are both demanding AND convicting…DO YOUR BEST! (God makes is VERY apparent about how He thinks about odds and ends in Malachi 1:6-14) There are times as a church leader, pastor, teacher, elder, I am tempted to coast…to make the trouble-free decision instead of the right one…to get out of the meeting rather than deal with the problem…to let things slide rather than hurt someone’s feelings. Not often but there are those times who I would just rather say, “Let’s pray.” BUT…as a Shepherd God has called me to honor Him by giving Him my absolute best…and that means going the extra mile in every single area of my life. #2 - Am I More Concerned About God Or Others? Scripture is very clear, “Do your best to give present yourself to God…” When “the end” is here I will stand before God and will NOT answer as to… Eccl 7:1-6 • Whether or not I kept people contented. 83

• Whether or not I appeased the bloggers. • Whether or not I preached sermons that people WANTED to hear. I will answer for whether or not I was faithful to WHO He called me to be and WHAT He called me to do! Craig Groeschel that says, “The quickest way to forget what God says about me is to become obsessed with what others say about me.” SO TRUE! When my head hits the pillow at night I’ve got to know that I have tried my best to honor HIM and HIS calling on my life…which IS NOT EASY in a world where everyone seems to have an opinion and a website! . BUT…focusing on them doesn’t allow me to focus on Him! (BTW…it isn’t helping you either!!!) Paul said it best in Galatians 1:10 we have a choice…I have made mine and will not look back…there is way too much at stake! #3 AND 4 later... Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 04:14PM (-06:00) THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST IN YOU Saturday, February 21, 2009 GOOD MORNING, FOLKS. LET THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE EVERLASTING GOD, BE IN YOU, LET HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT IS IN YOU BE THE FRUIT OF YOUR SPEECH TODAY. SHOW TO ALL THOSE WHOM YOU ARE WITH TODAY, THE FRUITS OF YOUR LIFE IS THAT OF THE RIGHTEOUSESS OF CHRIST, WHO IS OUR SAVIOR AND LORD. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 08:45AM (-06:00) Monday, February 23, 2009 LEADERSHIP IS ABOUT GOD'S APPROVAL Pt 2 SO TRUE! When my head hits the pillow at night I’ve got to know that I have tried my best to honor HIM and HIS calling on my life…which IS NOT EASY in a world where everyone seems to have an opinion and a website! 84

BUT…focusing on them doesn’t allow me to focus on Him! (BTW…it isn’t helping you either!!!) Paul said it best in Galatians 1:10 we have a choice…I have made mine and will not look back…there is way too much at stake! #3 - DoesGod Approve? “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved…” This kind of overlaps with the last question; however, I believe the conclusion is slightly different. Whenever I am wrestling with a decision and I think I have came to a conclusion the final filter I run it through is, “Is this a good decision or a God decision? Does God approve of this?” I have a philosophy…could be debated I guess…but I think that I am right! I am all about getting as many people around me as possible to help make a decision. The book of Proverbs speaks over and over again of not trying to make leadership decisions alone… However…I believe there are certain times in a leaders life when God will reveal to him the right decision that needs to be made…and he, at least for a while, will feel all alone when it comes to his conviction. Remember David in the cave? Saul is after him, wants to kill him…goes into a cave and David “just happens” to be in there? It looked like the right opportunity! His men were telling him to go for it– they even had a verse! BUT…David knew that God would not approve of him killing Saul (even though Saul was in an incredibly vulnerable position!) If I ever as a leader try to make everyone around the leadership table with me happy and ignore God in the process…that makes me a poor leader. Now, before I move on from this let me clearly say that in the nine years NewSpring has existed there has been LESS than five times EVER that I have disagreed with my entire leadership team. AND…each time that happens I don’t ever pull the authority card. A few times we have tabled the decision to seek the Lord more…and at least once I asked them to trust me because I really felt like I had heard from the Lord. (If you are pulling the “God told me” card every week and never allowing the leaders at the table to speak…you’ll run off your best leaders!) I’ve said it for the longest time–leadership is as easy as listening to God…and if we listen and obey–He approves. It is THAT simple! Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 05:50AM (-06:00) 85

CHARLES AND CHARITY SITTING IN A TREE Monday, February 23, 2009 No, we have not set in a tree, but we do like each other a lot. Well, its more like loving each other. No we do not agree a lot with each other. I say its the death of Christ that saves us, she says its the blood of Christ that saves us. And we are both right. They both say the same. We are saved by the shedding of the blood and His death on the cross. I could name a few other points, but you get the point. . But Becky took this photo of us Sunday February 22, 2009 after we came home from church. And I believe this photo captures our love for each other. What you see, is what we have for each other, now for thirty nine years and counting. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 01:06PM (-06:00) ACCOUNTABLITY TO THE TASK OF PASTOR Tuesday, February 24, 2009 Six Questions I Try To Keep In Front Of Me - pt 3 #1 - Am I giving God my absolute best? #2 - Am I More Concerned About God Or Others? #3 - Does God Approve? #4 - Am I Being Lazy? “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, A WORKMAN…” One of the biggest temptations for a leader is to become lazy and the begin to expect God to do what HE has clearly commanded the leader to do. 1. It is my responsibility as a leader, and pastor to make sure I am prepared to preach God’s Word every Sunday, and Wednesday. Three messages on Sunday and one on Wednesday is a task. 2. It is my responsibility as a leader to make sure that I am growing in my faith and in my leadership abilities. This is by reading the Word of God. Reading material that 86

helps me process leadership. 3. It is my responsibility as a leader to work hard, to put time, effort and energy into the things God has called me to lead. One of the most dangerous things a leader can do is put their leadership on cruise control. God didn’t call us to cruise…He called us to create…and that ONLY comes through us being willing to roll up our sleeves and WORK HARD. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 05:42AM (-06:00) The Hawk On Charles Walk Tuesday, February 24, 2009 Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 08:32AM (-06:00) RIVERS OF JOY BAPTIST CHURCH MINFORD OhioINSIDE Tuesday, February 24, 2009 Pastor/Teacher Charles E. Whisnant and Charity Pastor William "Bill" Bower and his wife Mary Bower Rivers of Joy Baptist Church, Minford Ohio. 139 and Shady Lane Our primary focus is the teaching of the Word of God and pointing people to God and Jesus Christ, and practice the presence of the Holy Spirit Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 09:18AM (-06:00) 87

RIVERS OF JOY BAPTIST CHURCH SERMON BY PASTOR CHARLES E. WHISNANT Tuesday, February 24, 2009 Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 08:48PM (-06:00) RIVERS OF JOY BAPTIST CHURCH INSIDE VIEW Tuesday, February 24, 2009 Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 08:59PM (-06:00) SOME WISE COUNSEL GIVING FOR LIVING Wednesday, February 25, 2009 Kodak's cartoon effect Tonight's bible study was very good. Enjoyed the fellowship with the folks tonight. SOME WISE COUNSEL FROM THE ECCL. CHAPTER SEVEN I. HONOR IS BETTER THAN LUXURY (7:1a) A. "A GOOD NAME IS BETTER THAN PRECIOUS OINTMENT" B. WHY THIS IS SO... II. YOUR DEATHDAY IS BETTER THAN YOUR BIRTHDAY (7:1b) 88

A. "THE DAY OF DEATH THAN THE DAY OF ONE'S BIRTH" B. HOW THIS IS SO... Job 14:1; 3:1-3 and Jer 20:14-18 2. But for the righteous, the day of one's death is the beginning of eternal bliss! a. - Isa 57:1-2 Php 1:21-22 Rev 14:13 III. A FUNERAL IS BETTER THAN A PARTY (7:2-6) A. "BETTER TO GO TO THE HOUSE OF MOURNING THAN TO GO TO THE HOUSE OF FEASTING" 2. Why? The Preacher tells us why... a. "For that is the end of all men" cf. Heb 9:27 b. "And the living will take it to heart" B. "SORROW IS BETTER THAN LAUGHTER" cf. Hebrews 12:11 C. "IT IS BETTER TO HEAR THE REBUKE OF THE WISE THAN...TO HEAR THE SONG OF FOOLS" IV. THE END IS BETTER THAN THE BEGINNING (7:8) Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 09:25PM (-06:00) QUESTIONS I ASK MY SELF PART FOUR Friday, February 27, 2009 Six Questions I Try To Keep In Front Of Me - This series based on 11 Timothy 2:15 #1 - Am I giving God my absolute best? #2 - Am I More Concerned About God Or Others? #3 - Does God Approve? #4 - Am I Being slothful? #5 - Is There Anything I Am Ashamed Of? 11 Timothy 2:15 “…who does not need to be ashamed…” One of the VALUES that Christian leaders MUST frequently place in front of them is the value of personal integrity. “Is there anything going on in your life privately that, if it became public, would disqualify you from ministry?” Fellow friends we’ve GOT to be SERIOUS about integrity! Yes, we are in a battle…but I Corinthians 10:13 tells us there is a way out of temptation…that we do not have to bow 89

down to it but rather through Christ we can stand up under it!!! We don’t need any more pastors/ministry leaders making horrible moral decisions! Seriously…we should be willing to take whatever steps necessary to guard ourselves! One thing I know about God…He doesn’t play! Galatians 6:7 says He will not be mocked…and to the ministry leader that pretends all is well but has sin issues that he refuses to confess and repent of…bro, God doesn’t play games! So…what steps are you taking to safeguard yourself? Some of mine are… • I do not handle the money at Rivers of Joy Baptist Church • I do not counsel women without my wife presence • I will not ride alone with a woman in a car other than Charity or my children • I will not have lunch or dinner (or breakfast) alone with a woman other than Charity or my daugher • Basically I will not spend time alone with a woman other than my wife and daughter! • Am I legalistic about this? YES! • I keep my Computer where my wife can see me on line, and she can see the last 300 sites that i have being on. I have friends that ask me whether or not I am handling my life and preaching and money and time responsibile These are just a few of the things. • I’ve learned that the person responsible for my personal integrity is me…no one else. And that I’ve got to realize where my greatest temptations are and then plan accordingly to not place myself in those areas. There is TOO MUCH AT STAKE for me (and YOU) to fall! Part six next........ Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 05:57AM (-06:00) AMERICA IS THE PLACE WE LIVE Saturday, February 28, 2009 Therefore I have a very hard time understanding why there is such a problem in having 'In God! We Trust' on our money and having 'God' in the Pledge of Allegiance. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 07:16PM (-06:00) 90

THE CHALLENGE OF LEADERSHIP IN THE CHURCH Monday, March 02, 2009 The Ministry Update at Rivers of Joy Baptist Church The culture, though it is growing less and less Christian, just so happens to be progressively becoming more and more “spiritual”. And sadly, I believe young people are being swept away by this movement out of a response to the staleness and plastic portrayal of Christian living that recent generations have displayed. Our desire and wish (prayer) is to have a church body of belivers that is a portrayal of Christians who show a love for the Lord Jesus Christ in the context of the local church. It's my desire for myself as well. The local church has been my focus for 50 years of my life. While I have seen the plastic portrayal of Christianity in so many people over the years, my focus has been on Christ rather than the church or people. Otherwise, you would be out of the church all together. As a pastor and teacher of a local church, it's my calling to lead, feed, teach, love and train those whom Christ gives to the local church body. I am supposed to be able to see people where they are and take them to be where they are supposed to be as a Christian believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. What I see are people who have their own agenda as to what the local church is to be about in their minds. That mindset has been set by their church training, which is of course what is supposed to happen. People's presuppositional thinking i.e.: • to believe that a particular thing is true before there is any proof of it. While it's the duty of the pastor/teacher and leaders of the church to teach right biblical thinking about the church and about the Christian life, (and in many churches that is 91

exactly what happens) many pastors and churches teach their own agenda of church ministry rather than biblical agenda. While all of us pastors and leaders believe we have taught right principles of church ministry, sometimes we discover we err in biblical principles. Sometimes we have to correct our position as we learn the bibical principles as we understand them in scriptures. Often as I have found, when I become the pastor of a local church, I find my training and thinking about church ministry are different than the church I am in. Herein is the challenge for the the pastor leaders and people in the church. Herein you have those those who are willing to accept the challenge and work with the pastor and go with the changes set forth; and then you have those who will challenge everything the pastor does and will not change; and then you have those who view what is happening and just leave. Therefore in any ministry that is new, you have all three situations. Some members will stay, some will leave. The challenge as leaders is definitely challenging, because you know, some will stay and some will leave no matter how you lead. The challenge of the people is (as it is for the pastor), to desire to discover the principles of church ministry and the prinicples of Christian living and not quit because your own agenda is not met. As Pastor of Rivers of Joy Baptist Church, we have had the challenge to lead the church. As in all church ministry, some people leave before you arrive, some come and stay a week or more and then leave. Some meet the challenges and stay and work with the new leadership and new ministry perspectives. As pastor and leaders we have the challenge to present our belief of the church ministry and christian living in a manner that is going to be the most effective way. It is a challenge. Since June 2008 the ministry has been a challenge. The challenge of a ministry that lost almost 90% of its attendance and income, and three pastors, and sixteen years of history. (And the doors were just about to shut). The good things were, the church buildings were paid for, some good folks stayed and desired to see the ministry of Rivers of Joy continue, and that the work that its pastors and people of the past desired to have would continue. (FOOTNOTE:) The photo comes from Charles Stanley's website. I believe Charles Stanley's teaching is good and sets forth a lot of great biblical principles for christian living. (the click doesn't take you to the website, sorry.) I wanted to use the photo to show there are Biblical principles to Church, and Christian ministry. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 07:35AM (-06:00) SATAN IS OUT TO WIN CONTROL Tuesday, March 03, 2009 92

SATAN AND THE FLESH IS AT WAR WITH THE MIND "But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.2 Cor 11:3. THERE is a great battle to-day over the use and control of the mind, not only in the world, but among the children of God. The fact of a "war " declared by Paul. First note the fact that the Apostle declares that there is. a "war" in which he is engaged. " My warfare ," he says, "is not waged according to the flesh." This is in accord with his statements in other parts of his writings. The battle for the mind described. We see there is an aspect of the war described in this passage which has to do with the mind . "Thereby can I overthrow the reasonings of the disputer." In verse 4 we read of a " pulling down of strongholds ". The Apostle seems to infer that the mind is a "stronghold" which has to be pulled down, and every rebel thought in it made captive. A "stronghold" is generally held by an enemy , and truly there is an enemy holding the stronghold of the mind, according to 2 Corin. 4:4 where it says that the "god of this world" (age) has "blinded the minds of them which believe not". The condition of the mind by nature. In various parts of the Pauline epistles we can gather very clearly the state of mind, when held by the enemy as a stronghold. It is described in some cases as a reprobate mind " Romans 1:28) • a " blinded mind " (2 Corinthians 3:14) • a darkened mind, causing men to walk in the " vanity of their minds " (Ephesians 4:17-19), intruding into things which the mind cannot fathom, "vainly puffed up" by a " fleshly mind " (Col 2:18). In Rom. 8.7, the Apostle says, "The carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be" . This is confirmed in Col. 1:21 where those who are unregenerated are described as "enemies" in the " mind ", and therefore alienated from God. We therefore clearly see how, in the natural man, the mind is "darkened", "puffed up" by the flesh, empty and vain in its thoughts, carnal because governed by the flesh, and in all its activities-whether apparently "good" or visibly "bad"-at enmity with God. 93

The unregenerate mind the stronghold of Satan. The stronghold of the mind of man is therefore the strategic centre of the "war" with the "god of this age", because it is primarily through the mind that he holds his captives in his power, and through the mind of those captives transmits his - (1) Poison into the minds of others, and his (2) Plans and schemes for arousing those souls to active rebellion against God. The mind of the Christian is also the strategic centre of the "war on the saints" which Satan wages with ceaseless and fiendish skill. And for this reason the mind is the vehicle for the Spirit of God , dwelling in the spirit of the believer, to transmit to others the truth of God, which alone can remove the deceptions of Satan which fill the minds of all who are in the darkness of nature. If the Holy Spirit is dwelling in the regenerate spirit have you considered the question of His outlet ? If it were only by speech you would be an oracle! But there are no "oracles" on earth now. The " oracles of God " are the Scriptures. The Word of God is being displaced not only by the Higher Critics, but by many of God's own people by their taking supernatural" revelations" as being of equal authority with the written Scriptures. There are wrecked lives because they have turned from the Word of God to what they call direct revelation. There is a direct revelation by God the Holy Ghost illuminating the Word of God, and putting it into the spirit, but not apart from the Scriptures. part two later Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 05:40AM (-06:00) QUESTION I ASK MYSELF PART FIVE Wednesday, March 04, 2009 Six Questions I Try To Keep In Front Of Me - This series based on 2 Timothy 2:15 I am trying to ask myself six questions based on this verse… part five #1 - Am I giving God my absolute best? #2 - Am I More Concerned About God Or Others? Scripture is very clear, “Do your best to give present yourself to God… #3 - Does God Approve? “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved…” #4 - Am I Being slothful? “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, A WORKMAN…” #5 - Is There Anything I Am Ashamed Of? 94 …who does not need to be ashamed…”

#6 - Am I Handling God’s Word Correctly? “…and who correctly handles the word of truth.” I take teaching and preaching the Word of God seriously–VERY seriously…every teacher should. One of the scariest days of my life was one day when I was reading through the book of James and really began to concentrate on JAMES 3:1-12 BAM…something hit me that day that I had never seen. I had always used this text to speak to others about the things they say and the way they say them…you know, we’ve all used this text to talk to others about the dangers of mispeaking. BUT James 3:1 absolutely caught my attention that morning…and I believe in this text that James was specifically speaking to people who preach and teach God’s Word…and how we should take seriously what we say. We are told straight out that teachers will be judged more seriously (gulp)…and then further instructed to guard the things we teach about and reminded of the influence that we have as teachers (that, once again, we will be held accountable for!) Maybe it’s just me…but that morning I read through this text I had to do a serious gut check to make sure that I am handling God’s Word in a way that honors Him! You know, that I know that the Lord is viewing my work that He has given me in this ministry of His. I am handling His Word, giving it out to His people. Wednesday Bible Study is coming, Sunday Is coming, and I can’t wait to teach His Word. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 04:35AM (-06:00) WHAT SHOULD THE CHURCH CONSCIOUSLY BE Thursday, March 05, 2009 There must also be an explicit, visible communion of the saints. Schaeffer writes, What should the church consciously be then? The church consciously should be that which encourages its members in the true Christian life, in true spirituality . . . . It should encourage them in freedom in the present life from the bonds of sin, and in freedom in the present life from the results of the bonds of sin. It should encourage substantial healing in their separation from themselves and a substantial healing in their separation from their fellowman, especially fellow Christians (149). Ture Spirituality The church should teach a practice of the existence of God, “and a practice of the reality of and the exhibition of God’s character of holiness and love. The church cannot merely teach these things in words; we must see the practice of these things in the church as a corporate body. The purpose of the church is to be a living example of the living Jesus Christ in the world today. The roll the church plays in the world is to be the example of the reality of Jesus Christ in our lives. The role of the spiritual leaders, pastors of the local church is to see Christ glorified. Here is what John Piper said back in 1995 on Spiritual leadership: • I define spiritual leadership as knowing where God wants people to be and taking the initiative to use God's methods to get them there in reliance on God's power. The answer to where God wants people to be is in a spiritual condition and in a lifestyle that display his glory and honor his name. Therefore, the goal of spiritual leadership is that people come to know God and to glorify him in all that they do. Spiritual leadership is aimed not so much at directing people as it is at changing people. If we would be the kind of leaders we ought to be, we must make it our aim 95

to develop persons rather than dictate plans. You can get people to do what you want, but if they don't change in their heart you have not led them spiritually. You have not taken them to where God wants them to be. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 06:58AM (-06:00) Rivers of Joy Baptist Church Pastor Office Thursday, March 05, 2009 In the Pastor's Office from cwhisnant on Vimeo. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 08:45PM (-06:00) UNION MILLS BAKERY CHRISTMAS DINNER 2009 Friday, March 06, 2009 Union Mills Christmas Dinner in March from cwhisnant on Vimeo. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 06:32AM (-06:00) Friday, March 06, 2009 Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 03:13PM (-06:00) 96

Union Mills Dinner 2009 Friday, March 06, 2009 Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 04:16PM (-06:00) Union Mills Bakery May 2009 Friday, March 06, 2009 THE WEEK END MAY 21 AND 22... A great week. The staff worked hard in providing 130 cakes, many dozens of cookes, pies, bread, etc. for school graduations and birthday. Union Mills Bakery 1 from Charles E. Whisnant on Vimeo. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 07:48PM (-06:00) Shepherd's Conference 2009 The best ever/ Friday, March 06, 2009 I remember standing right next to John MacArthur, several times at Grace Community. I held his bible and saw his notes. Thank of that. Goodness. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 09:31PM (-06:00) 97

Saturday, March 07, 2009 "For God" John 3:16 from cwhisnant on Vimeo. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 07:49AM (-06:00) PHOTO OF THE SHEPHERD'S CONFERENCE 2009 Saturday, March 07, 2009 fromThe View From My Chairby John KuvakasSome great photos of the Shepherd's Conference 2009.The wonderful experence that I had on three occasion to be in Grace Community Church and several other times hearing John MacArthurand the other men at the church . Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 09:44PM (-06:00) COLLECTION OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS 1 Saturday, March 07, 2009 Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 10:08PM (-06:00) SUNDAY MARCH 08 2009 REFLECTION TIME Sunday, March 08, 2009 98

THE QUESTION TODAY IS: what was God doing in Rivers of Joy Baptist Church Today ? Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 08:03PM (-05:00) THE TRAIN KEEPS ON COMING ON 23 Monday, March 09, 2009 Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 05:41AM (-05:00) FINANCIAL BONDAGE IS BONDAGE OF MIND AND FREEDOM Monday, March 09, 2009 The reason that MOST people are in financial bondage isn’t because we don’t have enough…but rather because we lack the discipline to manage what God has blessed us with! As many have said, and as I have said, Preachers shouldn't be so concerned about people giving the 10 percent but to be concerned about the 90 percent that people are not discipline with. I grew up where I never knew the stress of money. I didn't have any. I never knew the financial status of our family. Dad didn't reveal his bank account to us. He never expressed to us what was the current amount of money he had in his pocket at any giving time. I don't know what that did to my mindset, but money was never an issue with me. Didn't have any. Well, not much. I have been to many seminars on money over the years. As long as I had a steady income, I was okay. But when money was not the primary concern. 99

I have never worked to store up a big bank account or a big saving account. I have never taken a church for a big paycheck. This must go back to the mind set I developed as a youth. I would take a church without so much concern about what they could pay me. I should have taken some counsel on this issue. While we have had new homes, new cars, new furniture, and stuff, they were great of course. But the primary mindset was not on making money. But it would have been nice to have made some, and as Charity has always said, "Charles, if you can pay cash for it, buy it." That is a well thought out plan. While we have ran in to some difficult over the years, and had to be bailout a few times, we have arrived in 2009 90% debt free. (if you don't count the bailouts). STRESS FREE LIVING IS LIVING DEBT FREE AND HAVING EMPLOYMENT. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 08:06AM (-05:00) Biblical Christianity: Baptist Pastor in Illinois shot and killed d... Monday, March 09, 2009 Biblical Christianity: Baptist Pastor in Illinois shot and killed during service Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 09:17AM (-05:00) JOHN 3 16 Part two: GOD 'SO LOVED.' Monday, March 09, 2009 John 3:16: "So Loved" from cwhisnant on Vimeo. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 09:50AM (-05:00) Every self respecting Calvinist is a 6 Day Creationist Tuesday, March 10, 2009 John MacArthur notes that two years ago, he opened the conference by talking about how self-respecting Calvinists should be premillennialists; and last year regarding how they should reject church-growth strategies. This year he will focus on how self- 100

respecting evangelicals should affirm literal six-day creationism. I am watching and listening on iTunes John MacArthur from the Shepherd's Conferences 2009. Photos from the conferences are provided by: John MacArthur has a long standing tradition of opening the annual Shepherd's Conference with a bit of a bombshell. This year was no different. His basic premise was, "Every self-respecting Calvinist or Christian must be a 6 Day Creationist". Using Genesis 1 through 2:3 as his text, he reasoned that God, having designed creation was in the best position to understand it. As such, what He tells us about it should be logical, reasonable and accurate. Creation Science attempts to explain creation in a scientific perspective instead of a supernatural, miraculous perspective. He used three words to frame his contention: 1. Fidelity - You can accept or reject Scripture but you cannot alter it. It says what it says and no science ever developed can trump it. As a matter of fact, Creation Science is not even a valid science according to the definition of how a science operates. Any science is based on three elements; observation, verification and repetition. Since no one was present, other than God, there was no observation. There has been no verification of Creation Science premises, nor evolution premises. and...no one has ever been able to repeat the process. 2. Simplicity - Scripture makes simple statements about Scripture. God did it, it took 6 days, it was a massive miracle. Psalm 104 and Psalm 148 support this and lend support to the idea that when you deny creation, you deny praise to God. 3. Priority - God has a divine purpose for creation. He designs things from the end back (Isaiah 46:10). His divine purpose controls all things to achieve God's plan. God's purpose is redemption (Eph 3:8) and the glory of His grace revealed in that redemption, Finally, Dr. MacArthur drew the analogy between creation and our own salvation with God catalyzing both, bringing light from the darkness in both, breathing life into both and causing both to happen in an instantaneous transformation. He then proceeded to dismantle the notion of the Christian Environmental movement using 2 Peter 3:10 to prove that man is not able to save or destroy the planet, only God can do that and only in his timing. MacArthur went further to say that man is supposed to subdue the environment, not the other way around. MacArthur then maintained that the concept of Global Warming is contrary to Scripture that clearly states that God will not end mankind by drowning in the melted polar ice caps. God gave us the rainbow as a promise that that would never happen again. 101

John MacArthur has an amazing propensity to make astounding statements that cause a lot of controversy. What his detractors fail to realize, as they focus on the statements, is that MacArthur always goes on to defend his statements in a Scripturally compelling manner making it very hard to argue with Him if we are going to embrace an inerrant Word of God. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 05:28AM (-05:00) TEN WAYS PAUL DID NOT MINISTER Wednesday, March 11, 2009 How Paul Preached Approached Preaching from cwhisnant on Vimeo. Part One Since I can only upload 1GB (that is over 1billion byes). (Which is about 23 minutes. And I had a 43 minute sermon. So guess what? I will have part two. I hope soon..... But it does take forever for the process to happen. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 03:58PM (-05:00) MUSIC AMAZING GRACE BY II DIVO Thursday, March 12, 2009 First saw this video here Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 02:14AM (-05:00) CHARLES E. WHISNANT PASTORAL STUDY OFFICE Thursday, March 12, 2009 Of course the Pastor/Teacher likes to have an office. I have a whole building, sort of. . The original church building, when Quentin King started Rivers of Joy Baptist Church, and they out grew the building, and moved into the new building. The original building then became Sunday School Class rooms. Then in the last few years, the building was out of use. So when I came on board, I said, "Hay, this would be great for my offices." So it was done. Charity is so grateful since all this stuff was in our house. My study office is really great. Now to use it on a regular basis would be great too. . To view a video of the building, you need to visit GROWBYLEARN.COM. I have several pages that will show you videos, and photos. . 102 We have several more projects that need to be finish, and when they are I will post those

photos as well. . Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 07:20PM (-05:00) SO WHY PRAY IF GOD IS GOD Friday, March 13, 2009 God’s plan is so comprehensive that it not only includes the final destinies of things but also includes the secondary, creatively processes that work together to accomplish these ends. For instance, God does not simply ordain light to shine on the earth each day; He also employs the sun, the moon, the stars, and countless other things to accomplish that end. God does not merely determine that someone will recover from a disease; He uses doctors and medicine to accomplish the healing. As the playwright of history, God did not simply write an ending for the book of time. He wrote every word on every page so that all events lead to the grand finale (Pray With Your Eyes Open, 109-10). In other words, the “all things” which God works out “according to the counsel of His will” (Eph 1:11) includes the means that He uses to bring about His ultimate ends. God uses the sun to bring light to the earth, He uses doctors to restore people to health, and He uses prayer to bring about many things He has purposed in eternity past. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 08:41AM (-05:00) STEM CELL RESEARCH AND SCIENCE THOUGHT Saturday, March 14, 2009 STEM CELL RESEARCH Science and its role are in the news yet again with the recent directives by President Obama on stem cell research. He spoke about the need for scientific research and science policy to be freed from “ideology”. 103

In announcing his policy on federal funding of stem cell research, President Obama inadvertently cast a bright light on a dangerous temptation in science policy that ought to give Americans pause. What you think of his policy depends on what you think of the moral status of embryos. If (as modern biology informs us) conception initiates a human life, and if (as the Declaration of Independence asserts) every human life is equally deserving of some minimal protections, government support for the destruction of human embryos for research raises profound moral problems. But if you think an embryo is not quite a person, or that its immaturity or inability to suffer pain or its other qualities mean that destroying an embryo does not amount to taking a life, the promise of stem cell science might well outweigh any doubts. Read the rest........ NEIL POSTMAN AND "SCIENTISM". But the dream for a science free from ideology is an illusion—in fact, it is itself an ideology. As the late agnostic Neil Postman explains in his 1992 classic, Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology, such a dream is better called Scientism: It is not merely the misapplication of techniques such as quantification to questions where numbers have nothing to say; not merely the confusion of the material and social realms of human experience; not merely the claim of social researchers to be applying the aims and procedures of natural science to the human world. Scientism is all of these, but something profoundly more. It is the desperate hope, and wish, and ultimately the illusory belief that some standardized set of procedures called “science” can provide us with an unimpeachable source of moral authority, a suprahuman basis for answers to questions like “What is life, and when, and why?” “Why is death, and suffering?” “What is right and wrong to do?” Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 04:30AM (-05:00) Sunday March 15 Church News Saturday, March 14, 2009 Welcome to the rivers of joy Baptist church Please excuse us while we are under new Construction. One brick at a time and several bricks have been laid. Spiritual bricks, physical bricks One step at a time. Psalm 40:6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened…The writer of Hebrews quotes this verse in Psalms, but how does he say it? Look below: 104

Hebrews 10:5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: What happend to opening ears? How does that mean a body prepared? Simply put, the OT Psalm was an idiom that makes no sense in English and it made no sense in Greek either, so he uses a little bit of dynamic equivelance to tell you what the OT idiom actually meant. I found this to be a good summary from Francis Schaeffer: We must realize that Christianity is the easiest religion in the world, because it is the only religion in which God the Father and Christ and the Holy Spirit do everything. God is the Creator; we have nothing to do with our existence or the existence of other things. We can shape other things, but we cannot change the fact of existence. We do nothing for our salvation because Christ did it all. We do not have to do anything. In every other religion we have to do something–everything from burning a joss stick to sacrificing our firstborn child to dropping a coin in the collection plate–the whole spectrum. But with Christianity we do not do anything; God has done it all. He has created us and he has sent his Son; his Son died and because the Son is infinite, therefore he bears our total guilt. We do not need to bear our guilt, nor do we even have to merit the merit of Christ. He does it all. So in one way it is the easiest religion in the world (202-203). –taken from "Appendix A" in The God Who Is There I say, forget everything else. Forget everything else. We need to realize the presence of the living God amongst us. Let everything else be silent. This is no time for minor differences. We all need to know the touch of the power of the living God. SUNDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY 10 A.M. Proverbs five and six TODAY'S MESSAGE PASTOR/TEACHER CHARLES E. WHISNANT DURATION OF SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP part PAUL'S DAY CARE CENTER FOR THE CHURCH I THESS 2:7-8 The parental picture of the spiritual leader The pastor's day care center TONIGHT John 3:16 "THE WORLD" Part THREE 105

Stay connected with people Stay focused on the Lord's direction Grow by learning. Com Cwhisna.blogspot.com cwhisna@aol.com http://www.mychurch.org/riversofjoy *CHURCH MEMBERSHIP NOW ARE THOSE WHO HAVE ATTENDED IN 2009 AND HAVE SIGNED THE MEMBERSHIP COVENANT *WE ARE A PLURALITY PASTORAL/ELDERS LED CHURCH Yes we are Baptist, The Pastor/Teachers deisre is this "BE DO NOT USE OUR PEOPLE TO BUILD THE CHURCH BUT USE THE CHURCH TO BUILD PEOPLE THIS WEEK'S ACTIVITIES SUNDAY AFTERNOON MONDAY: PERSONAL BIBLE STUDY AND READING Tuesday: MAKE SURE TO READ THE PASTOR'S WEBSITES. Wednesday: prayer requests and singing at 6:45 p.m. bible study at 7:00 p.m. in the fellowship hall Thursday: Pauline Lemaster's LADIES NIGHT OUT 6:30 P.M. Friday CALL, EMAIL SOMEONE ABOUT COMING TO CHURCH Saturday PRAY FOR THE SERVICES ON SUNDAY. THE CHURCH THAT FELLOWSHIPS TOGETHER IS A HEALTHY CHURCH OUR MISSIONARies ARE WORTHY OF YOUR PRAYERS AND SUPPORT To follow Christ in All Things Minford Ohio 106

Pastor/Teacher Charles E. Whisnant William Bower, Asso Bob Temple, Minister of Music MARCH 15 2009 What a guy! Our Wednesday Evening music is getting to be Rather good. Bill, Johnny and Jimmy. Now who has some drums The Scriptures are sufficient (Thomas Brooks, "A Word in Season to Suffering Saints") "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness--so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17 The Scriptures are sufficient . . . to inform the ignorant, to confute the erroneous, to reform the wicked, and to guide and direct, support and comfort--the godly. Here a lamb may wade--and here an elephant may swim! Here is milk for babes--and meat for strong men! Here is . . . comfort for the afflicted, and support for the tempted, and ease for the troubled, and light for the clouded, and enlargement for the straitened, etc. Oh, how full of light, how full of life, how full of love, how full of sweetness, how full of goodness, how full of righteousness, how full of holiness, etc., is every chapter, and every verse in every 107

chapter, yes, and every line in every verse! No human writings are comparable to Scripture: 1. for antiquity; 2. for rarity; 3. for variety; 4. for brevity; 5. for plainness; 6. for harmony; 7. for verity. All which should greatly encourage Christians, to a serious perusal of them. "Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long!" Psalm 119:97 RIVERS OF JOY BAPTIST CHURCH CHURCH POLICY AND FLOW CHART OF DECISION MAKING 2009 Pastor/teacher Charles E. Whisnant RIVERS OF JOY BAPTIST CHURCH MINFORD, OHIO FLOW CHART OF DECISION MAKING THE LOCAL CHURCH GOD CHRIST-SPIRIT THE BIBLE - SCRIPTURES FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLES - OBJECTIVES 1. Non-Negotiable Biblical Foundation 2. Our Basic Church Goals 3. Our Core Values BODY OF PASTORS/ELDERS/OVERSEERS OF THE MINISTRY 1. Basic Areas of Ministries: Pastor/Teacher, Preachers or Teachers 108

2. Decisions Process Making -LAY-STAFF PASTORS/LEADERS/ADVISORY 1. Head of a ministry: Christian Education, Youth, Music, Children, etc. DEACON / LEADER 1. Heads up a ministry in one area: Building, Outreach etc. STEWARDS/SERVANT 1. Manages a Ministry (Teacher) 2. Serves within the Ministry: (Secretary) -CONGREGATION 1. Comes the Leaders 2. Prayer/Outreach 3. Ministries of spiritual gifts 4. Giving and Stewardship Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 08:00AM (-05:00) JOHN CALVIN PREACHING EXPOSITIONAL WAS NORMAL Sunday, March 15, 2009 Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 06:35AM (-05:00) A DAY WITH THE WHISNANT'S Sunday, March 15, 2009 Sunday Bible Fellowship and Bible Lesson from Proverbs 5:20-26 Morning Worship Hour: Paul's Day Care Center - I Thessalonians 2:7-8 Evening Bible Study - John 3:16 part three: "The World." Charity Sunday Evening checking out my outline from John 3:16 part three Dad and Becky in from of my office at church on Sunday Morning Charity and Becky at the church before Sunday Bible Fellowship hour... 109

Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 08:24PM (-05:00) 110

GOD IN THIS MANNER SET FORTH HIS LOVE Monday, March 16, 2009 THESE GIRLS AT CHURCH LIKE TO PLAY PASTOR CHARLES Good morning. Really, wasn't the worship of the Lord a wonderful time. And worship with other believers just great. I hope later today to post the first half of the message on John 3:16 from last night message. Jesus teaches us that the God who exists loves. Let that sink in. He loves. He loves. Of all the things you might say about God, be sure to say this. He loves. The writer of this gospel says in 1 John 4:8, "God is love." Which I take to mean at least this: giving what's good and serving the benefit of others is closer to the essence of God than getting and being served. God loves. God is love. For this is the way God loved the world: he gave his one and only Son that everyone who believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. I am glad God set His love upon me, aren't you? "For this is the way God loved the world: he gave his one and only Son that everyone who believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 The words which commence John 3:16 “For this is the way God loved the world … ,” pick up and expand upon the thought of verses 14 and 15. Notice the repetition of the statement, “so that everyone who believes in Him … may have eternal life,” in verses 15 and 16. The argument of Jesus (and John) goes something like this: “How can one be reborn from above, Nicodemus? Well, first, no one can ascend into heaven except the One who first descended from heaven. Thus, God’s provision for man’s salvation has come from above. The story of the salvation of the Israelites in the desert speaks of salvation from above. Moses lifted a bronze serpent up on a pole and placed it where all the Israelites could see it. All those bitten by a serpent could “look up” to this bronze 111

serpent and live. The salvation of which I speak, and about which you inquire, is from above, not only in that God has provided it through Him who descended from heaven, but also in that men must look up to Him to be saved.” Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 07:41AM (-05:00) PAUL'S DAY CARE CENTER - THE MOTHER'S CARE Monday, March 16, 2009 Paul's Day Care Center - The Mothers Care Pt 1 from cwhisnant on Vimeo. This video is part one of the message I preached March 15 2009 in the 11 a.m. hour. I will have part two later this week. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 02:20PM (-05:00) Todd Johnson Bass Guitar & Kristin Korb: Going Home Monday, March 16, 2009 This is "live" concert footage of Kristin Korb, Kendall Kay and I performing a tune of mine called "Going Home" at The Master's College in Newhall CA. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 11:06PM (-05:00) SO WHAT IS GOOD PREACHING ANYWAY Tuesday, March 17, 2009 SO WHAT REALLY IS THE PURPOSE OF TEACHING THE WORD OF GOD ? DO WE REALLY EXPECT THOUGH THE TEACHING OF GOD'S WORD, LIVES CAN BE HELPED, CHANGED AND UPLIFTED? Of course, listeners vary and have different things that they are looking for in a preacher. A listener’s theology will determine his or her sense of the sermon. Those who are committed to a high view of Scripture might expect something different than one committed to a more active view of the work of the Holy Spirit. Learning style is a factor in considering the effectiveness of a sermon. Some listeners learn best through reflection and others prefer a more active and participatory 112

approach. Culture will affect one’s evaluation of a sermon. Where we come from, what generation, we belong to, our denomination, our economic situation, and our gender all play a part in determining the kind of preacher we best respond to. A good sermon helps people hear from God. This is as helpful a definition of preaching as I know. Preachers work to connect people with the voice of God. If a listener does not sense that she or he has been in the presence of God and heard something meaningful from him, then the sermon could not have been that good. As such, the sermon does not have to fit any particular pre-fab form. The sermon as a medium can flex to respond to the interests and concerns of any culture and situation. If it helps people hear what God is saying, it is a good sermon, regardless of the preacher’s style. This underlines, of course, a dependence on the Scriptures. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 07:34PM (-05:00) Tuesday, March 17, 2009 Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 08:34PM (-05:00) Paul's Day Care Center, The Mother Part two Tuesday, March 17, 2009 Untitled from cwhisnant on Vimeo. The second half of my message on Sunday Morning. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 10:31PM (-05:00) OKAY WHERE ARE OUR SONS Wednesday, March 18, 2009 NORTH CAROLINE OR DUKE OR KANSAS WILL WIN MARCH MADNESS, MAYBE LOUISVILLE, AND MAYBE KENTUCKY IN THE NIC On this day in history, in 1789, the English poet and hymn writer Charlotte Elliott was born. She is best known for her hymn, "Just As I Am, Without One Plea." “At the root of all our disobedience are particular ways in which we continue to seek control of our lives through systems of works-righteousness. The way to progress as a Christian is to continually repent and uproot these systems the same way we become Christians, namely by the vivid depiction (and re-depiction) of Christ’s saving work for us, and the abandoning of self-trusting efforts to complete ourselves. We must go back again 113

and again to the gospel of Christ-crucified, so that our hearts are more deeply gripped by the reality of what he did and who we are in him.” - Timothy Keller, Paul’s Letter to the Galatians (Redeemer Presbyterian Church, 2003), 61. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 06:20AM (- 05:00) Rivers of Joy Baptist Church, Study of Orgins Thursday, March 19, 2009 Bible Study and Notebooks, Bible and ready to take notes is the order of the night. Stephanie and Charity are ready. 114

TONIGHT AT ROJBC WE HAD A GREAT TIME. Bill and Linda, Jimmy and Lois, Johnny and Phylis, Charles and Charity, Danny and Frankie, John and Peggy, Richard, Bob, Richard, Dorothy, Rose, Stephanie, Magan, Mandy, Zack, Pauline. (Janet was at the hospital with Bill, and Bill and Mary were sick at home. Good singing, Johnny did a great job singing. The message tonight was on The Reason Evolutions Was Brought About. Evolution was invented to made the case that God was not God. 1. You either believe Genesis or you don't. You either believe the Genesis account that God created the heavens and the earth, · or you believe they somehow evolved out of random chance. We have two options. 1. Either we evolved out of the slime and can be explained only in a materialistic sense, meaning that we are made of nothing but the material, 2. or we have been created by God and made in His image in a heavenly pattern. And the debate is not just biological, that's what I'm trying to say, it's not just biological, it's moral and it's spiritual. The debate gets to questions 1. About man's dignity, 2. About man's nature in the image of the heavenly pattern, 3. The image of God. It asks questions about 1. The issue of control, who is sovereign in the universe, who is in control. 2. Is there a universal judge? Is there a universal moral law? Is there a lawgiver? 3. Are to people to live according to God's standard? 4. Will there be a final assessment of how men and women live? 115

5. Is there a final judgment?" Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 05:16AM (-05:00) CHARLES E. WHISNANT Friday, March 20, 2009 . SO YOU ARE ON MY BLOGGER.............. THAT IS AMAZING IN ITSELF...... NOW YOU CAN CATCH ME ON FACEBOOK ......... (you need to sign up for Facebook) OR YOU CAN CATCH ME ON TWITTER ........ (you can have only 140 character comments) OR YOU CAN CATCH ME ON GROWBYLEARNING (Eleven different sites) OR YOU CAN CATCH ME ON MYCHURCH WEBSITE (About Rivers of Joy Baptist Church) OR YOU CAN READ MY SERMONS NOTES ON CHURCH CLOUD (Sermons from ROJBC) OR YOU CAN CATCH ME ON GOOGLE SITE OF SEVERAL PAGES (More personal site) OR FOR WHAT EVER REASON WHY YOU WOULD..... ON DIGG YOU HAVE TO SIGN UP FOR YOUTUBE 116

FOR VIDEOS OF MY MESSAGES AND OTHER STUFF NOTE THIS SITE: Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 06:18AM (-05:00) SO SHOULD WE TEACH THE BIBLE Friday, March 20, 2009 In my humble opinion, this lady is one of the best lady I know.IF YOU SO DESIRE TO LOOK INTO THIS MATTER OF WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT MANHOOD AND WOMANHOOD, HERE ARE A FEW IDEA. Be very strong and clear on what the Scripture says. Try to work out the applicability fairly and even-handedly within the context of your local church. But don't turn that into the new legal structure for all Christians such that this is where you draw your line of demarcation. In other words: get the center right and think center-bounded set. Don't fudge on what the Bible says! . . . If you come to the conclusion that that best articulated and sophisticated, knowledgeable exegesis of Scripture, carefully thought-through, can be graced with the word "complementarian"; if you come to that conclusion--stop apologizing for it. In other words, at some point you have to say, "This is for your good, it is for my good, it is for the church's good, it is for the culture's good. . . ."God knows the design. He knows what he is doing. And so you cannot use your culturally-located questions to become a back-door way of saying that you're uncomfortable with exegesis. That it seems to me, leads to distortion in every domain. Now this sounds rather bibical, yet you will discover that the point is rather hard to see in reality. THE MANHOOD AND WOMANHOOD THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT MOST BAPTIST DO NOT HAVE. Well, maybe some. But when you look at Scripture, your desire is to see the scripture in light of the whole purpose of the bible. Because it is one of the, if not the way that biblical authority is being undermined in our times: If you can get women’s ordination, room for homosexuality, women as pastors in the churches and no male headship in the home out of the Bible, you can get anything out of the Bible. If you can get Paul’s statement “I do not permit a woman to teach” to say “I do permit a woman to teach” you can make people believe anything. In this case there is nothing you cannot get out of the Bible or read into the Bible. We also undermine authority when we believe something from the Bible but refuse to teach it. 117

No matter how unpopular, it is the job of the pastor to teach what the Bible says to the eternal glory of God. Summaries of the Egalitarian and Complementarian Positions on the Role of Women in the Home and in Christian Ministry If you are a Baptist and you struggle with the role of a man and a woman you need to study this. If you believe its okay to have Paula White and Joyce Myers as preachers you need to read this. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 09:34PM (-05:00) Rivers of Joy Baptist Church Wednesday Saturday, March 21, 2009 WEDNESDAY NIGHT BILL AND BOB AND CHARLES TALK ABOUT THE UPKEEP OF THE CHURCH BUILDINGCHARITY TOOK THIS PHOTO OF ME IN FRONT OF THE PASTOR'S OFFICE/LIBRARY AND STUDY BUILDING In each service at Rivers of Joy Baptist Church we try to give out Study notes. Series on Creation and the Belief in Scripture So what we believe about creation, what we believe about Genesis has implications all the way to the end of Scripture, implications with regard to the veracity and truthfulness of Scripture, implications as to the gospel and implications as to the end of human history all wrapped up in how we understand origins in the book of Genesis. The matter of origins then is absolutely critical to all human thinking. It becomes critical to how we conduct our lives as human beings. Without an understanding of origins, without a right understanding of origins, there is no way to comprehend ourselves. There is no way to understand humanity as to the purpose of our existence, and as to our destiny. If we cannot believe what Genesis says about origins, we are lost as to our purpose and our destiny. Whether this world and its life as we know it evolved by chance, without a cause, or was created by God has immense comprehensive implications for all of human life. 118 Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 05:26AM (-05:00)

Charity and Charles Whisnant Kids 2009 Sunday, March 22, 2009 Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 08:12AM (-05:00) Eric and Leslie's Baby Shower by Charity, Becky, Brittney Monday, March 23, 2009 Eric and Leslie Baby Shower Room from charles e. whisnan t on Vimeo. Eric and Leslie Whisnant Baby Shower from charles e. whisnan t on Vimeo. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 08:29AM (-05:00) 119

TO BELIEVE TRUTH IS TO APLPLY TRUTH Tuesday, March 24, 2009 “It is one thing to believe the truth, it is a very different thing to apply it. We did listen, and apply the truth, initially; otherwise we would not be Christians at all. We did listen, and apply the truth, initially; otherwise we would not be Christians at all. But it is possible for us … to go on, content with just listening to, or reading the truth, and never applying it to ourselves, or examining ourselves in the light of it. Is this not one of the most alarming possibilities in the Christian life?… read the life of any man who has ever been used of God … in connection with revival, and you will always find that he was a man who had examined himself, and had become alarmed about himself. It has always been the thing that has led him to God and to prayer — his astonishment at himself. But if we do not examine ourselves we will never truly pray, and our lives will be lived entirely on the surface. Now, how little we hear about self-examination! Oh, we believe in having a quiet time, a short reading of Scripture, a hurried prayer, and we have done everything. But where is self-examination? How much talk is there about mortification of the flesh? (Colossians 3:5, Romans 8:13)… allow the truth to search you … apply it to yourself … preach to yourself … talk to yourself … meditate about these things … bring yourself under conviction …[do] not let yourself escape. But …do not stop at that … allow the Scriptures to lead you to the Lord Jesus Christ, and to the cleansing of His blood. In other words, any Christian who is depressed and morbid and introspective is really failing to apply the doctrine of justification by faith only. If you stop in your sins, if you stop in the dust and the ashes and in the sackcloth, I say, you are not scriptural. You must go on from that and look to Him, and apply again the truth to yourself. You must be certain that you end in a condition of thanksgiving and praise, with a realization that your sins are covered and blotted out, and that you are renewed, and that you are able to go forward.” David Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Revival (Westchester, Illinois, Crossway Books, 1987), pp. 80-83. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 05:14AM (-05:00) 120

Friends and Family over the Weekend Tuesday, March 24, 2009 Yes, this is Brittney and Kyle, what they are doing is beyond me? I knew maybe one day Becky would have a tie on at our house Heather and Chad at our house Charity and Peggy at the baby shower Leslie, and Eric and Miss Wheeler at our house Frankie and Mrs Elder, oh Linda at Rivers of Joy Baptist Church Becky, Peggy, Kyle, Eric, Charity, Leslie, and Bob at Rivers of Joy Baptist Church on Sunday Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 05:49AM (-05:00) 121

CREATION IN GOD'S VAST UNIVERSE SHOWN Tuesday, March 24, 2009 ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT'S AT RIVERS OF JOY BAPTIST CHURCH, MINFORD OHIO I AM ATTEMPTING TO SPEAK ON GENESIS 1. CREATION... I want to deal with this idea of "Chance"? Is it by chance or by designed... This earth that we live in.? As far as the earth being at the center of things, according to Genesis (which I believe to be a literal account of a 6-day creation), the earth is, in some sense, the center. Maybe not the exact spatial center, but the center in the way a stage is the center of a theater (even though it may or may not be in the exact center of the theater building itself). (Although white hole cosmology, if true, may even demonstrate a certain proximity of earth to the center of the universe.) It’s the center in the way New York may be a “cultural center” in the U.S. while it’s way off in the northeast of the country. It’s the center in the way man was created as the crown of creation and was given authority over it even though he was not the most numerous, powerful, beautiful, or long-lived species. He was given authority because God’s image was placed in him. “The center” may have many different ways it is measured, but the most important one must be in the sense of “where God puts/reveals His presence” (understanding that God is omnipresent, but puts/reveals Himself in all places unequally). E.g., the center of God’s presence was in Israel during the Old Testament. In relation to the wider scope of the universe, the center is Earth. http://www.illustramedia.com/tpppreview.htm Then go to the video clips. They are really good. Tonight I download the 39 pages of the web script from the "The Priveleged Planet" Here is one quote: • "There are many probabilistic resources in the galaxy. But, on the other side of the coin, are all of these factors that you need. You have to get just right in order to 122

have just one habitable planet like tyhe Earth.... and that leads me to conclude that yes, we're rare in the galaxy." Guillermo Gonzales. But is this correlation between the existence of complex life and our ability to make scientific discoveries simply a coincidence or the result of blind chance? correlation between the existence of complex life and our ability to make scientific discoveries simply a coincidence or the result of blind chance? Or does it point to a deeper explanation? Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 07:02PM (-05:00) A NICE WALK DOWN THE CORN FIELDS Wednesday, March 25, 2009 Walking to the Scioto River from charles e. whisnan t on Vimeo. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 03:52PM (-05:00) A GREAT VIEW AROUND OUR HOUSE Thursday, March 26, 2009 I am looking back from the River. If you look to the left center you see a dim view of our house. Well it is a mile and a half to the house. The Scioto River flows where the property ends For seven years now, we have lived here on this property. About 350 acres of land. Most of the land is rented out to plant corn, the other is for truck equipment, and a little is left for our house and nice yard. When I walk toward the Scioto River which is about a mile and half back of our property there is a cementary of the 1847 years. I enjoy walking and I enjoy the view from our house. Who would have guess, that I would look outside my house and see a corn field. TODAY WE ARE GOING TO LEXINGTON KENTUCKY AND THEN TO ALTOONA KANSAS ON SATURDAY THEN TO SEE MOM AND ELLEN/HERSCHEL ON MONDAY OF NEXT WEEK. SO I WILL BE OUT OF THE OFFICE FOR A FEW DAYS. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 05:49AM (-05:00) 123

Baby Shower of Eric and Leslie Thursday, March 26, 2009 Eric and Leslie Baby Shower Room from charles e. whisnan t on Vimeo. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 03:57PM (-05:00) Charles E. Whisnant, Sermon on Sunday Friday, March 27, 2009 Untitled from charles e. whisnan t on Vimeo. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 03:58PM (-05:00) Train traveling over the tunnel Saturday, March 28, 2009 Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 04:01PM (-05:00) VISITING MY FAMILY IN TEXAS Sunday, March 29, 2009 Sunday Morning at my sister Ellen and her husband Herschel in Midlothian Texas. 900 miles from Lexington KY, and 1120 miles from Portsmouth Ohio. Charity and I are visiting my Mom Pauline for a few days. . We had a very good trip, the weather was rainly and windy, but otherwise Charity and I had a good time together. . 124

Mom is doing well for 86 years old. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 07:54AM (-05:00) THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST SHOWN CLEARLY Sunday, March 29, 2009 Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 04:04PM (-05:00) GOD'S GRACE SHOWN BY CHRIST DEATH Monday, March 30, 2009 The righteousness of Christ is the believers life. I ask often of myself, "Do I see the righteousness of Christ in my life?" The primary evidence in a believer's life is the righteousness of Christ living out in the life of a believer. A person's salvation is not necessarily accomplished by words at an altar in some church, or some prayer at a revival meeting. Salvation is the redemption paid for by Christ at the Cross. And God then is able to redeem the sinner by His mercy from the wrath that is laid upon the sinner. Because of one man sin, Adam, all men became sinners, which means all men fall from God's grace. And by one man Jesus, made it possible for God to show mercy upon those whom God gave to Christ at the cross. When God by His grace saved us, gave us a new nature, removed the sin whereby we were damned, we are now made a new creature in the righteousness of Christ. And the result of the new nature we become new in our lives. The evidence of a new life is seen in a new atttiude, a new belief, and a new means whereby we live and think, and act. Personal note: I am in Midlothian, Tx where my Mom lives. I am on my sis's touch to begin 22 " screen HP. How cool is that. We have had a cool time, literally it has been cool. And Herschel and I took a cool ride, 2008 Solara convertible around Midlothian. Thus far we have a had a very good time with family. Stay tune. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 07:55AM (-05:00) Vacation 2009 Tuesday, March 31, 2009 WE ARE ON VACATION. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 09:41AM (-05:00) 125

THE UNIVERSE AND BEYOND CREATED BY GOD Tuesday, March 31, 2009 I have always loved to look at the different shapes of clouds. Genesis 9:13 "set My bow in the clouds. Exodus 13:21 "in a pillar of clouds. Exodus 20:21 "So the people stood at a distance, while Moses approached the thick cloud where God was." God is in the clouds. Psalms 105:39 "He spread a cloud for a covering..." Which seems to say, God can control the clouds for His purpose and will to accomplish His will. God in His wisdom has made all things in the Universe to be and do at His pleasure. The Universe and all that is in it, was by design and plan. The universe was spoken into being by the mind of God in a moment. Of course, with God there is no time involved. But as I believe in the six-day creation of earth so was the universe spoken into existence. In the coming weeks I will attempt to study this matter of the creation of origin of the world, earth, universe and mankind. Why? Because God is and He is the creator of all things in the Universe and beyond. (Is there a beyond the universe?) Of course I will be reading a lot and taking notes and looking into this matter. I will relate this matter to our adult Bible study group on Wednesday Night's in the month of April 2009. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 01:11PM (-05:00) THE SOUL WINNER'S TOOLBOX EXPLAINED BIBLICALLY Wednesday, April 01, 2009 Having attended Hyles-Anderson, in 1980 and following the Sword of the Lord for a number of years in the 60-80's, you get an unbiblical distorted view of the method of how someone comes to Christ in the matter of salvation. You know the 10,000 baptisms in one year? Seeing on a Sunday 140 kids being dunked 126 in the water. Usually their first Sunday in church, they were "saved" and baptized all in

one Sunday. And some were dunked five times in one year. I have a hard time seeing this method as biblical. The "Just As I Am", song at the end of a service, "pleading for someone to be saved" method, really is usually so out of the realm of biblical salvation. The "Go Soul Winning" methods usually are so poorly explained. "I led 10 people to Christ this afternoon statement" is so out of the text of Scripture. "We need to see 100 people saved this year in our church." Really? While I would love to see Christ bring unto Himself many, I have no clue how many He will save in a given year. And the method whereby we count the number of persons that we think have been saved, is so distorted. Really. Yep. I wish and pray and preach and teach toward the idea that I would like to see people saved. I would like to see Christ bring hundreds to Himself in our church in a year. That would be the greatest desire that I would have. So what is our responsibility in this matter of seeing a person "get" saved? That is an interesting statement? "Getting one saved." "I need to get someone saved today?" "I am going out and be a soul winner." While I have said those things before. Got to get out on Thursday Night and go Soul Winning. How fun is that? I am on vacation at my sis's house and I will address this issue next time, or when I get home. MOM IS DOING OKAY, SHE IS AT THIS TABLE THREE TIMES A DAY. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 08:29AM (-05:00) Vacation 2009 Thursday, April 02, 2009 GOOD MORNING AGAIN. Thursday we are leaving Dennis and Susan Lugar's home in Mississippi. And we are going back to Lexington, KY.Wednesday we stayed in Hope Arkansas at Super 8.And using the computer in the lobby.Great night. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 09:10AM (-05:00) 127

Vacations 2009 part one, the silly stuff Friday, April 03, 2009 A VACATION THAT HAS FUN, RELAXATION, AND ENTERTAINMENT IS A GREAT VACATION, PART ONE OKAY TIGER WOODS WON THE ARNOLD PALMER TOURMENT LOVE IT. They are both my best golfers of all time. We were at Ellen's and Mom and watch on the big screen. Okay, so I sort of like Urm Thurman, all in fun of course, and Ellen wanted to watch Paycheck again. I have always for some reason like Car transportation trucks, from my youth. A night shot of Dennis and Susan home around 3:00 a.m. when we left their house Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 06:25AM (-05:00) Vacation 2009 Part Two Friday, April 03, 2009 We started from Lexington, Kentucky, and talked to Kyle and had a great time. We had dinner with Becky, Chad was on vacation We stopped to see the baby nursery at Eric and Leslie's. We had a great time at the rest stops. I do like car transportation trucks When we arrived in Texas, and Bryan Willams came over he had a gift from me, a collection of 128

a collectable car that they give to folks. Of course Brian and April and the kids came over, we ate Now of course we had a great time with Ellen and Hershele. Great food, great time of rest, talking and taking a ride in a great car And before we left we had a photo of Mom She is 86 and will be 87 April 15th SO FOR A PERSON WHO LIKES TO TAKE PICTURES, I SURE DIDN'T TAKE A LOT. BUT WE HAD FUN, AND A GREAT TIME WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS WE REALLY MISSED GOING TO ALTOONA. MAYBE NEXT TIME. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 06:37AM (-05:00) 129

VACATION 2009 Friday, April 03, 2009 Thanks Ellen for getting this photo of Mom waving bye to Charity and I was we are pulling out. Have I said we had a berry great time on our vacation. Oh My Vacation 2009 from charles e. whisnan t on Vimeo. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 11:40AM (-05:00) John 3:16 Notes and Video Coming Monday, April 06, 2009 Bob Temple and Johnny Edwards Singing from charles e. whisnan t on Vimeo. HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON: JESUS EXACTLY SUITS US SINNERS Rivers of Joy Baptist Church Pastor/Teacher Charles E. Whisnant April 05, 2009 Verse 16. For God so loved, &c. -- What proclamation of the Gospel has been so oft on the lips of missionaries and preachers in every age since it was first uttered? What has sent such thrilling sensations through millions of mankind? What has been honored to bring such multitudes to the feet of Christ? What to kindle in the cold and selfish breasts of mortals the fires of self-sacrificing love to mankind, as these words of transparent simplicity, yet overpowering majesty? The picture embraces several distinct compartments: "THE WORLD" -- in its widest sense -- ready "to perish"; the immense "LOVE OF GOD" to that perishing world, measurable only, and conceivable only, by the gift which it drew forth from Him; THE GIFT itself -- "He so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son," or, in the language of Paul, "spared not His own Son" (Ro 8:32), or in that addressed to Abraham when ready to offer Isaac on the altar, "withheld not His Son, His only Son, whom He loved" (Ge 22:16); the FRUIT of this stupendous gift -- not only deliverance from impending "perdition," but the bestowal of everlasting life; the MODE in which all takes effect -- by "believing" on the Son. How would Nicodemus' narrow Judaism become invisible in the blaze of this Sun of righteousness seen rising on "the world" with healing in His wings! (Mal 4:2).—Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary 130

We know what God gives: “His only begotten Son.” 1, Defines Christ’s eternal relationship.“Son” has the meaning of relationship. Christ’s Sonship is a relationship within the Godhead. “Begotten” “unique, only one of its kind) : to produce especially as an effect or outgrowth · the meaning of the word μονογενής (monogenes) The meaning is, the son is the only offspring of the parent, not the only existing person of his kind. The Greek word μονογενής is an adjective compounded of μονος "only" and γενος "species, race, family, offspring, kind." In usage, with few exceptions it refers to an only son or daughter. In John's Gospel and First Epistle the same words and concepts are used to describe the special relationship of Jesus to God. · Jesus had always been, so couldn't become. His Sonship was natural (an affirmation of His deity or 'God' nature). · This relationship is referred to as 'anthropomorphic', where the God nature is represented in human terms and characteristics. · The term is seen in the term 'son' the idea of likeness and sameness of nature and equality of being. · Jesus never became, but IS. 'IS' in terms of His eternity; His sameness with the Father but as two forms of presentation; His Godness; His identical, indivisible monadic, (single cell) begotten Deity; both within Each Other as an inherent dwelling as both Brightness and Light, as the Father is to the Son and as the Son is to the Father. Jesus is · truly the "only-begotten Son" and true God; both the Son of God and God the Son. Jesus was neither a descendant of God nor a descendant of man. HE IS GOD. Isaiah 9:6. THE VIRGIN BIRTH: · The way whereby, or manner by which God became incarnated. God was manifest in the flesh. · We believe that God always manifests Himself through the Second Person of the Trinity, hence, God manifest in the flesh is called the SON OF GOD. · The Spirit of God formed within Mary a body through which God took a human nature in the union with His Divine personality. · In nature He was God-man, in personality He was God. · FOOTNOTE: o We do not have three God’s but one God who is a unity in Trinity. · The Father alone is not God o The Son alone is not God. The Spirit alone is not God. But all three constitute God. · 9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. Col 2:8-9 (KJV) · of the Godhead -- The Greek (theotes) means the ESSENCE and NATURE of the Godhead, not merely the divine perfections and attributes of Divinity (Greek, "theiotes"). He, as man, was not merely God-like, but in the fullest sense, God Jesus was announced to Mary as the Son of God. Luke 1:35 Jesus was announced to Mary as Saviour. Luke 1:31, Mt 1:21 I Timothy 2:5-6 The Lord Jesus was not the Son of God by His miraculous conception. He was the Son of God before that human birth Psalms 2 131

Jesus did not become the Son of God by being sent, but because He was the Son of God he as sent. John 10:36. JESUS CHRIST IS THE ‘ONLY” son of God. · Angels are called sons of God, by creation · Adam was called a son of God, by creation · Believers are called sons of God by regeneration. · Jesus Christ was a Son in eternity Jesus was THE Son, not A SON. 2. “HIS ONLY BEGOTTON SON” DESCRIBES GOD’S SUPREME GIFT. This gift is the Son of God. No other son would do Only God could have been the Son. Any other son would otherwise have had to have a Savior. SIN requires a victim since God is just. “Where is the Lamb? Asked Isaac. God will provide Himself as a lamb. 3. ‘HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON” DISCHARGES GOD’S SAVING PURPOSE. · AS SOON as sin entered into the world God declared His purpose to send a Redeemer. Gen 3:15. · I John 4:1214 The Father sent His Son to be a Savior of the world. · Galatians 4:4-6 we are told God sent forth His son to redeem Romans 8:32 HE WAS BORN THAT HE MIGHT DIE. MINE HOUR · “Mine Hour” seven times. · That hour is the hour of His death o It was for the sake of that hour that Jesus Christ left the bosom of the Father for the womb of the virgin. o It was this hour that gave value to the blood of the Passover lamb. o Psalms 22 is pictured of that hour. o All the prophecies, types, shadows, symbols, met at the cross in that hour. o That hour when the new covenant was sealed and our salvation secured in the blood of the Son of God. o 4. “HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON” DETERMINES MAN’S ETERNAL DESTINY. · John 3:16 and John 1:12 FOOTNOTE i first preached this series in 1972 at Madison Baptist Church, in Minford Ohio, and then in 1992 I used this series at the First Baptist Church in Altoona, Kansas, then April 2009 132

at the Rivers of Joy Baptist Church in Minford Ohio. And the understanding that I thought I had in 1972 and 1990 pale's in view of what I understand in 2009. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 07:14AM (-05:00) VACATION 2009 IN TEXAS & MISSISSIPPII & KY. Wednesday, April 08, 2009 Becky at the seat where she is working today This was the breakfast we had at Ellen home, and she made them. Of course the auto company is having trouble with cars as you can see, we saw a dozen of the truck transportion carring cars. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 06:16AM (-05:00) HIS ONLY BEGOTTON SON PART ONE Wednesday, April 08, 2009 His Only Begotton Son Part One from charles e. whisnan t on Vimeo. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 08:32AM (-05:00) 133

JESUS RODE INTO JERSUALEM WITH TEARS 1&2 Friday, April 10, 2009 Jesus Rode Into Jerusalem with Tears from charles e. whisnan t on Vimeo. Jesus Rode Into Jerusalem With Tears Part Two from charles e. whisnan t on Vimeo. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 08:51AM (-05:00) THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD JESUS Saturday, April 11, 2009 SOME THOUGHTS ON THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST........... • "The old sabbath [Saturday, when Jesus was in the tomb] was like a candle lit in the night before the rising and appearing of the sun." (Athanasius, in Thomas Oden and Christopher Hall, edd., Ancient Christian Commentary On Scripture: New Testament II: Mark [Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1998], p. 240)"I, who am the Chief corner-stone, the elect, the precious, lie for a little time within a stone— I who am a stone of stumbling to the Jews, and of salvation to them who believe. The Tree of life, therefore, was planted in the earth, that the earth which had been cursed might enjoy the blessing, and that the dead might be released." (Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures, 13:35) • "Everywhere deceit recoils upon itself, and against its will supports the truth. And observe. It was necessary for it to be believed that He died, and that He rose again, and that He was buried, and all these things are brought to pass by His enemies. See, at any rate, these words [in Matthew 27:63-64] bearing witness to every one of these facts. 'We remember,' these are the words, 'that that deceiver said, when He was yet alive,' (He was therefore now dead), 'After three days I rise again. Command therefore that the sepulchre be sealed,' (He was therefore buried), 'lest His disciples come and steal Him away.' So that if the sepulchre be sealed, there will be no unfair dealing. For there could not be. So then the proof of His 134

resurrection has become incontrovertible by what ye have put forward. For because it was sealed, there was no unfair dealing. But if there was no unfair dealing, and the sepulchre was found empty, it is manifest that He is risen, plainly and incontrovertibly. Seest thou, how even against their will they contend for the proof of the truth?...Seest thou how they labor for the truth against their will? For they themselves came to Pilate, themselves asked, themselves sealed, setting the watch, so as to be accusers, and refuters one of another." (John Chrysostom, Homilies On Matthew, 89:1) • "The Savior is placed in the sepulcher of another, because he died for the salvation of others." (Augustine, in Thomas Oden and Christopher Hall, edd., Ancient Christian Commentary On Scripture: New Testament II: Mark [Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1998], p. 238)"But the height of His glorification had to be preceded by the depth of His passion. Accordingly, He went on to add, 'Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a grain of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.' But He spake of Himself. He Himself was the grain that had to die, and be multiplied; to suffer death through the unbelief of the Jews, and to be multiplied in the faith of many nations." (Augustine, Tractates On John, 51:9)"Fear not O bride, nor despair. Do not think yourself hopeless if your bridegroom withdraws his face for a while. All things work together for the good, so that both from his absence and his presence you gain something better....Being absent he will become more desired, and being more desired he will be more earnestly sought, and being long sought more acceptably found." (anonymous, in Thomas Oden and Christopher Hall, edd., Ancient Christian Commentary On Scripture: New Testament II: Mark [Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1998], p. 200) From an ancient homily (ca. fourth century), attributed in some traditions to Epiphanius of Constantia: Something strange is happening. There is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the king is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh, and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. God has died in the flesh and hell trembles with fear. He has gone to search for our first parents, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow the captives, Adam and Eve, he who is both God and the son of Eve. The Lord approached them bearing the cross, the weapon that had won him the victory. [...] I am your God, who for your sake, have become your son. Out of love for you and for your descendants, I now by my own authority command all who are held in bondage to come forth, all who are in darkness to be enlightened, all who are sleeping to arise. I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be held a prisoner in hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead. [...] For your sake I, your God, became your son. I, the Lord, took the form of a slave. I, whose home is above the heavens, descended to the earth and beneath the earth. For your sake, for the sake of man, I became like a man without help, free among the dead. For the sake of you, who left a garden, I was betrayed in a garden, and I was crucified in a garden. See on my face the spittle I received in order to restore to you the life I once breathed into 135

you. See there the marks of the blows I received in order to refashion your warped nature in my image. On my back, see the marks of the scourging I endured to remove the burden of sin that weighs upon your back. See my hands, nailed firmly to a tree, for you who once wickedly stretched out your hand to a tree. I slept on the cross and a sword pierced my side for you who slept in paradise and brought forth Eve from your side. My side has healed the pain in yours. My sleep will rouse you from your sleep in hell. The sword that pierced me has sheathed the sword that was turned against you. Rise. Let us leave this place. The enemy led you out of the earthly paradise. I will not restore you to that paradise, but I will enthrone you in heaven. [...] The throne formed by cherubim awaits you, its bearers, swift and eager. The bridal chamber is adorned, the banquet is ready, the eternal dwelling places are prepared, the treasure houses of all good things lie open. The kingdom of heaven has been prepared for you from all eternity. CAN'T WAIT TO BE AT CHURCH ON SUNDAY..... HE IS RISEN.....FOR ME...... Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 04:26PM (-05:00) Saturday, April 11, 2009 Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 09:09PM (-05:00) WHY IS TEACHING THE BIBLE IMPORTANT? Monday, April 13, 2009 WHY DO I TEACH THE BIBLE, RATHER THAN TEACH MY OPINIONS?Because those whom the Lord has allowed me to teach need to know the way the Lord would lead them into His Will. True doctrine transforms behavior as it is woven into the fabric of everyday life. But it must be understood if it is to have its impact. The real challenge of the ministry is to dispense the truth clearly and accurately. 136 Practical application comes easily by

comparison. No believer can apply truth he doesn’t know. Those who don’t know the Bible’s principles for marriage, divorce, family, childrearing, discipline, money, debt, work, service to Christ, responsibilities to the poor, care of widows, response to governments, eternal rewards, and other teachings will not be able to apply them. Those who don’t’ know what the Bible teaches about salvation cannot be saved. Those who don’t know what the Bible teaches about holiness are incapable of dealing with sin. Thus they are unable to live fully to God’s glory and their own blessedness. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 11:05AM (-05:00) THEY DID NOT FIND JESUS AT THE TOMB Tuesday, April 14, 2009 THE WOMEN AT THE TOMB OF JESUS Pastor/teacher Charles e. Whisnant Easter Sunday April 12, 2009 Jesus is Risen: Matthew 28:1-14, Mark 16:1-8, Luke 24:1-12, John 20:1-10 Earthquake and Resurrection The empty tomb Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. And his appearance was like lightning, and his garment as white as snow; and the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. And the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as 137

He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going before you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you." And they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshipped Him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they shall see Me." (28:1–10) THE CORNERSTONE OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH IS THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST. ALL OUR FAITH AND WHAT WE BELIEVE IS BASED ON THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS. THE REACTION TO THE RESURRECTION 1. Rationalism 2. Unbelief 3. Doubt 4. Indifference 5. Ignorance 6. Hostility 7. Faith, Affirm, Application HOW IS YOUR RESPONSE? THERE IS NO GREATER EVENT IN HISTORY THAN THIS STORY. It's the theme of the New Testament. Because of the resurrection we have the beginning of the first day of the week for worship. The resurrection is the Christian believer's HOPE, and FOUNDATION FOR LIFE. John 11:25. THE RESURRECTION FROM THE WOMEN'S VIEW Matthew recorded the reaction, attitude, emotion and feelings of the women who came to the tomb of Jesus and how the women experienced the resurrection of Jesus Christ, their Lord and Savior. Mary and Mary Magdalene found Jesus' empty tomb • The sun had not yet risen in the east, but Mary Magdalene was awake. She had not been able to rest or sleep since Jesus had been crucified She had seen him after he had been beaten and then forced to carry his own cross up the hill to Calvary. That was where they killed him. Now here she was slowly walking toward the tomb where Jesus had been buried. She thought she had run out of tears, but still she cried. • When she finally reached the tomb, she discovered the heavy stone that had sealed the entrance had been rolled away. Mary carefully stepped into the cold, dark hole that had been carved out of the rock. 1 In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came 138

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary (the mother of James and Joses) to see the sepulchre. (grave, tomb) Matt 28:1. Sometime very early Sunday morning, the third day since Jesus had been put in the tomb. At the breaking of light, at the first appearance of daybreak". Thus our Lord rose on the third day; having lain in the grave part of Friday, the whole of Saturday, and part of the following First day. The Sabbath day, the old covenant came to an end with the resurrection of Jesus on Sunday.. This was the beginning of the new covenant. We begin with the first day of the week not at the end. WHAT NOW WILL BE THE REACTION OF THE WOMEN WHO COME TO THE GRAVE BELIEVEING THAT JESUS IS DEAD, AND FOUND THAT HE IS GONE. 1A THE EMOTION OF SYMPATHY: Mark 16:1 Luke 23:54 -56 WHY DID THE WOMEN COME TO THE GRAVE? TO BRING SPICES? WHY? A group of women came to the grave where Jesus was laid. They came not to see the risen Lord but to bring spices and to anoint Him. They had purchased them immediately after the Crucifixion, on the Friday evening, during the short interval that remained to them before sunset, when the sabbath rest began; and that they had only deferred using them to anoint the body till the sabbath rest should be over. Jewish tradition wrongly held that the spirit of a dead person left the body four days after death because by that time the body had become so disfigured by decay that the spirit could no longer recognize it So before it came to that they came on the 3rd day to show their love. They didn't have faith in the resurrection, just devotion, love and sympathy, kindness. WHAT DID THEY DO WHEN THEY CAME TO THE GRAVE? Mark 16:3 "And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?" They may not have had faith, but they had devotion, and courage. 2A THEY HAD THE EMOTION OF SHOCK: Matthew 28:2 MARK 16. 2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake Matt 28:2. That got their attention. Exodus 19:18, I Kings 19:11, Joel 2:10, Revelation 6, 8, 11. THE EARTHQUAKE: 5.1 A sign of His moving in their midst. (Google gives updates). An earthquake (also known as a tremor or temblor) is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. ... Why the earthquake? "for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven," Matt 28:2 139

To let Jesus out of the tomb? No. "and came and rolled back the stone from the door," NO ONE SAW THE RESURRECTON OF JESUS FROM THE TOMB, GRAVE. NO ONE SAW HIM COME OUT OF THE DOOR. The angels moved the stone to let the women IN. To let them see that Jesus was already gone. AND the angel "and sat upon it. Vs 2 he is represented as sitting on the stone outside the sepulchre— Mary Magdalene came into the garden "and see the stone taken away from the sepulchre. 2 Then she run," John 20:1-2 She doesn't see the angel sitting on the stone. SO the other women came into the garden "4 And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. Mark 16:4. THE ANGEL SITTING OUTSIDE THE GRAVE, CAVE, DOOR, ETC. Matthew 28.3His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:" Lighting, blazing, essence, brilliance of God, glow of God, the character of Diety, glowing face. Purity, and holiness. The one expressing the glory, the other the purity of the celestial abode from which he came. Matthew 28:4 4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men." (coma you might say.) THE WOMEN WERE A LITTLE SHOCKED AT THIS. Vs. 5 " And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified."6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. " JESUS WAS RAISED, 'HE IS ALIVE". Luke 24:5 He is not dead He is alive. HOW? Romans 6:4 and 8:11. "by the power of the Father. And the women remembered. Luke 24:8. THEN, the angel said COME ON IN, LADIES….. So they went IN. And the angels showed up on the inside. Luke 24:4-5. One angel at the head and the other at the end of the place where Jesus laid. Here is a symbol of the Mercy Seat. Christ has offered the sanctification for the sin of the world. THE ANGEL GAVE A THIRD MESSAGE: Luke 24:5-7. "WHY SEEK YOU THE LIVING AMONG THE DEAD." THEN THE ANGEL SAID: 7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you. 8 And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word Matt 28:7 8. WHY WERE THE WOMEN THE FIRST TO SEE THE ANGELS AND THE RISEN LORD? 140

BECAUSE THEY WERE THERE. If you are not there, you are not going to see it. Personally, I would rather be there experiencing it, than hearing it from someone else. Personally, I praise God for people who are there: 1. They are there when the Lord is working 2. They are there when God's people gather. 3. They are there when His Word is taught. 4. They are there to experience first hand the power and moving of God. THEY SAW IT BECAUSE THEY WERE THERE. I pray and hope you will be here at Rivers of Joy Baptist Church to see the working of Christ in this place, and not just read what is happening on the BLOG :THEY DID NOT FIND JESUS Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 07:31AM (-05:00) HIS ONLY BEGOTTON SON PART THREE Wednesday, April 15, 2009 Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 08:20AM (-05:00) SOMEWHERE IN TIME VIDEO GREAT Wednesday, April 15, 2009 Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 07:57PM (-05:00) Scottie Pippen Retired, & Michael Jordan Hall of Fame Thursday, April 16, 2009 Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 05:36PM (-05:00) 141

WHAT THE WORLD TODAY NEEDS IS Friday, April 17, 2009 It is the deepening conviction of the writer, that what is most needed today, is a wide proclamation of those truths which are the least acceptable to the flesh. What is needed today, is a scriptural setting forth of the character of God-- His absolute sovereignty, His beyond words holiness, His inflexible justice, His unchanging veracity. What is needed today, is a scriptural setting forth of the condition of the natural man-- his total depravity, his spiritual insensibility, his incurable hostility to God, the fact that he is "condemned already" and that the wrath of a sin-hating God is even now abiding upon him! What is needed today, is a scriptural setting forth of the alarming danger which sinners are in--the indescribably awful doom which awaits them, the fact that if they follow their present course only a little further--they shall most certainly suffer the due penalty of their iniquities! Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 07:38PM (-05:00) Post Number #999 On Blogger Saturday, April 18, 2009 Today number #999... hard to believe since August 2006 I have posted 999 times. What I started out to do was to write a journal about our life in ministry and events with our family. Wild, its have been a great ride. I would have never thought I would have that much to say. Really! Back in August 2006 I was not sure where the next ministry was going to lead us. Ten years had past since I resigned from FBC 142 in Altoona, Kansas. From Kansas we moved to Lexington Kentucky for five years. Charity

was one of the secretaries in Ashland Ave Baptist Church for five years. While I wondered around from job to job, I must have had ten different jobs. What I really moved to Lexington to do, never did work out. While I did work for a while at Ashland Ave for a season, and also for Southern Acres Christian Church for several seasons (school years) and finally ended up teaching an Adult Class at Ashland. I attempted to pastor a Southern Baptist Church, a failed attempted I must say. Then again I attempted to pastor another SBC, (I don't learn very well), while I loved the opportunity that I had for about six months, again a failed attempted. Both churches had a history of short run pastors and many divisions. Finally moved to Portsmouth Ohio in March 2002. Another attempt working with a Independent Baptist pastor as an asso. While I would say the church had a rebound, and new life put back into the Sunday School, the pastor was not all that happy with our ministry and asked us to leave. In six months the pastor left the church after 25 years. So we thought, okay how about a non Baptist church. Interesting. For the next four years November 2004 - January 2008 we attended a church that was a mixed brand of belief. While thinking we would be asked to serve in the church, and were in view of a position for the whole time we were there, they seemed to think we would not fit in very well. Think of that. Finally at the end of the run, we were given a postion, only after a month have it taking away. We finally left. And then the pastor and asso. left shortly thereafter. Now we come to June 2008. Who would have ever believed that the Lord might not be finished with us yet. I had almost come to the belief that time had run out on ministry. And in the most unlikely time, place and season, the Lord seemed to say, okay Charles, let see if you can handle this assignment. My father in law was responsible in getting me to preach at Rivers of Joy Baptist Church. Of course I was delighted, shocked, amazed, and pleased, and thrilled. The church was graciously in allowing me to preach for a few weeks, to get used to me, and they were in need of someone to preach. My father in law gave the people the assurance that he didn't want to pastor the church and that he believed I could do a good job for them. So the church members invited me to pastor the church. I must say I am totally surprise. But what is more amazing I love every week at the church. I might be sixty one now, but I have loved every minute of the experience. The church members have been so great to Charity and I, (of course they love Charity) and they are getting to like me a little. Its with a passion that I have entered into this ministry. There has been a lot of work and effort to get to this point. And of course there has been a few who have not like our position, and have moved on (those who had left before we came). Those who were there when I came have been so great to work with us in this new ministry. We have just begun, I believe, we are praying that the Lord really is going to use us and the members of ROJBC to serve Him. The only way any ministry is going to be good, is that the Lord enters in and takes over. 143

Amen. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 08:13AM (-05:00) THE X'S AND Y'S OF SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP Monday, April 20, 2009 PASTORAL LEADESHIP AS A FATHER XY IN VIEW Part one from charles e. whisnan t on Vimeo. NUMBER #1000 Since August 2006 I have posted 1000 articles, videos, photos, etc. What a joy I have had doing this over the last 2.8 years. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 06:49PM (-05:00) THE REASON FOR THE LORD'S SUPPER Tuesday, April 21, 2009 THE REASON FOR THE LORD'S SUPPER from charles e. whisnan t on Vimeo. Let us take a view of why the Lord had us to take the bread and wine. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 01:25PM (-05:00) ELDERS NOTES AND CREATION NOTES POSTED Thursday, April 23, 2009 I have posted the Elder's Meeting Notes here: I have posted the Creation Notes here Later Part two of the message Sunday Morning. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 06:13AM (-05:00) HAS YOU LIFE STYLE CHANGED Thursday, April 23, 2009 HAS YOUR LIFE STYLE OR THINKING CHANGED AS A RESULT OF WHAT YOU HAVE SEEN TONIGHT (EXAMPLE DAVE RAMSEY) OR WHAT YOU HEARD IN THE SUNDAY MORNING MESSAGE BY THE PASTOR? 144

But others do attend a church — physically. They come in, they sit down. They sing, they may give financially. They may look at you, Pastor, as you preach.But you know their heart belongs to another. Their real pastor isn't you. It's Dave Hunt. Or it's John Piper. Or it's John MacArthur, or Ligon Duncan, or Mark Dever, or David Cloud, or Joel Osteen. Or it's Charles Spurgeon, or D. M. Lloyd-Jones, or J. C. Ryle. Or Calvin, or Luther, or Bahnsen, or de Mar, or R. B. Thieme, or J. Vernon McGee or even Dave Ramsey, or Dr. Phill. Brother, sister: John Piper isn't your pastor. John MacArthur knows nothing about you. Dave Hunt never got on his knees and prayed for you. Lloyd-Jones won't come to your house when you're recovering from surgery, or one of your children shatters your heart, or your marriage is shaking and rocking and barely hanging on. Charles Spurgeon won't weep with you as you weep. Charles Stanley while a great preacher, will never come to your house to view you. Thanks to Dan Philips for these thoughts. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 09:10PM (-05:00) SOCIAL NETWORKING IS NOT REALLY BAD Friday, April 24, 2009 GOOD MORNING, SOCIAL NETWORKING..... TWITTER AND FACEBOOK. AND Mex Itali Inc. Yesterday at Mex Itali was a really busy time from 12 to 3. That is the time I clear tables and clean the dishes. But I am a social person, and while the dinning room was filled, I had to talk to friends. I meet the new preacher from Bigelow Church. he was eating with Ray and Sharon McCoy. I spend some time with them. Jumping up when a table need to be cleaned off. The new preacher went to school at Library U. and knew Dave Adams and was a youth pastor in Virginia. And I have those things in commom with him. And there are about a dozen or more folks that I just had to talk too. My good friend Mr. Fowler who works for the city And a great Christian, and his dad and my dad had so much in common. 145

So soical networking takes place in real time with live people. That is good. I called several members of the church, and that is live networking. And then there was Union Mills. Then there was have a quick meal with my father in law, Bob Temple. Cool. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 05:47AM (-05:00) A Train Engine or Trees of Beauty Saturday, April 25, 2009 I took these photos this week. I saw this engine while I was driving, and I raced to a stopping place and pulled over to take this photo. Then the trees, Charity and were coming back from Union Mills, and I saw these trees and pulled over and got out to take the photo. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 02:18PM (-05:00) John 3:16 "He Who Believes in Christ" Part two Saturday, April 25, 2009 John 3:16 Believeth on Jesus Christ Part two from charles e. whisnan t on Vimeo. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 02:24PM (-05:00) 146

HEAVEN AND HELL AND WITH & WITHOUT A MEDIATOR Sunday, April 26, 2009 Took this Photo on Satursday HEAVEN AND HELL In his little book Fear Not!, an examination of death and the afterlife from a Christian perspective, Ligon Duncan writes about the horrors of hell. Having done so, he offers a final reflection on the ultimate difference between heaven and hell. And, though I've read extensively, I do not recall ever hearing someone express it quite like this. These are words that are worthy of some reflection. Though he has already discussed hell, there is one more thing he wishes to say. ***** It is a surprising thing to note, because so often we speak of hell as a place where God is not. Let me, however, say something provocative. Hell is eternity in the presence of God without a mediator. Heaven is eternity in the presence of God, with a mediator. Hell is eternity in the presence of God, being fully conscious of the just, holy, righteous, good, kind, and loving Father's disapproval of your rebellion and wickedness. Heaven, on the other hand, is dwelling in the conscious awareness of your holy and righteous Father, but doing so through a mediator who died in your place, the One who absorbed the fullness of the penalty of your sin. Heaven is eternity in the presence of God with the One who totally eradicated sin from your life, the Lord Jesus Christ. • Hell is eternity in the presence of God without a mediator. • Heaven is eternity in the presence of God with a mediator, the Lord Jesus Christ. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 03:07PM (-05:00) STAY ON THE MEANING OF THE TEXT Tuesday, April 28, 2009 Passage Details. Have I heard this a few times. The preacher reads a passage of scripture and then he takes a message of truth that has nothing to do with the intend to the text.: I have said this statement a dozen times in the passed. I have learned this from my study of preaching and teaching. And on a few occasion I have been guilty of doing it. John MacArthur, Lloyd Jones, John Scott, and many others give this advice. STAY WITH THE TEXT PLEASE. 147

• "It is always tempting to bounce off a detail in the passage and preach a message that may be biblical, but is not the message of this passage. For instance, you might see a theological term that is rich in meaning and you can easily put together a series of thoughts on that aspect of theology. Or perhaps you spot a name of a character that you’d like to speak about. Or maybe there is some other detail in the text that is familiar and lends itself to a message that just falls together easily. Wait. This may be a short-cut, but it is not a good path to take. Instead be sure to study all the details in the passage so that you can wrestle with what this passage is actually saying, not just what words it includes. Using details in the text, but failing to actually preach the text is what I might call pseudo-expository preaching. It sounds biblical, it looks expository, but it has a weakened authority since the message of the text is not the message of the sermon. It takes longer to study a passage through in detail, but it is so worth the effort:" Peter Mead Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 05:09AM (-05:00) BE OF GOOD COURAGE IN MINISTRY Tuesday, April 28, 2009 BE OF GOOD COURAGE PART ONE from charles e. whisnan t on Vimeo. For the first time in my long preaching/teaching, I record my message from a small Kodek, which does a great job by the way. And at present I can only upload 1G at a time, that is about 22 minutes in length. 148 I must confess, I have a hard time when I am preaching to stay focus in my mind. My

mind plays all kinds of tricks with me. I keep thinking while I am preaching. Now that should be good, if my thinking is about the sermon content, or the Holy Spirit giving me a sense of understanding about what I am speaking on. While you are teaching, a number of events are happening in the crowd before you. Youth are talking, someone will get up and go out, others will fall asleep, others look fun, others are wonderfuing what in the world is the Pastor talking about. You know a number of things. While I have always recorded my message, well since Madison in 1971. I have only one video of me preaching. I am thinking while I am preaching, is this too long, is this too short. Am I getting the point across, what are they thinking. Boy at times you can get really a bad feeling about your delivery of the message. Then after the service, I would sometimes just rather go to the office and hid. But that wouldn't be nice. Usually the folks are nice, and as they are shaking hands they will say, "Good message, pastor." Some will mention the reason they like the message. Some will say, the message was a blessing to them. Some will correct a comment I made. Generally the response is better than I think I should have gotten. Then after the service on the way home, I ask Charity, "How did I do." That is always a loaded question. She is always honest. Then I will come home and listen and watch myself preach the message. Of course from a objective perspective. Did I get the content of the passage across? Did I stay the course of the passage? Did I bring home the purpose of the writer? Was the delivery okay? How was I? Boy! Will they come back next Sunday? You know? Do I really want to put this on the Blogger? Okay, I am a little hard on myself. I love to preach and teach. I love to present the Word of God. I love to teach the truth. I love to bring truth of the Word into the lives of those who listen to the message each Sunday. Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 05:30AM (-05:00) So What About God's Universe Tuesday, April 28, 2009 Solar System, Milkyway and Beyond - The best video clips are right here The last few weeks I have address this issue of the Universe. Wednesday Evenings have been an interesting time of study. 149

Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 09:34PM (-05:00) God Is The Creator of All Things Wednesday, April 29, 2009 THIS IS GOD'S CREATION OF THE WORLD AND MAN GENESIS CHAPTER ONE STUDY CREATION AND THE EVOLUTIONIS Posted by Charles E. Whisnant at 03:43PM (-05:00) 150

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Grow By Learning[2] Jan To April 09

by Rivers of Joy Baptist Church

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Grow By Learning[2] Jan To April 09 Document Transcript