Thoughts on General Assemblies

I love General Assembly and Presbytery meetings for that matter.  Why?  Because I am a church polity nut and enjoy learning more and more about parliamentary procedure.  However, I have come to the realization that the Church does not stand or fall on the PCA Book of Church Order (BOC) nor on Parliamentary Procedure.  I'm happy about this because both the PCA BOC and Parliamentary Procedure (Robert's Rules) are flawed.  I'm happy because my Savior is not flawed, He is perfect in every way.  No man made books rule the Church, nor a pope of Rome.  The Head of the Church is Jesus Christ, as King, He rules.  Because King Jesus rules the Church, the gates of Hades cannot overcome or destroy it.   Praise the Lord, that despite sinners and under-shepherds, Jesus Christ will always be Head of the Church and therefore its (the Church) future is glorious! 

PCA 38th General Assembly 2010: Day 2 (Boring day...for me)

Today, the two big items came before committees (deaconesses and strategic plan).  For deaconesses, the Overtures Committee went with Overture 7 from Evangel Presbytery.  After they amended it, it seemed like a good compromise for all.  There was going to be a minority report, but low numbers brought that to a halt.  So no minority report there.  The language that was changed seems to go in favor of defining what is already in BCO 9-7 and nothing major is being recommended to the Assembly.  As for the Strategic Plan (SP), the Administration Committee of Commissioners  (CoC) met again to discuss the SP at 1pm today.  They received amendments to the SP from the Administration Committee who met this morning.  However, by 5:30pm the only recommendation that had been voted on was the NW Georgia Presbytery Overture, which was passed 28-2.  However, it was passed amended not as an 'alternative' to the SP but as good information/wisdom.  The Administration CoC will meet tomorrow (Wednesday) at 8am to, hopefully, conclude its work before the main Assembly meetings begin at 10:30am.

So this was pretty boring for me today.  I had nothing really to do, no work.  Again, the conversation seems to be great and worthwhile.  I am happy about what the Overtures Committee did, I think we could go further but I'm happy.  We need to keep praying for the Admin. CoC in their work.  They plan on going through each recommendation of the SP line by line, which could take awhile to work out.  Usually, this CoC doesn't get this much work so may God give them wisdom to handle what is before them with diligence according to the Word.  

Harry Reeder was elected Moderator tonight by acclamation, being the only one nominated.  I believe he will serve as a great Moderator, especially with the amount of business we have this year.  Of what I have seen of him, he is to the point, not fooling around, which in my eyes serves as a good Moderator.  Hopefully, he will be fair to the rules and if so, I believe he will do a great job, moving things along smoothly and at a good pace.  

So just as the title, this post was boring.  If you want to read a little more on the GA so far, you can read Ken's post about it so far here (He served on Overtures Committee).  Wes White served on the Administration Committee of Commissioners and you can read what he says here.  Here is a little feast for your souls from James Smith:

"Christ, who loved us!" Romans 8:37

No condition can possibly be more dreary--than to feel that no one loves or cares for us!

There is something peculiarly sweet and pleasant--in being the object of another's love. Even the love of a poor child is sweet. But to be loved by one who is most wealthy, most exalted in station, and most honorable in character--must be peculiarly delightful!

How, then, should we rejoice; how happy should we be--who are loved by the Lord Jesus! Especially when we consider:
on the one hand:
  how despicable,
  how poor,
  how worthless, and
  how unlovely WE are!
And, on the other hand:
  how glorious,
  how wealthy,
  how worthy,
  how lovely JESUS is!

To be loved by Jesus--is to be preferred before the possession of a world!

Think of . . .
  the glory of His person,
  the vastness of His possessions,
  the number of His angelic attendants,
  the unlimited sovereignty which He exercises,
  and the excellent character He bears!

Also bear in mind--that He knew what loving us would cost Him--how He would be treated by us and by others--for our sakes!

Yet He fixed His love upon US!

He loved US--just because He would!

He passed by others more dignified in nature, more exalted in station--but He chose US!

He did not, could not, NEED us--for He was infinitely happy and glorious without us!

Yet He loved us!

He still loves us!

Amen!

You Believe, May God Help Your Unbelief

It is a great blessing that we have been saved, even the many of us Gentiles in the flesh.  For it is but by God's mercy that He looked on us in favor.  And yet in John 12:42ff we have testimony that probably reminds us of ourselves.  For there it says:

Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God. And Jesus cried out and said, "He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me. He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me. I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness. If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day. For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me."

Here we have the words that many rulers believed in Jesus Christ.  That is, they believed the true Gospel and were saved and yet they feared the Pharisees.  They feared persecution, for we have multiple accounts where the Pharisees murdered those who followed Jesus.  Paul (Saul) was one of those murders, in fact. Specifically here they feared being kicked out of the synagogue.  So because they longed for the approval of men, because they feared men, they did not confess Him publicly.  They didn't give a testimony, no bearing of the facts were given before the people, the Word was not spoken by these believers.  They feared death, they feared being kicked out.  And yet it is too often for us that we fear men, yet not because we will be put to death, but something far less extreme, something not as significant.  We fear men at our jobs because we could get fired, we fear men on the streets because they might think ill of us or that we are strange or dogmatic.  

But how is that Jesus responds to these rulers and us?  Jesus says, "He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me. He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me. I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness. If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day. For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me." 

And He says in Matthew 5, "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." 

 

Let us not serve men or think too highly of them, but let us serve our Master and Savior Jesus Christ.  Remember, it is Him who knew no sin who was made to be sin on our behalf that you might have life.  Therefore, glorify Him with your body, and with your life, and soul, your all.  

Does It Happen That You Forget Jesus?

How often is it that we forget Jesus?  Every day some person takes your heart.  Your husband, your wife, you child, a loved one, a friend...  Every day some material possession steals your focus away.  Your money, your house, your car, your toys, your pet...  Every day some earthly pleasure comes to be the center of your universe.  You become fixated on this world, when it is this world that leads you down to the very pits of hell.  It is the world which puts before you such things which seem so succulent, chocolate, candy and other goodies, when in reality those things contain the hidden razor blades. 

But don't you know that you have not received a spirit from this world, but the Spirit who is from God?  Don't remain enslaved to this world any longer.  You are not slaves of this world and sin, but of the Lord Jesus Christ and His righteousness.  How can you forget the One who humiliated Himself so you could be exalted?  How can you forget the One who sacrificed Himself so you could live?  How can you forget the One who became sin on your behalf so you would be the righteousness of God in Him?  How can you forget the One who loved you with an unending love?   O this beloved is Jesus, your Master, Your Savior, Your King, Your Redeemer, Your Life.  Forget Him not!