The Purpose of Worship: Teaching, Singing, and Gratitude
This Sunday, May 31st at 5pm is our 5th Sunday Singing! This is our first time doing this, so we’re excited to try something new! To give everyone a clear picture as to why we’re hosting this event, let’s take a look at Colossians 3:16:
 
“Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

Our goals are simple: teach about God, and sing to God! 
Notice the line: “....teaching and admonishing one other.” Our songs are meant to teach us about God. In so doing, the word of Christ dwells within us. Whether it be a congregational hymn or a special, our minds and hearts ‘latch on’ to the melodies and the text sung, which bless our ears and transform us into His likeness. This is what differentiates worship from entertainment!
Notice also where it says, “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.” These are three different types of musical works. Psalms were normally accompanied by an instrument, tracing back to 1 Samuel 16:23. Hymns were songs that were sung in direct praise to God (ex. Acts 16:25). Spiritual songs were songs designed to praise God and inspire be more Christ-like. Our program features a variety of music, including hymns, gospel songs, piano duets, trumpet and saxophone solos, and more!
Notice the last line of the verse: “....singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” We’re not only singing about God, but to God! And when we sing to God, we are to express gratitude towards Him for Who He is and what He has done for us!
One of the songs on the program sums up these ideas perfectly. The song is Thank You Jesus for the Blood by Charity Gayle. As the name suggests, this song is an expression of gratitude and a testimony of God’s saving power and deliverance. Additionally, the song teaches us about the character of Christ, the atonement, the resurrection, the work of salvation, and so much more!  
As you can see, the 5th Sunday Singing is not merely a talent show, but a night of teaching, singing, and gratitude. Our aim is to teach about God by singing to God. In so doing, God is glorified, Jesus is exalted, and our hearts are in awe of Him!
We hope that you will join us in exalting Jesus in song at our 5th Sunday Singing!  

The Apostle Paul ends his letter to the Ephesian Church with some powerful imagery comparing the life of a Christian to that of a soldier. It’s a remarkable, instructive passage that modern Christians don’t give enough attention to. In fact, it’s true that this passage of Scripture is often reduced to little more than Sunday School material or VBS themes. There’s nothing wrong with this, but any mature Christian should know this passage forwards and backwards. So, let’s look at Paul’s explanation of the whole armor of God.

Paul’s usage of military equipment gives immediate context for what we’re dealing with here. The Christian life is war: war against our flesh, war against sin, and war against the spiritual forces around us. To minimize it to less than this is to trivialize the Christian life as little more than a whim, a walk in the park, or a mindset that every day is Friday. Jesus makes it very clear that the Christian life means dying to oneself, picking up one’s cross, and submitting one’s will to God. And if we’re honest, this is very hard to do. It’s for this reason, however, that Paul uses military concepts here. He wants his readers to know why the following equipment is necessary.

First, Paul says that one must be ready to stand on the day of temptation when the devil comes. This state of being prepared, in biblical terms, is called “be girded about the waists”. In an ancient culture where one’s garment went to the ground, one had to collect their garments up to the knees and tie them around their waist for maneuverability. Failure to do so meant that you would trip all over yourself while the enemy is attacking. Essentially, Paul is saying, “Go ahead and get yourself together before he attacks so you can react properly. Paul goes on to say that the truth is how one prepares themselves for that day of attack. Knowing the truth helps one react when an attack comes.

Next, we have the breastplate of righteousness. In ancient times, the breastplate protected the heart and vital organs that were essential for life. Similarly, righteousness protects the heart from attacks that would keep it from obeying the faith that God establishes there. If Satan can harm our faith, then he can use other weapons like doubt, fear, or hopelessness against us.

Our feet are to be ‘shod about the feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace’ Paul continues. This phrase links the believer’s feet to that of the believer’s sure footing in the Gospel. Without proper footing, the believer cannot effectively defend their ground or advance the peace that is contained within the Gospel.

Then we have the shield of faith. In the Greek, the word ‘shield’ translates “full-body shield”. You’ve probably seen shields like this before, ones that protect the soldier’s entire body. The shield of faith is no different. Faith protects us from the fiery missiles of the devil because faith involves God’s Word being implanted inside of us. When we have the Word in us, it extinguishes the lies that the devil would throw at us.

Next, Paul says, “and take up the helmet of salvation”, which is the believer’s final line of defense for their salvation. The helmet completes the suit of armor by protecting the most vital command center of the believer – the head. The helmet signifies security, identity, and clarity of thought in the midst of battle.

Lastly, Paul gives us the only offensive weapon in our arsenal – the sword of Spirit. Since our battles against the devil are ultimately God’s to fight, the sword of the Spirit enables the believer to proclaim, correct, and defend against Satanic attacks and accusations by using the Word of God and the indwelling Spirit.

Any believer, who is faithfully committed to living for Jesus must understand that this armor is essential. It is not a recommendation or a suggestion to wear. Failure to suit up every day will leave us vulnerable against the work of Satan in our lives.

Blessings,
Bro. Ben

The Kentucky Spring Turkey Season wrapped up on Sunday. Unfortunately, I finished the season empty‑handed. But I did see some action. One morning, I saw three hens—which are illegal to harvest. One evening, I saw a jake sneaking back to the roost—but only after he caught me on my way back to the house. He, of course, saw me and ran the other direction.
In “Part 1” of this article, we talked about diligence as described in Proverbs 12:27. Throughout the season, I told myself that if I remained diligent, then I would get what was coming to me. After all, that’s what our luxurious American lifestyle has taught us: pick yourself up by the bootstraps, work hard, and you’ll be successful in life.
While discipline and hard work are biblical virtues (Proverbs 6:6–11), Ecclesiastes (which I got to read in the woods) shows us how wisdom and labor do not guarantee success.
Ecclesiastes 2 talks about the vanity of wisdom and the vanity of toil—or hard work. Regarding wisdom, verse 15 says, “What happens to the fool will happen to me also,” referring to death. Wisdom is necessary, but at the end of the day, it does not make us invincible.
Regarding toil, verses 18–20 essentially ask, “What is the point of working so hard if I don’t get to enjoy the fruits of my labor? All of my stuff is just going to someone else who may not steward it well.”
Sometimes, no matter how wise or hard‑working we are, we don’t get the results we want.
In Western society, we have groups of people who think that if someone is struggling, it is always their fault.
We also have groups who think that if someone is struggling, it is never their fault.
Ecclesiastes calls us to be somewhere in the middle. Sometimes, we face the consequences of our foolishness or laziness. Sometimes, things just happen that we have no control over.
This is perfectly personified in hunting. The tom that got away in my first article was due to a lack of wisdom, but the jake that caught me on the way back to the house a few days ago was not.
Sometimes, you fail in hunting because you make dumb mistakes. Other times, you can pick out the best spots, purchase the best gear, and have a perfect plan. But, as my Uncle Brad once told me, “At the end of the day, you don’t know what the stupid animal is gonna do.”
So, if wisdom and hard work don’t always pay off, what is the solution? Ecclesiastes 2:24–25 says:
“There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from Him who can eat or who can have enjoyment?”
The solution is this: enjoy God and His gifts. This is also perfectly personified in hunting. I get to wake up, watch the sun rise, listen to God’s creation, and talk to God one‑on‑one. And, Lord willing, I get to enjoy harvesting wild game—an experience I look forward to sharing with my son one day. That is the ultimate goal: to enjoy God through the hunt.

To God be the Glory,
Bro. Casey

Forging the Family Man – A Titus 2 Man 
This morning (5/5), my Bible reading plan, “Forging the Family Man” brought me to Titus 2:1-2 (CSB), which says this:
“But you are to proclaim things consistent with sound teaching. Older men are to be self-controlled, worthy of respect, sensible, and sound in faith, love, and endurance.” 
In chapter 1, Paul urges Titus to appoint qualified elders so that they can refute the prevalent false teachers on the island of Crete. In chapter 2, Paul urges Titus himself to not only teach sound doctrine, but also to set an example for the elders and congregants. In verses 6-7, Titus is told to set an example for the younger men through his good works AS WELL AS his sound teaching. 
Sound doctrine and Godly virtues are two sides of the same coin- and they must be in balance. 
You may have heard the phrase “Proverbs 31 woman” thrown around. This is a woman that nurtures, works hard, takes care of her family, and loves God deeply. We’re grateful for Proverbs 31 Women (after all, I’m married to one), but what if we coined the term “Titus 2 Man,” a man who cares about sound doctrine and good works? 
Christians often struggle to find balance between doctrine and good works. One one side, there are many churchgoers who only want the practical application that comes from scriptures without wanting a deeper understanding of who God is. Many see doctrine and theology as unnecessary or divisive. The thought process is, “I don’t need theology; I just need Jesus.” 
But this begs the question:  Who is Jesus? Is He just a man as the Jehovah’s Witnesses believe? Is He only God as the gnostics believe? This is a question of Christology- the study of Christ. Sound theologians and teachers have already answered this question using John 1:1, concluding that Jesus is fully God and fully Man.  
On the other side, there are also many Christians who care so deeply about being theologically sound that they become prideful and puffed up with knowledge (1 Cor. 8:1). The church at Ephesus was guilty of this; they taught sound doctrine but neglected to love others (Rev. 2:1-5). There are people with doctorates who have split churches, destroyed ministries, and burned countless bridges. Not mention the countless scandals over the years from church leaders.
Meanwhile, Titus 2 calls us to care about both doctrine AND virtue.  
May we all set out to be ‘Titus 2 Men’ who care about the Bible, teach sound doctrine, and set a godly example to the people that we’ve been called to lead- whether it be our families, our church, or beyond. When we do this, false teachings will be defeated, the church will flourish, and our lost neighbors will hear the Good News of Jesus Christ!

To God be the Glory,
Bro. Casey 

Recently, in one of my study sessions, I came across a verse that I haven’t read in a while but perfectly captures the way our culture behaves. The verse happens to be the very last verse in the Book of Judges. It says: “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Now, without painting with too broad of a stroke, I don’t think it’s difficult for us to imagine how applicable this is in our day. Because lawlessness abounds in our lands, many – if not most – feel that they are free to think, act, and behave any way they want. Metaphorically speaking, there is no “king” in our land to affirm truth, morality, and justice. Therefore, everyone defines them according to their own sets of truth, morality, and justice.
Now, to be sure, this condition takes place in the heart. Our nation does have its own set of laws, morality and truth that have been largely guided by the Bible for hundreds of years. So, in a sense, there has been a “king in the land” that has informed the heart what is true, right, and noble. But as these erode, so too does their standing in our hearts. What I mean is, as God’s Word fails to be hidden in our hearts, it gets replaced with other things: ideology, philosophy, or lies. Once that happens, truth, morality, and justice become subjective, and the individual is “free” to do what is right in their own eyes.
This is the current situation in America. We’re in a Judges 21:25 scenario. Americans, in general, have become so fundamentally ignorant of the Bible that we cannot effectively define what is true; we cannot agree on what is moral; we cannot execute our own justice. Rather, husbands, wives, children, churches, communities, judges, politicians, etc. now act, think, and behave according to their own understanding, persuasion, and belief. Thus, what has befallen us is a societal nightmare.
Biblically, the reason this happens is because God created humans with the innate desire to place something on the throne of our hearts to rule. Ideally, God is the only One who can rightly, morally, and justly rule as King. However, if He is not placed there, then something else is: self, money, ideology, idolatry, etc. When these latter things rule, chaos ensues, and everyone does what is right in their own eyes.
All is not lost, however. The Book of Judges ends with despair, but God had a plan to establish a King who would rule over the House of Israel forever. Temporarily, He anointed Saul, David, Solomon, and so on to rule until His plan was fully realized. Eternally, however, Jesus is God’s plan to rule over His people; and any heart, home, church, community, and nation that allows Jesus to rule will be blessed.
This is where the trend is starting to swing back in our lands. People are tired of subjectivity and desirous of certainty, objectivity, and truth. They’re tired of chaos and want clarity. They’re sick of injustice and want peace. Young people are beginning to return to the Lord – especially young men. Tradition and truth are becoming popular again, and Jesus is being sought as the answer to our societal woes. Praise God for this! May our nation receive the blessing of the Lord for seeking Him aside from what is right in our own eyes!
Blessings,
Bro. Ben

This past weekend, I met up with my brother and a friend in Jackson, TN for Rockabilly Weekend, a celebration of Carl Perkins (a Jackson native) and his contributions to music history. If you didn’t know, Carl Perkins famously recorded at Sun Studios in Memphis back in the 50s alongside Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, and Elvis Presley. In that time, Perkins wrote many hit songs- most notably, Blue Suede Shoes, made popular by Elvis.  
Although he was lesser known than the other three, Perkins is often credited with inventing “rockabilly,” a style that blends elements of country, gospel, and rhythm + blues. Blue Suede Shoes is the best example of this style. This would later evolve into what we now refer to as “rock n roll.”
Perkins’ influence on music history can still be felt to this day. Take any given artist that you listen to, and their influence can probably be traced back to Perkins. In fact, Paul McCartney from The Beatles went on record saying, “If there were no Carl Perkins, there would be no Beatles.”  
But despite this, and although his friends were seeking fame and fortune, Perkins never moved away from Jackson. It is mind-blowing to think that we had such an influential figure living right here in our backyards.  
During Rockabilly Weekend, I came across a copy Perkins’ autobiography, Disciple In Blue Suede Shoes, on display at the Carnegie Museum. Johnny Cash said this in the foreword of the book:  

“Carl Perkins is a Christian. He is also an entertainer and one of the greatest. His calling is that he be in the world, yet unworldly. He performs in concert halls, city auditoriums, and at times in places Christian brothers might refer to as dens of iniquity. Yet it is in these places that Carl's calling is the toughest and probably most effective, for he remains a Christian, never compromising his testimony wherever he is. Carl's calling isn't easy, but then the Lord never said it was going to be.”

This is a great reminder of John 17:24-16, which suggests that we are in the world, but not of the world. Perkins could have easily made a case for why he should be remembered as the inventor of rock n roll, “Mr. Blue Suede Shoes,” or the Beatles’ biggest influence. But instead, he wanted to be remembered as someone who loved his family, struggled with sin, found redemption in Christ, and lived out his faith in a tangible way in an industry that needed (and still needs) the gospel.  
Can our affiliates tell that there is something different in us? Do we carry ourselves in such a way that people inquiry about the hope that is in us (1 Peter 3:15)? Are we preaching the gospel to a lost and dying world?
God foreordained that we would be alive in this time and this place in our specific vocations. Let’s make our lives count and use our influence and occupations to have an eternal impact!

To God be the Glory,
Bro. Casey  

“These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness, and one who sows discord among the brethren.” Historically, these sins from Proverbs 6:16-19 have been coined the “Seven Deadly Sins”. Theologically, the Lord calls them abominations. The question is: Why does the Lord use that word? What is it about these sins that warrant such a harsh label? What does it even mean biblically? Well, let’s look.
“Abomination” in the Hebrew generally refers to something that is detestable, disgusting, abhorring, or idolatrous to the Lord. It has moral, ethical, and ritualistic applications but is most often used when referring to sins that are unnatural and specifically revolting to God. Unnatural abominations would be things like homosexuality (or any form of sexual immorality), child sacrifice, and bestiality – things that violated God’s original design for Creation. Ethical abominations would be things like lying, pride, murder, adultery, dishonoring parents, and sewing discord in the church – things that were offenses between people. And ritualistic abominations would be things like idolatry, violating dietary restrictions, and defiling the Sabbath or the House of God – things that would profane God’s design for worship.
Now, in all this there is an underlying principle of why abominations are isolated to be especially grievous: They are sins against the Person and character of God Himself. Abominations are specific acts that, when committed, are personal to God. They are crimes against Him. You see, though all sin has vertical (it offends God) and horizontal (it offends others) consequences, there are some that are especially egregious acts against the nature, Person, and character of God. The Bible calls them abominations, and, often, they came with the death penalty. That’s right, committing certain sins was punishable by death. That shows just how serious these offenses are to a holy God.
For the believer, we are not exempt from committing abominations so we must guard against the temptation to do so. Obviously, if we walk close to the Lord, we won’t want to commit such heinous acts against the God we love. However, Christians are capable of them. So, we must always keep our hearts and minds clear from the lust that would lure us into their trap. In so doing, we bless the Lord with faithfulness, not filthiness. Something to think about today!

Blessings,
Bro. Ben

The Lord of The Longbeards – Proverbs 12:27 
I love to hunt turkeys. It’s all I’ve been talking about the last few weeks. In Kentucky, spring season started on Saturday, 4/18. We had a busy schedule on opening day, so I had to wait until Sunday afternoon to go on my first hunt. As soon as I got home and unloaded the gifts from the baby shower (thank you all, by the way), I threw on my gear and hit the woods.  
At about 4:15pm, a tom (adult male) walks into the field. I see his bright blue head, his bright red gobble, and his black beard dangling from his chest. Any turkey hunter will tell you: Calling up a gobbler is the most addicting feeling ever. 
My adrenaline kicks in. He sees my hen (female) decoy, but he’s just outside of shotgun range. So here I am, gun raised, back against the ladder of the tree stand, sitting in the most awkward position, waiting for this gobbler to get close. But instead of getting closer, he decides to strut back and forth, trying to get my decoy to come to him. This continued until almost 6pm. He never got any closer.  
Knowing that turkey season is only 3 weeks, I told myself, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” Needless to say, I overestimated my marksmanship. 
As soon as my struttin’ tom ran off, I told myself, “Golly, that was stupid.” 
When you blow it like that, your mind starts to race. “I should have done this differently.” “I shouldn’t have taken that shot.” “I should have come earlier.” “I should have gone to a different spot.” “I should have put my decoy further away.” But, what’s done is done. 
I always like to pray before I hunt, no matter what I‘m hunting- even squirrels. Before this hunt, I had prayed for wisdom, safety, and success. As you can see, thanks to my ego, I got the safety part, but not the other two!

Part of me didn’t want to go again this morning, but then I recalled Proverbs 12:27 -  
“The lazy do not roast any game, but the diligent feed on the riches of the hunt.”

In other words: you snooze, you lose. But notice that last part: the diligent get their reward. What I needed yesterday wasn’t better shot placement or a stroke of luck; it was diligence. After another unsuccessful hunt this morning, I imagined what I would tell Ezra if he were in my shoes. I thought, “We’ll get him. We just gotta stick with it.” And if by God’s grace I do tag out this season, the satisfaction will be tenfold what I would have had on opening weekend.
There is so much biblical wisdom to be learned from hunting. Maybe that’s why there’s such a draw to it. In a world of smartphones, microwaves, and instant gratification, pursuing wild game forces you to be strategic (Proverbs 29:18, Luke 14:28) to be still (Psalm 46:10), to observe (Psalm 8:3-4), and sometimes, improvise.  
It’s amazing that God can use something as simple as hunting to conform us into the image of His Son. What is God trying to show you through the activities of your life? What Biblical wisdom can you gain from the things you enjoy doing- things like hunting, building, reading, or traveling? Open His Word, be diligent in prayer, and God will change you in ways that you didn’t expect.

To God Be the Glory,
Bro. Casey 

If you live long enough, you find that trends, fads, and movements come and go. If you live longer still, you find that many trends, fads, and movements eventually come back and become popular to a new generation. And if you are blessed to live long enough to make sense of it all, you realize that lasting change doesn't come from trends, fads, or movements at all, so you simply quit caring about them.
It breaks my heart, then, when I see the Church of Jesus Christ so willing to follow trends, fads, and movements, often at the expense of orthodoxy, tradition, and history? It breaks my heart to see believers become so desirous of something new when they often fail to see that "new" means little more than "naught". It breaks my heart to see believers caught up in, hurt by, and confused by fads, trends, and movements that are little more than repackaged deceptions that distract and detract from our mission.
It begs the question: Why are the promises of the things that God makes new everyday not good enough anymore: mercy, the old paths, strength, hope, purpose, the gathering of the saints etc. How have God's people been turned so far aside that they now find themselves playing marbles with God's diamonds? Surely there is an answer to it, but I fear it would not be a pleasing answer to the Lord.
This kind of rejection for God’s goodness is akin to the Israelites loathing (oh, what did they call it again? Oh, that’s right) “that worthless manna”. It seems that God’s people become easily shortsighted to His goodness that they begin to desire things that cannot satisfy. In our day, we’ve seen trends like “The Holiness Movement”, “The Prosperity Gospel”, and “The Self-Help Gospel” wreak havoc in the lives of believers. We’ve seen fads like postmodernism, social justice, intersectionality, and the like divide the Church like never before. And we’ve seen (what were called) “movements of the Holy Spirit” rise to popularity only to die out in unsustainability. All this is occurring simultaneously besides the decline of orthodoxy, traditionalism, and church history.
Naturally, the question becomes: Why is this happening? Historically, the answer to that question can be found in the pages of the Bible. The pattern Scripture provides tells us that periods of faithfulness are usually followed by periods of idolatry, apathy, and rebellion. Certainly, reading through Judges, the Kings/Chronicles, and the Prophets show us that God’s people are easily deluded by intoxicating temptations to chase after other things besides God: Wealth, leisure, and opulence to name a few. These things, though provided by God, are often quickly taken for granted, only to be followed by hard times.
This reason drives my desire for FBCUC to be a place of faithfulness; that we never take the blessings God has given to us for granted, but that we would put those blessings to work for the Kingdom’s sake. The spirit within me is compelled to never become too comfortable, but to always be ready to give glory to God for all the good things He has done.
I invite you to join me in this appreciation! God is doing so many good things here, and it would be a shame to forfeit the opportunity to praise and thank Him through faithfulness and obedience. He alone is worthy!
Blessings,
Bro. Ben

J.S. Bach was the most important composer of what we call the baroque period- an era of music marked by dramatic expression, sudden shifts in volume or sound, expressive melodies, and intricate counterpoint (multiple melodies woven together).
This past week, I wrote a paper for my History of Worship class on Bach’s Cantata BWV 80: Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott. The title is German for, “A Mighty Fortress is Our God,” a beloved chorale by Martin Luther that we still sing to this day.
Bach took Luther’s chorale and made it into a cantata (a medium-length narrative piece for choir featuring soloists and orchestra) to celebrate the Protestant Reformation almost exactly 200 years after the Reformation took place. The original text of Mighty Fortress and different variations of the melody (sung by soloists and the choir and played by the orchestra) can be heard throughout. So, for example: the first movement uses the text of the first stanza (“A mighty fortress is our God”), the second movement uses the second stanza + the melody, so on and so forth.
Just like how Bach used Luther’s Mighty Fortress as his source material, Luther used Psalm 46 (written by the sons of Korah, a family of musicians that led the Levites in worship in the temple) as his source material. For example, Psalm 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Luther paraphrases this verse: “A mighty fortress is our God, a sure defense and armor.”
As you can see, we’ve got a clear line of inspiration: Psalm 46 --> Mighty Fortress --> Cantata BWV 80.
This line of inspiration is so fascinating to me, and it shows just that our worship practices didn’t spring up out of nowhere; we’re standing on the shoulders of giants who had a deep love for Yahweh and wanted to glorify Him through music.
This is a reminder that, as 1 Peter 1:23-25 says, the gospel of Jesus Christ is imperishable and enduring forever. Because of that, God is worthy to be praised! As we move forward together and sing the songs of the faith, let’s continue to remind ourselves of His enduring Word, His faithfulness, and His worthiness to be praised throughout the ages!
 
 
 
 

Somewhere in the middle of yesterday and tomorrow lies this little thing we call today. It’s the only part of life we are guaranteed. The “present” it is often called. Today started a long time ago (forgive the pun) when God made the very first day. At that moment, there was no yesterday, only today and tomorrow. It’s hard to imagine such a thing because we are so accustomed to time marching on to the tune of seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, and years. It’s all linear to us, and there is nothing we can do about it. We are captured and immersed in its clutch.
But to God, it’s different. To God, there is no yesterday, today, or tomorrow. He exists beyond the limits of time. It only makes sense, really, since He is the One who made time. But He is not confined by it or held to its demand. Think of painter, if it helps to understand this. A painter exists beyond the limits of the picture he/she has created. Though the picture captures the essences of time, tone, mood, setting, or context, the painter exists beyond the limitations of his/her creation. They are part of it, but they are not confined to it.
Theologically, we call this timeless nature of God “eternal”. The fact that God is beyond time gives Him the capacity to “be” in all three aspects of time simultaneously. Because He is present throughout time, this gives His character the capacity to be other things as well: omniscient, sovereign, and omnipotent to name a few. Because God is eternal, He can know all things that have ever occurred, are occurring all over the world right now, and those things that will occur in the future. Because He is eternal, He can guide His desired outcomes to come to pass – His will we call it. And because He is eternal, He can providentially control all aspects of humanity, creation, and events without any trouble whatsoever.
So, for you and me today, this gives us great comfort. The nature of time itself causes many great anxiety. Many dread the past and all its mistakes. Many dread today because of all the problems we face in our time. And many fear tomorrow because we don’t know what will happen. Time has a way of causing us to respond to it in these ways. It’s always pressing – always demanding. So, it’s good to know that we serve a God who is eternal, omniscient, sovereign, and omnipotent. He is never surprised by the events of the world. He is never pressured to meet a deadline or be somewhere when He’s needed most. And He is never overwhelmed by the management that His creation requires. He created it all and it all worship Him through its design. He looks down from heaven, and He sees each one of us; and He knows how to provide, on this day, our daily bread. A comforting fact indeed!

Blessings,
Bro. Ben

A Journey to Joy – Lessons from John Piper 
This morning, on my way to the office, I listened to a sermon by John Piper entitled, ‘How God Made Me Happy in Him: John Piper’s Journey to Joy.’
When we think about happiness in God, we must ask ourselves: How are we called to self-sacrifice and self-denial (Luke 9:23), but also called to be happy and joyous in God (Phil. 4:4; Pro. 29:18)?
To Piper, these two ideas are not contradictory, but complementary. Because of this, he coined the term “Christian hedonism.” We may think of hedonism as a negative concept, but he defines hedonism as “a life devoted to pleasure.” A Christian hedonist, therefore, is a life devoted to pleasure in God. In other words, God cares about your happiness.  
Now hold on, Casey. I thought following Jesus meant denying my self? I’m not supposed to do what feels good; I’m supposed to do what pleases God. 
These two statements are true. BUT, there are a few things to consider: 

• In John 3:6, Jesus says “that which is born of the flesh is flesh, but that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit.” 
• In Romans 8:9, Paul says that those who are saved are “not in the flesh but in the Spirit.” 17 For the desire of the flesh is against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, in order to keep you from doing whatever you want.” 

The problem is not that we have desires, it is that we desire the wrong things! We are all wired to desire things; saved or unsaved, it is a part of who we are as humans. We desire things that make us happy, even if it leads to bad consequences. The special ability that we have as Christians, however, is the ability to desire God. As the cliche goes, we try to fill a God-shaped hole in our hearts with other things. This sentiment still has some truth to it even after we are saved- we fall into temptation and feed our desires for temporary things that will disappoint us in the end.  
Speaking of temporary things- not only do we desire the wrong things, our desires are not big enough! Piper explains by quoting C.S. Lewis: 
“We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in the slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased. (The Weight of Glory, p25–26)."
When we substitute our desire for God with a desire of the flesh, that means we are desiring only of the earthly and the temporary; meanwhile, Colossians 3:1-2 commands us to seek the things that are above. Society tell us to “dream big” all the time. Meanwhile, God tell us to “DESIRE big!” 
Going back to our main question about self-denial and joy in Christ: this is a “both/and” scenario. When we deny ourselves and follow Jesus, we will be happy in God. We do not self-deny for the sake of self-denial; we self-deny so that we can be fulfilled and satisfied in Jesus Christ.  
That being said, let’s enjoy Christ together through the preaching, reading, and singing of His Word this Sunday! 
 

After the resurrection, there was a period that transpired before Jesus ascended to Heaven. It isn’t given a name exactly, but we do know that it was 40 days in total. The events that occurred between Jesus’s resurrection and His ascension were some of the most consequential, life-changing things that impacted His disciples. In fact, the radical transformation that occurs in their lives is one of the greatest pieces of evidence that Jesus’s resurrection was real. Remember, all of Jesus’s disciples had abandoned Jesus at His arrest and were hiding in fear after His death. After His resurrection, though, these people change dramatically. What happened? Well, let’s discuss.
First, Jesus makes two private appears to His eleven remaining disciples (once without Thomas and once with Thomas). He had also appeared to two men walking on a road to a nearby town called Emmaus. From there, he appears to seven disciples near the Sea of Tiberias, five hundred at once, has a private meeting with James, and then gives His “Great Commission” before giving some final instructions to meet Him near Bethany (where He will ascend). All of this occurs in the span of forty days. Notice the public and private nature of these meetings. They were visible appearances of Jesus Christ designed to confirm His resurrection and solidify His mission. They were meant to dispel any doubt and curb any rumor that He was dead. Further, they were meant to equip and prepare His disciples for His departure (and their eminent ministries).
Arguably, the most important thing that occurred in these forty days, though, was captured in Luke 24:27 where it says, “And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He (being Jesus) expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” Luke later adds, “And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures (Luke 24:45).” Even John adds a caveat (in hindsight) in his own Gospel concerning this when he wrote, “Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He has said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said (John 2:22).” All this to say: Whereas before they didn’t believe the things that Jesus had told them during His ministry, they believed Him now. Seeing what they saw in the resurrection, their hearts were filled with belief concerning His divinity – as explained through the Scriptures.
What does this mean? Well, it means that the Bible is designed to be a narrative account of God’s plan to reveal Jesus Christ to the world as the Son of God – the Savior of the world. Every book, in one way or another, points to Jesus. Whether in foresight or hindsight, Jesus is the Theme. He is its Thesis. Every book, therefore, was written so that (as John put it) “we may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing we may have life in His name” (John 20:31).
This truth changed Jesus’s disciples, and it still changes people today. The Word of God endures today as a testimony that God’s revelation of Jesus Christ was accomplished in His life, death, and resurrection, and that it will be fully realized at His future return. Glory! What a Savior!

Blessings,
Bro. Ben

At the beginning of the calendar year, I created a year-long Bible reading plan for myself with the help of AI called “Forging the Family Man.” Since Ezra is due in June, I made the first 6 months of the plan for soon-to-be fathers, and the next 6 months for first-time fathers.  
Before I get into the weeds, I want to make clear that I did not use AI to write any devotionals, commentary, or lessons of any kind; I still use my physical Bible and journal for my devotionals. I simply used it to gather and list off different Bible verses that deal with the subject of fatherhood, marriage, integrity, so on and so forth. This past week, the reading plan brought me to Psalm 112, which says this: 
Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commandments! His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.  -Psalm 112:1–2 (ESV)
This hit close to home for me as an expectant father. My obedience to God directly affects the lives of my children. I’m sure that you’ve heard the saying. “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” There is certainly some truth in that. Generational cycles are real and can be blessing or a curse, and so much of it hinges on the father’s habits and behaviors. Although God has the power to break these cycles, we as men have a responsibility to foster all that God has given to us. According to Psalm 112, one of the ways that we steward our families well is by 1) stewarding our material possessions well and 2) being steadfast in the midst of trials:  
He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever... (v9)
He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord. His heart is steady; he will not be afraid, until he looks in triumph on his adversaries. (v7-8)
I am very fortunate to come from a line of selfless, generous men who have stewarded their blessings well and have cared for those around them. Herschel Casey, my grandfather, wisely set up a retirement account. Since he passed in 2003, my grandmother, Bonita (one of our most loyal followers on Facebook- love you, Nana!) has been well taken care of and has been able to bless others- all because of his wisdom, prudence, and faithful stewardship. 
Frank Stanfill, my paternal grandfather, grew up poor in the wake of the Great Depression, and he worked very hard- even joining the National Guard- to set up his family for success, enabling my father to become a first-generation college graduate. I could fill an entire page of the things my dad has done to live out Psalm 112, but understand that this lineage of faithfulness, selflessness, and steadfastness still continues through him. 
As I look inwardly, I’ve begun to realize how much is at stake when it comes to my own faith journey. My wife and my son are directly affected by the amount of integrity, generosity, and steadfastness I display. I imagine the pressure of that responsibility will quadruple once I’m holding my son in my arms.
However, even though I am fully responsible for my obedience, God is also fully sovereign. Everything is not ultimately up to me- it's up to God. God has the final say so. No matter how good or bad of a father I am, I trust that God is working on me and is accomplishing what He has set to accomplish in my life. And that’s what I’m hanging onto: His trustworthiness and His sovereignty.  
These attributes of God are certainly applicable on Easter Sunday, when God’s sovereign plan for salvation was accomplished through the Crucifixion and Resurrection of His Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ. Just as He accomplished His plan for salvation, He will accomplish His plan for your sanctification! Trust in that, church!

One of the greatest criticisms leveled against the events of the Resurrection are the perceived “inconsistencies” that exist in the four Gospel accounts. Unbelievers love to point out the fact that each of the Gospel writers capture the events of that Sunday morning a little differently than the others. They say these “inconsistencies” invalidate the veracity of the events. Is there merit to such criticism? And if so, what are we to make of it?
Well, let me begin by saying this: There are absolutely no inconsistencies in Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John’s accounts of the Resurrection. Yes, it is true that each of them writes a slightly different version of events, but these versions don’t contradict each other, they complement one another. And this is arguably the greatest argument that can be made to their veracity, namely that four writers contribute details to the event that the others don’t. This collective testimony serves to make the retelling more sound, not less. Let me elaborate.
Imagine you are standing on a street corner, and you witness an automobile accident. Depending on your point of view, you’re going to retell the events to the police officer as you saw them unfold. Now, imagine there was another person on the other side of the intersection that saw something you didn’t. Further, there are the testimonies of those who were driving the cars, and there are the testimonies of those who saw everything from inside a building. Everyone will have retellings of the same event based on point of view. They are not wrong in themselves because they are simply being perceived from a limited perspective. Collectively, however, they give the officer a very solid account of exactly what happened. The officer, then, can have certainty in drawing conclusions.
The same is true for the Gospel writers. Remember, each of them had a different perspective of the Resurrection events. For example, none of them were there initially – only the women were there; and depending on who these women talked to after the fact determined what ultimately ended up in each writers’ account. Additionally, John was the only Gospel writer who was personally on the ground that morning. Matthew, Mark, and Luke were not there. This, then, explains why John’s account includes much more vivid details than the others. Lastly, Mark got his information from Peter (who was at the tomb) so that explains why his account says what it does. All of this to say that, together, the four accounts give us a solid account of the events as they happened, from differing perspectives. Together, they help us form a solid conclusion – just like the police officer who is collecting evidence to draw his/her conclusion.
This isn’t Gospel inconsistency, it’s Gospel veracity. And aside from these alleged “inconsistencies”, each of the Gospels ends the same way: with an empty tomb! Skeptics and critics don’t care to address that, though. All they want to do is draw everyone’s attention away from the empty grave and toward something that doesn’t exist.
Sunday, we will all celebrate an empty tomb! We will gather to celebrate that God has power over the grave and has extended that same power to us through salvation. We will celebrate how Jesus’s victory over death was the first time in human history that such a thing became possible and that we no longer have to fear it. Death is defeated – it is dead – thanks to the wonderful work of God the Father (He initiated it), God the Son (He accomplished it) and God the Spirit (He empowered it). We will celebrate what the Scriptures say concerning all this, and we will celebrate, by faith, that Christ has overcome death for us as well. He is alive!

Blessings,
Bro. Ben

Simon was his name. He had just arrived in Jerusalem with his wife and two small boys for Passover when we catch up to him in Scripture. Together, they traveled from their home in Cyrene, a region in northern Africa we know today as Libya. His journey to Jerusalem would have been no small matter – a journey of about 800-900 miles. Despite its lengthy nature, though, it would have been a time of great anticipation for them all as Passover was the zenith of Jewish celebration. They would have likely been expectant of seeing the magnificent sight of Herod’s Temple, experiencing the hustle and bustle of the city, and worshipping with fellow Jews as offerings were made for the forgiveness of sins.
Simon’s story is quite a profound one too as three of the four gospel writers mention him (Matthew 17:32; Mark 15:21; Luke 23:26. For you see, the moment Simon and his family arrive in Jerusalem, the city is in an uproar over a certain “criminal” that has just been ordered to be executed by the Roman governor. Likely confused by the commotion, Simon is barely able to get his mind around it all before a Roman solider grabs his arm and says, “You! Carry his cross!” Torn between his family and the soldier’s orders, Simon complies. He reaches down, picks up the wooden crossbeam, looks the “criminal” in the eyes, and starts walking.
My mind has always teetered and marveled at what this experience must have been like for Simon. He had no idea who this “criminal” was, nor did he have any idea what He had done. Mere inches away from the Son of God, he likely touched Him, talked to Him, and even got His blood on his hands. The trip would have been exhausting too as the path to Golgotha is not an easy one. Once they arrived, Simon had a front row seat to the execution that would change his life forever.
Simon was the one man in human history who was asked to carry the cross for Jesus – a blessing and a curse all wrapped into one. You see, Jesus had reached a place where He just couldn’t physically carry his cross anymore. Exhausted from sleeplessness, a scourging, and no food or water, Jesus couldn’t go any further. So, Simon was the guy who got to help Him.
Despite the traumatic effect it likely had on him initially, history tells us that this experience would ultimately change his life for the good; and not only his life, but his wife and two sons’ too: Rufus and Alexander. Simon’s wife and his two boys would become believers and play an important role in the movement of the Gospel in the early church. Paul mentions Rufus and his mother in his closing remarks in Romans 16:13 – a salutation that wouldn’t have been made casually. It is also likely true that Simon and his family would have been some of the very ones who took the Gospel back to Africa after Passover, forming one of the oldest Christian communities in the world. God certainly used men like Simon, the Ethiopian eunuch, and others after Jesus’s death and resurrection to take the Gospel to parts of the world where it would flourish.
It’s a fascinating story to say the least. It’s one of my favorite examples in Scripture that remind of how God uses ordinary people in extraordinary ways to accomplish His will. It’s also a reminder of how God invites us into His story of redemption to play a part. The question is: What part are you playing? Is God asking you to do something today? The answer to that question is something only you can know.
May Simon help you find your way.

Blessings,
Bro. Ben

Psalm 121 – The Mountaineer’s Favorite Verse
This past week, Cheyenne and I took a vacation to the Smokey Mountains. It was a nice, relaxing getaway; we wanted to get one last vacation in before the baby arrives in June. In preparation, I created a playlist full of soft, acoustic folk music (James Taylor, John Denver, etc) as well as bluegrass. It was a very aesthetic experience; there’s just something about the sound of an acoustic guitar, a banjo, or a dobro (slide guitar) that fits perfectly with the mountain views. Maybe it’s because these instruments are still made out of natural materials like wood. In the mountains, we also sleep in cabins made of solid wood, we see old churches made of solid wood, and we build campfires made of wood. I’m no psychologist or biologist, but it seems as though we’re drawn back to our natural roots as humans when we connect with God’s creation in the outdoors. I think that’s why the mountains give us such a ‘cozy’ feeling. 
One of the songs that I added to my playlist was a folk song by Ellie Holcomb entitled, I Lift My Eyes – Psalm 121. As you might imagine, this song is simply the words of Psalm 121 set to music. Psalm 121:1-2 says this:

I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth. 
 
I see this Psalm a lot in mountain areas, particularly verses 1-2. In fact, when Cheyenne and I got married in the Appalachians in South Carolina, Psalm 121:1-2 was engraved both at our wedding venue and at the cabin we stayed at the week of our wedding. Coincidentally, these verses were also engraved into a leather notebook that was given to me at my ordination service, which I use daily in the office.  
Anyways, following verses 1-2, the rest of the psalm elaborates more on how God helps us and protect us. In the Old Testament, hills and mountains were seen as either a place to hide or as a looming menace- both of which prompt one to ask about their source of help. 
What a wonderful image of our Mighty Protector! He is awesome in power and delights in blessing His children (Luke 12:32), including the blessing of His protection. This Psalm isn’t suggesting that we will never receive any sort of pain or hardship. However, we can trust that, through His mercy and protection, that God is working all things out for our good and for His glory (Romans 8:28). He is guarding our salvation (1 Peter 1:5), and we can trust that He will persevere us to the end. In other words, because of His protective power, mercy, and grace, you WILL persevere, and you will NOT lose your salvation! Trust in that, church!
This idea of endurance applies to us not just individually, but globally too. For thousands and thousands of years, Christianity has persevered despite persecution, expansion of false religions, anti-Christian cultures. The world just can’t seem to get rid of Christianity, no matter how hard it tries!
I say all of this to say: when we ask the question, “Where does my help come from,” this isn’t just some vague, arbitrary thing that gives us good fortune. It’s a very tangible, awe-inspiring attribute of God and is a testament to His mercy and His grace.
This Palm Sunday, let us be awestruck by the fact that salvation has come because our help does, indeed, come from God!

To God be the Glory,
Bro. Casey

The Beauty of Covenant Commitment: Acts 2:42
 
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.” -Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭42‬ ‭CSB‬‬

I was studying for a midterm for one of my seminary classes, and I came across this verse. It was foundational for the development of Christian worship.  
It also affirms something I’ve been thinking about lately, which is this: 
In country where we’re so spoiled that we can threaten to go to the church around the corner if we don’t get our way, I have come to really admire lifelong church members- the saints who are so committed to a particular body that they are willing to stick it out through the lowest of lows and the highest of highs. 
Sadly, many see church as just another product to consume. If they don’t like it, they move on to the next thing. 
While I was in between ministry positions, I went and visited New Hope Methodist (my original home church). My dad, my grandmother, my cousin, my 2nd grade teacher, and the many saints I’ve been influenced by were all still there. 
Everyone was so happy to see me. I felt nothing but loved and embraced….even though I’m Baptist now! As a matter of fact, one of them came up to me and said, “No matter where you end up, you’ll always be one of us.” 
That certainly meant a lot as I was getting ready to move off to Fulton/Union City. New Hope has done nothing but cheer me on in my ministry journey!
I say all of this while also understanding that there ARE good reasons to leave a church- new marriages, moving to a new area, theological convictions, etc. However, in an age where new, explosive church plants are glamorized, not many want to celebrate the faithfulness and loyalty to the covenant relationship that lifelong church members have with one another. 
FBCUC is a prime example of a church with legacy members who are committed to the covenant we have with one another and have witnessed some of the lowest and highest seasons in the church’s history. What a beautiful, tangible picture of the faithful covenant God keeps with US through all the seasons of OUR lives! 
So, First Baptist, let’s maintain out devotion to what God is doing at FBCUC! 

The McNugget Theologian

The Apostle Paul is widely regarded, by believers and unbelievers alike, as one of the most profound theologians to ever live. Whether it was because he was classically trained by one of the most prominent Jewish leaders of his day – Gamaliel – or whether it was because of his close, personal time in the Judean wilderness with the Lord (or likely a combination of both), everyone essentially agrees that Paul had a mastery of the things of God that far transcends most human beings. Masterpieces of theological precision have come from the mind, heart, and hand of this great man: Romans, Ephesians, Galatians, Corinthians, etc. Every believer stands in the shadow of these mighty contributions of the faith. Seminarians study it in schools of higher learning, preachers have expounded on it for centuries, and Christians have enjoyed a thorough presentation of doctrinal truth from his work.

Concerning this, many say that they simply can’t understand a lot of what Paul has to say. Certainly, this is said of Romans, Ephesians, Galatians, the Corinthains letters, and even the Thessalonian letters. They’re deep, sometimes technical, and very rich. If this is you, I’d like to speak about something I mentioned from the pulpit a few weeks ago to help you understand Paul a little better.

Paul was a master at compiling large quantities of information in bite-size pieces of information. “The McNugget Theologian” I called him in jest. But I use this title as a way of creating an image of how he wrote. Like a 10-piece McNugget meal is meant to be eaten one Nugget at a time, so too were Paul’s words. His “McNuggets” are essentially prepositional phrases: information, broken down into chewable parts, so that you can appreciate the whole meal. Take Ephesians 1:5 as an example of what I mean. Paul, while writing on the topic of redemption, said this about your salvation, “…having predestined us/to adoption/as sons/by Jesus Christ/to Himself/according to the good pleasure of His will…" (/’s added to emphasize the separation of prepositional sentences). Paul writes like this because it is the easiest way to pack large doctrinal content into powerful units of understanding. We could literally spend hours studying any one of those prepositional sentences, let alone understand the complexities of them all! Together, though, they help us understand the riches of salvation that comes from God.

Make sense? I hope so, because the Bible was written in a way that was designed to be understood. It isn’t supposed to be something that only those with degrees understand. God’s Word is deep, but it is also meaningful. You can go as deep as you want, but it’s all designed to educate you and draw you into a closer relationship with the Lord.
I hope this helps today. I know it sure changed the way I read Paul’s letters. Take your time as you study and ask the Lord to help you understand. Grab some great resources like a dictionary or commentary and watch the Word of God come alive like never before!

Blessings,
Bro. Ben

I sometimes think about Frodo's journey to the Undying Lands to that of the believer's journey to heaven. You see, Frodo was asked to do the impossible: take the Ring of Power to Mordor and destroy it. He was asked to do it against incredible odds too. He was up against the deepest hate, darkest foes, and greatest obstacles anyone could ever imagine.

A little Hobbit - the "most remarkable of creatures" Gandalf said of them. Humble, simple, peaceable, unassuming, and surprising; virtues that, as it turns out, can change the world. The similarities are unavoidable really, for you see, the Christian is like a Hobbit. We're creatures in a world filled with hate, violence, and darkness. We seek peace and tranquility, but the world hates the power of our humility, the simplicity of our Message, and the promise of Peace we represent. To those who seek power, our meekness is considered weakness. To those who love darkness, our light is incomprehensible. To those who seek to build earthly kingdoms, we represent their demise.

So often, along the journey, harm is incurred. Frodo's journey meant that he would inevitably and permanently be harmed for being the ringer bearer - a burden of responsibility that was his alone to bear. Thus, Frodo's calling exposed him to attacks that would leave scars, betrayals he could never forget, and trauma he couldn't shake. So, the only way that Frodo could escape his injuries was in the hope of the Undying Lands, a place that was more reward than release.

Similarly, the Chrisitan life is a call to be a Gospel-bearer; a privilege that can often seem like a deep burden that is ours alone to bear. We are called to join the Lord on a seemingly impossible journey where harm WILL BE incurred; a life that assumes danger and guarantees injury. But the Lord is faithful because He has prepared a place for us that will rid us of the harmful effects of this world. Heaven is its name.

Heaven is the reward of the Christian; a place where God wipes away every tear, heals every wound, and restores us unto Himself. It's our reward for a job well done, for a journey well-trod. For Frodo, reaching the Undying Lands meant that his burden had finally been lifted, that his pain was finally over, and that his rest had finally come. This is what awaits the believer in Heaven as well – an unending Paradise where unhindered access will be given to us with God.

Keep up the good work, Christian. Your reward waits ahead of you in heaven!
Blessings,
Bro. Ben

Thank you to everyone who prayed for James and me as we traveled to New Orleans this past weekend! If you didn’t know, I am currently pursuing a Masters of Divinity (MDiv) at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Most of my classes are online, but I occasionally get the opportunity to attend a weekend hybrid class in person. James had expressed some interest in seminary, so he made the 8-hour drive with me!
These hybrid weekends include lectures, worship services at the chapel (pictured here), and meals with our professors and classmates. I appreciate this class format as it makes me feel like I‘m a part of the campus- like this is “my“ seminary. It also gives me a chance to develop relationships that I wouldn‘t otherwise have. In fact, one of my professors met up with me at 7:30 on a Saturday morning for coffee, which I was so grateful for. This speaks volumes about the overall culture of NOBTS- one of humility, selflessness, and compassion.  
I learned so much in my Old Testament 2 class that I could write whole articles it....but I will spare you this week! Outside of class, we were able to eat some cajun cuisines, do a little sight-seeing on the French Quarter, and of course, get my wife some beignets from Cafe Du Monde.

We were also able to attend Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, one of the largest churches in the area led by Dr. Fred Luter Jr., who served as the first black president of the Southern Baptist Convention from 2012-2014. We were fortunate to be able to see him preach as he will be retiring in October 2026.
 
Additionally, we visited UTM alum and longtime FBCUC member Cortney Bruketta, who is currently working in the office at NOBTS alongside her husband, Zack. Cortney was involved with the children’s ministry and youth ministry here, and she told us that she remembers many of our legacy members! Small world!

Overall, this weekend was a very enriching, edifying time for both me and James. Pray for me as I continue to pursue my degree- it’s going to be a while before I’m done- and pray for James as he continues to discern his ministry calling.  

Standing Firm in a Hostile World
Everyone in the world today wants to hate on the Christian faith. Opponents of Christianity want to label the doctrines of Christ as hateful, bigoted, homophobic, divisive, and/or a plethora of other things. They want to believe that Judeo-Christianity is somehow a threat to societal progress, saying that the faithful are holding back certain human rights, privileges, and justice to the “marginalized, misunderstood, and maligned”. It seems like the never-ending barrage of attacks and assaults may never end. This isn’t anything new for the record. Christians have been societal “scapegoats” for two thousand years, highlighted by events like Neo blaming Christians for the woes of Rome, historians blaming Crusaders for the negative effects of the Holy Wars, and cake bakers for not bending to the will of same-sex weddings. This kind of thing has been going on for a long time.
For the sake of this article, though, let’s entertain the validity of such claims. Is it true that Christians have been holding back societal progress? Is it true that Christians are depriving certain subgroups of human rights and dignity? Is it true that the teachings of the Lord are hateful and harmful? The short answer is of course not. The long answer is a little more sinister than you might imagine.
Let’s consider the former first. The short answer to these claims is that there is no other institution, government, or idea that has brought more prosperity, goodness, benevolence, and hope to the world than that of the Christian faith. Churches, hospitals, educational institutions, business, nonprofits, emergency agencies, governments, and many other institutions that were founded in Jesus’s name; exploration, innovation, creativity, technology, scientism, music, architecture, etc. were all driven by the Imago Dei within man to build; all these have brought an immeasurable good to the world that no one else even approaches – not Islam, not the philosophic ideas of the East, not atheism, not spiritism, not naturalism, not humanism. The Christian faith is the single greatest force of positive change the world has ever known. Even more, its foundational faith – Judaism – impacted the ancient world for good with its Law, wealth, and systems by maintaining a sanctity for life, marriage, and the individual. So, Christianity has good roots.
To the latter idea though: there are institutions and systems that are harmful to progress, justice, and hope; and they are not the Christian faith. In fact, what Satan has cleverly done is created institutions that are often heralded as proponents of human good that have become the very ones that present the most harm: atheism (and all its initiatives: communism, collectivism, etc.), Islam, Progressivism, humanism, and those who divide humanity into ethnicities, genders, etc., all while invalidating the dignity of marriage, the womb, and even death. Christians are not the enemies of the LGBTQ agenda in the same way that Islam is perceived to be. Christians are not the enemies of progress in the same way that the atheism is perceived to be. Christians have a long, positive track record of creating governing bodies, economic institutions, and judicial systems that have proven to work. Atheism has had about 150 years of trauma it has inflicted on the world through World Wars, evolution, and a dehumanization of human rights. Not to mention the negative impact Islam has on human rights and dignity. Neither track records are good. But you wouldn’t know it in the direction the world is going.
All this to say: Believer, this opposition should serve to convince you that your faith is valid and correct. It should remind you of these words from the Lord, “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” We’re called to endure unto the end, Christian. Hang in there. There Lord is coming soon!
Blessings,
Bro. Ben

What is Prophecy?
 
When many of us think of the word, “prophecy,” many of us think of someone predicting the future. In the case of the Old Testament, many of us assume that all prophecy is a prediction of Jesus’ arrival and earthly ministry, which is fair; there is certainly Messianic prophecy found in books like Isaiah and Micah.  
However, according to Old Testament Scholars Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart, less than 5% of all Old Testament prophecy predicts future events found in scripture, and less than 1% still remain unfulfilled today- many of which have to do with the end times or “last things.”  
The reality is that most prophecy addresses not the future, but the current events of the time. This is an important distinction in a day and age when self-proclaimed “prophets” and “prophetesses” will go online or on television, manipulating people into giving them money and when, every time a military strike is made on the Gaza strip, someone in the news will point to an Old Testament prophecy that is supposedly being fulfilled.  
 
So, if prophecy isn’t always predictive, then what is it? 
 
Being prophetic involves receiving and communicating a God-given message that directly addresses the spiritual state of a given person or group of people. Prophecy is a divine message from God, given to a specific audience through a specific person- a prophet. Old Testament prophets held an official office and had authority equal to God's words. Their divine messages were addressed to specific people, often calling people to repentance (Jeremiah 7:3–7; Micah 6:8; Joel 2:12–13).  
In the New Testament era, the gift of prophecy still exists, but it manifests itself in different ways, since there is no longer an office of prophet. New Testament prophecy also involves sharing a God-given revelation and having spiritual sensitivity and the ability to identify spiritual needs and sins. The key difference is that we now have scripture, which has supreme authority over the church. As such, all prophetic claims must be biblically justified. 
 
Pastor Josh Howerton says it like this: “The prophetic voice is not about predicting the future; it’s about calling God’s people back to God.” 
 
Prophecy was meant to reveal the will of God, not just to predict the future. Being prophetic means to have a revelation (not to be confused with the book of Revelation). A revelation is the means by which the will of God is revealed. This is why scripture is considered by many scholars to not just be a collection of revelations, but to be revelation itself. Simply put, the will of God is revealed through scripture. This is why all prophetic claims MUST be tested against scripture.  
Do not be deceived, church. Always “test the spirits” as 1 John 4:1 commands us to. When a self-proclaimed prophet claims to have a “message from God,” test it against scripture. Make sure that they can justify this with a chapter and verse in context.  
 
Let me share a personal example: I had a friend from Lexington that once worked in a warehouse. There was a truck driver who would make deliveries, and he and my friend saw each other on a regular basis, though they never really spoke to one another.  
One random day, as the truck driver was leaving, he came back into the room and said to my friend, “Hey man, God has laid it on my heart that I need to pray for you,” and proceeded to describe in great detail all of the different things that my friend was going through. After this encounter, my friend concluded that God was real, and he came to faith in Christ not long after.  
This is the fruit of true prophecy: people coming to and returning to Christ. This is why Jesus said in reference to false prophets, “You will know them by their fruits (Matthew 7:16).”  
So church, may we be a prophetic voice in our own church and our communities, and may we call others to repentance!

I’ve been watching a lot of Winter Olympics. I love watching the best athletes in the world compete against each other. I’m also fascinated by how certain countries seem to dominate certain events. Not always of course but it seems to be true that downhill skiing is generally dominated the European nations, cross country seems to belong to the Scandinavians, and the USA seems to be dominating events like curling and hockey. But one thing I love about the Olympics more than anything else is the individual stories of success and perseverance. Once such story came from the men’s 500m speed skating event.

His name is Jordan Stolz. He’s a 21-year-old Christian from Kewaskum, Wisconsin who enjoys eating pizza before every match. He’s also a speed skating phenom. This year in the Olympics, he has already won gold in the 500m (considered to be the most difficult to win due to the short distance and small margins of error) and the 1000m. He will have another chance to win 2 more golds this week. That’s impressive for a 21-year-old. But if all of that isn’t impressive enough, the way he won the 500m gold stands out as one of the greatest individual efforts of athleticism in the history of speed skating, in my humble and limited opinion of course.

The gold medal race pitted Stolz against the Netherlands Jenning de Boo, one of the premier speed skaters in the world. The Dutch have dominated speed skating so far and it looked like the more experienced de Boo was poised to capitalize on the perceived inexperience of Stolz. The race was fast, with both skaters reaching nearly 40 mph. Both skaters were obviously pushing themselves around curves and on straightaways to best the other. When it came down to the wire, Stolz came out victorious by one tenth of a second. The victory seemed improbable to many, including de Boo who collapsed on the ice in exasperation. But here’s the thing that made this victory most stunning: Stolz did it all with a broken skate. That’s right, Stolz’s launch skate (the one he pushes off of at the start) became detached from his heel at the start. This forced him to skate the entire race with it flapping up and down. Now, I had to research how common a problem this was in speed skating because it just didn’t seem to bother Stolz at all that it had happened. It certainly didn’t slow him down. What I found out was that broken skates are extremely rare in speed skating; and if they do happen, it’s not a blade that becomes detached from the boot. And get this: Stolz’s run set a new Olympic record in the men’s 500m! That’s just an incredible accomplishment with a broken skate! Imagine what he could’ve done had his skate not been broken!

Now, I share this today as an anecdotal example of perseverance and exceptionalism. This young man was not expecting his skate to break at the most inopportune time. But when it did, he skated on. He pressed himself and his disadvantage, to such a degree, that he overcame his obstacle and emerged victorious. In a Christian sense, this anecdote stands out as an example of the perseverance that is needed in the faithful life. Sticking with the sports analogy Paul said, “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” This means that there will be obstacles that will present themselves to us. They will come at the worst times imaginable. But each one of them will require us to dig deep and press on.

Believer, our goal line lays before us. A crown of life is our reward if we faint not. The Lord Himself will be there waiting on us when we arrive. In the meantime, know that you have a great witness in heaven cheering you on. Persevere. Press on. In time, you will reach the finish line.

Blessings,
Bro. Ben

Over the last few months, I’ve been trying to work on myself so that I can be a better husband and prepare myself for fatherhood. As such, I picked up a book called Thoughts for Young Men by 19th century pastor J.C. Ryle. The lessons taught here are so timeless that I forgot it was written over a hundred years ago. Here is a quote that really stood out to me:
“The older you grow and the more you see, the less you will find reason for being proud. Ignorance and inexperience are the pedestal of pride. Once the pedestal is removed, pride will soon come down.”
Upon reading this, I realized that pride tends to come from ignorance and inexperience, and that was certainly the case for me as I transitioned from college into my first ministry role at a church in Lexington. I went in there thinking, “I’m gonna win so many people to Christ. We’re gonna see people getting saved left and right, the altar is gonna be filled every Sunday, I’m gonna be such a gifted youth pastor and worship leader, and I’m gonna turn this church upside down.”  
Needless to say, that is not how things went down. I made countless mistakes, and betrayed the trust of a lot of people.  I found myself having the attitude of Peter, who had good intentions, but would say very bold and ignorant things.
I came to the realization that what young men like me need more than anything today is wisdom, which is the main theme of the book of Proverbs. Unlike the modern idea of wisdom, Old Testament wisdom is not a step-by-step guide on how to have a successful life, but a guide to living a godly, virtuous life and the reaping the benefits of such.
In an age of instant gratification, the need for this kind of wisdom has never been higher. In an age where anyone can grab a microphone and a camera and start a podcast or a YouTube channel and speak as though they have authority over others, OT wisdom has never been more necessary.
Proverbs 3:7 says, “Do not be wise in your own eyes.”  
This is a profound message for young men. We think we’re so wise that we can go online and tell other people- even people decades older than us- how they ought to live their lives, what they should be doing, and how they need to be better. Meanwhile, in reality, most of us haven’t gained the wisdom necessary to actually speak from experience.
This is completely backwards from God's design. Instead of arrogance and pride, God calls us to humility. It takes a lot of humility to realize, “Okay, I don’t know everything. I need wise counsel. I need to learn from this person that has lived a lot more life than I have.” This was Solomon’s whole purpose in writing the Proverbs- to teach wisdom to young Israelite men.
Verse 7 gives us another message too, which is to, “fear the Lord and turn away from evil. “If you go back to Proverbs 1:7, it says that the fear of the Lord “is the beginning of knowledge.”
This is the lens through which the entire book of Proverbs is written: we cannot be wise without the fear of the Lord in our hearts.
We can follow every single rule and every piece of advice to a T, but without the fear of the Lord, we will not be wise. We only become wise through the fear of the Lord God revealed in the flesh through His Son, Jesus, who, while we were yet sinners, died for us so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness (1 Peter 2:24).  

So church, let’s be wise and trust in the Lord as we continue to grow in our faith!
 
To God be the glory,
Bro. Casey