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

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

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!

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.  

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!

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

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
 
 

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

King Cake – The Preaching Pastry

This past weekend, Cheyenne and I visited family in Alabama for a very late family Christmas. We went to pick up some groceries for the party, and we came across a King Cake, a famous dish often associated with Mardi Gras. I’ve always had a soft spot for New Orleans and Cajun culture- after all, there is a reason I chose to attend New Orleans Seminary-  so we took it home, and I did some research on the significance of the King Cake and the Mardi Gras season.

Although it has become largely secularized, Mardi Gras is originally tied to the liturgical calendar. Mardi Gras starts with Epiphany, when the Magi (wisemen) visited Jesus, and runs through Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday marks the start of Lent, a 40-day period of fasting which commemorates the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness. In other words, Mardi Gras was seen as a season of celebration and as a time to “fatten up” before a season of fasting, prayer, meditation, and reflection.  

Many faith traditions still celebrate Lent. When I grew up in the Methodist church, we participated in the season of Lent by giving up something. This could include things like junk food, television, or some other hobby or habit that could potentially be a stumbling block in one’s faith.  

As far as the cake itself, the symbolism of it all really is a sermon in and of itself:

1. As you might expect, the name “King Cake” comes from the revelation of the Christ Child.  

2. The dish originated from French and Spanish celebrations of Epiphany, and settlers carried it with them to Louisiana.  

3. The little plastic baby inside (pecan or coin), represents the Christ Child.  

• Fun fact: In my first slice of my first ever King Cake this past weekend, I got the baby. Coincidentally, we’re pregnant with our first child. God has a sense of humor!  

4. The three colors all represent different Christian virtues:

• Purple = justice
• Green = faith
• Gold = power

5. The oval/circular shape represents God’s never-ending love and Christ’s Kingship

The King Cake is just one example of so many traditions in Cajun culture- and, more broadly speaking, Western culture- that have Christian roots. Not only does this King Cake preach to us, but we can use it to preach to others! Knowing the Christian roots of cultural events like this are an excellent opportunity to evangelize and share the gospel with others!  

It could be as simple as: “Hey, do you know where Mardi Gras comes from? It actually started as a celebration of Jesus Christ.”  

That makes for a great segue into: “Do you know what Jesus did? He died so that we could be saved from our sin and be made righteous. Would you like to receive that salvation?”

People often overcomplicate evangelism, but it really is a matter of connecting everything back to Jesus Christ! And this is something that ALL Christians are called to do, regardless of age, vocation, or “social meter.” But along with that command comes a promise: that He will be with us wherever we go (Matthew 28:18-20).  

Be encouraged by that, church! As we share the gospel with all nations, let’s remember that everything in creation ultimately point to Christ and that this same Christ is with us wherever we go!

In Ephesians 3, the Apostle Paul shares a personal prayer with the Ephesian believers that is quite beautiful. For context, this prayer is nestled in an explanation of how God mysteriously calls people into salvation. His point is that none of us fully comprehend how God saves or how God calls. This was especially true for the Gentiles. For centuries, God’s covenant of salvation was given to the Jews through Abraham. Yet, for the first time in history, God opened it up to non-Jewish people. This was certainly mysterious. So, once we get to verse 8 in that chapter, it gets personal. Paul contemplates the mysterious nature of his own calling and concludes that he is the product of the paradoxical nature in which God works. Then he turns this contemplation into a prayer in verse 14: “For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named…” Once Paul gets past his introductory remarks, he makes 6 strong appeals to the Lord on behalf of the Ephesian believers. For the following, he asks: 1. That they be strengthened with might through the Spirit of God. 2. That Christ would dwell in their hearts through faith. 3. That they be rooted and grounded in faith. 4. That they may comprehend the width, length, depth, and height of the Christian life. 5. That they may know the love of Christ. 6. That they may be filled with all the fullness of God. He concludes by saying (and I’m paraphrasing), “Don’t let the content of your prayers be too small. God is able to do so much more than you could possibly imagine.”

Next week, we’re going to begin a sermon series of the content of this prayer. We’re going to look at the context of it, the content of it, and the conclusion of it. It is my goal, and I hope, that FBCUC will benefit as much from this blessed prayer of our brother Paul as the Ephesian church did. There is so much here that believers should know about their own salvation that is summarized in the contents of this prayer.

You know, so many believers desire a deeper understanding of their relationship with Christ. This passage of Scripture teaches us how to take things to a greater level of love and appreciation for all that the Lord did for us when He saved us. If you know someone who struggles with their faith, this would be a great sermon series for them. Invite them to join us as we worship the Lord through this wonderful prayer of Paul!

Blessings,
Bro. Ben 

Jesus Paid It All – The Gospel in the Snow
By Casey Stanfill

At the time of writing this, I am currently at working from home amidst the snow and ice. The snow reminds me of the familiar hymn, “Jesus Paid It All,” written in 1865 by Elvina M. Hall and John Grape. The chorus reads:

Jesus paid it all

All to Him I owe

Sin had left a crimson stain

He washed it white as snow.  

In Hebrew, the word for snow is sheleg (SHEH-leg), which can be used literally, but is often used as a symbol of purity, cleansing, or transformation (Isaiah 1:18; Psalm 51).

As you can imagine, this is a clear reference to the forgiveness of sin and God’s power to cleanse us of all unrighteousness. However, the concept of snow is used differently in the New Testament.

In Greek, the word for snow is chión (khee-OWN) which is can also be used literally and symbolically, only this is a symbol of divine power, glory, and brightness (Matthew 28:3; Revelation 1).

This concept of snow points to many different attributes of God: His divinity, majesty, and glory, as well as His healing, cleansing, transformative power; both of which can be tied into one word: purity.  

When we look at the snow, we see the image of Christ and God’s desire to conform us into His image; we see the image of God’s purity and His ability to purify us. We’re reminded of Jesus’ healing wounds on the cross, which reminds me of one of my favorite verses:

1 Peter 2:24 – He Himself bore our sins on the tree so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds, you have been healed.  

Because of Christ’s pure, sinless life and brutal wounds on the cross, we are able to find healing and to pursue righteousness. Even the snow points to the gospel of Jesus!

Even in the midst of historical, catastrophic snowstorms that have affected almost a million people with a death toll of 34 (as of the time of writing), as well as political fallout and civil unrest in Minneapolis, let us be reminded that Christ has the ultimate victory.  

He is sovereign over all things, and He will use this to glorify Himself somehow. Let’s pray that God will use something as simple as snow to draw sinners to Himself.  

To God be the glory!
- Bro. Casey Stanfill