Magnalia Christi Americana: Prayer and Thanksgiving

Cotton Mather’s History of Christ’s Work in Colonial New England. First published in 1702.

“In one of the first Summers after their sitting down at Plymouth, a terrible drought threatened the ruin of all their summer’s husbandry.  From about the middle of May to the middle of July, an extreme hot sun beat upon their fields, without any rain, so that all their corn began to wither and languish, and some of it was irrecoverably parched up.  In this distress they set apart a day for fasting and prayer, to deprecate the calamity that might bring them to fasting through famine; in the morning of which day there was no sign of any rain; but before the evening the sky was overcast with clouds, which went not away without such easy, gentle, and yet plentiful showers, as revived a great part of their decayed corn, for a comfortable harvest.  The Indians themselves took notice of this answer given from heaven to the supplications of this devout people; and one of them said, ‘Now I see that the Englishman’s God is a good God; for he hath heard you, and sent you rain, and that without such tempest and thunder as we use to have with our rain; which after our Powawing for it, breaks down the corn; whereas your corn stands whole and good still; surely, your God is a good God.’ The harvest which God thus gave to this pious people, caused them to set apart another day for solemn Thanksgiving to the glorious Hearer of Prayers!” (Cotton Mather, The Great Works of Christ in America, p.57-58).

Fathers, Train Your Children

“And these words, which I am commanding you today shall be on your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. And you shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” – (Deuteronomy 6:6-9). 

When Moses descended from the fiery mountain, he brought with him the moral law of God as summarized in the ten commandments. With these two tablets, which contained man’s duty to God and to his neighbor, Moses exhorts the people to love the Lord their God with all of their hearts, souls, and might. Christ later declares this commandment of Moses to be the greatest of them all. The Christian is to love God with the totality of his or her life and with all of one’s given faculties. Yet how do we as God’s people cultivate such a love and reverence for God in our lives? How do our families come to worship God with all their strength? How do our children learn to love God with their minds? 

In the above passage, Moses provides us with some helpful instruction. For even as God commands us to love Him with the totality of our lives and being, so also God provides the resources for His people to accomplish this duty and privilege. Contrary to Hollywood’s popular view of love, Biblical love toward God and neighbor is not merely goose-bumps and weekly adrenaline rushes. Rather, the cultivation of love toward God comes from receiving and applying His Word to the totality of our lives. The people of God love their Lord by promoting the instruction of God’s Word and its application to every area of daily life. Whether sitting or standing, whether coming or going, whether awake or going to bed, the Word of God was brought to bear on every situation. By no means is the faith to be quarantined to Sunday alone or to an hour of worship. Like a garden, love for God needs constant cultivation, lest weeds sprout and choke-out the good crop. 

Notice also in this passage that the primary responsibility of teaching God’s Word to the children does not lie with Moses or the elders of Israel, but with the families themselves. As Moses states himself, “you shall teach them diligently to your sons.” Though pastors, Sunday School teachers, and churches must aid in the instruction, the duty of Biblical instruction and worship lies chiefly with the husbands and fathers. 

Christian husbands and fathers, do you instruct your family in the law and Gospel, even as Moses commanded? Can your neighbors and family claim that the Word of God so permeates and saturates the household that the very entrance (doorposts and gates) seems to proclaim the Kingdom of God to all who enter? Are the various circumstances of life seen as natural opportunities to apply the Scriptures? 

How can you begin to be more faithful in this area of your family life? First, gather the family and explain the importance of loving God with our whole life and instruct them in the necessity of cultivating that love. Then, begin to worship God as a family on a daily basis with some singing, prayer, and a brief Bible lesson. These daily times together will create natural opportunities to apply God’s Word and to pray over matters of concern to your family. Though you may feel awkward at first and the kids may wonder, ‘why are we doing this,’ the Lord blesses those who diligently seek Him. As you seek the Lord together as a family and as you teach the Scriptures diligently, see if the Lord does not cultivate greater love and faithfulness toward Him in the life of your family. May He bless all of our households and bring needed spiritual renewal and reformation to LaGrange. 

A. Boyd Miller, IV – Originally submitted to The LaGrange Daily News; LaGrange, Georgia.

Psalm Singing and the Great Commission

Excerpts from A Puritan Theology, by Joel R. Beeke & Mark Jones

“… the Psalms contain many expressions of God’s dominion over all the earth and the future reign of the anointed King over the nations.  According to the design of the Holy Spirit, the Psalter is a missionary hymnal and prayer book. The Puritans loved the Psalms and sang from the Psalter every day.”  (A Puritan Theology, by Joel R. Beeke & Mark Jones, p.768).

“… if we want people to be faithful in praying for the spread of the gospel throughout the world, we should fill our worship services with the words of the missionary book … The practice of singing the Psalms in public and family worship would help turn the church’s inward focus outward to a world that desperately needs to worship the true God.” (ibid, p.769).

Elements of the Pastoral Visit

Occasionally, visitors or new members at Covenant Presbyterian Church (OPC) are not familiar with the practice of an annual pastoral visit. Much like seeing the dentist or doctor for routine check-ups, the annual pastoral home-visit seeks to promote the spiritual well-being of our members. So, what happens at a pastoral visit?

· Share a Meal Together: I usually like to eat with the family before the official visit. Dinner together provides a time of general socializing and fun before we get to the earnest business of the visit. The pastor can observe family dynamics and catch the latest family news about school, extra-curricular activities, upcoming events, etc.

· Prayer: The pastoral visit is not a mere social occasion, but a means of edification and blessing, which requires the Presence of the Holy Spirit to help. Start with prayer. Some families need exposure to the practice of family worship too. Singing a psalm or hymn together may help them see that they can do it.

· Biblical and Theological Review: I always begin with the children when they are present in the home. With parents in the room, I ask thirty minutes to an hour of questions about Scripture and theology. I often use the Westminster Confession and Catechisms for the theology review. Youngest children, of course, get more elementary questions (Who made you? Who are our first parents? Did they obey God in the garden?). If one child struggles for an answer, I will open the floor for others to help. I also will ask questions from the Bible: What is Psalm 23 about? Can you name the first five books of the Bible? Name the Ten Commandments in order. Some years I may emphasize a theme such as ecclesiology, where we discuss all things related to the church. Another year I gave a Psalm exam, where I read more familiar verses from the Psalm and asked them to tell me the number of the Psalm.

· Questions and Prayer Requests: After examining the kids, I will ask them if they have particular questions for me about anything related to theology or church practice. Then I take prayer requests from the kids and pray for them.

· Talk Alone with Parents: After praying for the kids, I dismiss them (out of hearing) to spend time with Mom and Dad to discuss how they are doing. I generally cover the topics of marriage, development of the children, special family needs/concerns, prayer requests. I also ask if they have any questions for me or the session related to anything concerning the church.

· Prayer: Finally, pray for the families and the matters discussed. Share your appreciation for the family and their involvement in the congregation.

When Salt Is Not Salty

“You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has become tasteless, how will it be salty again? It is good for nothing anymore, except to be thrown and trampled under foot by men” (Matthew 5:13). 

What is happening to America? In media outlets and other sources, secular and religious pundits bemoan various national trends of cultural and moral decline. While many politicians seek answers in new legislation, tax-cuts, reforms of various social and bureaucratic programs, the Lord Jesus Christ spoke to this issue of cultural decline in the sermon on the Mount. 

Preaching this most famous sermon in the world, Christ referred to His disciples as the salt of the earth. While this title may be lost to many in an age of refrigerators and freezers, the analogy was inescapable for His people. Salt was a preservative for foods such as meat. In order to prevent a premature spoiling of food, the Israelites would season the meat with salt and ths preserve the food. By comparing His disciples to this precious mineral, Christ thus spoke of the Church’s preserving and sanctifying influence upon the culture in which she finds herself. Scripture and church history testify to the benefits of the Gospel upon those communities who embrace it. When the Church is faithful, the general moral climate of that community prospers. When the Church descends into apostasy, decay ensues. Salt which loses its saltiness is good for nothing, but to be trampled upon. 

Herein lies the real source of the problem as well as the potential answer to America’s cultural decline. The Church in this country is losing her saltiness. And thereby is being trod upon by the depravities of modern cultural life, even as Christ promised. 

As one considers the state of our own culture, one sees the veracity of Christ’s own words. We see the decay, the headlines of murder, the rise of teenage pregnancy, the destruction of unborn children. Adultery is glamorized, divorce is accepted, political corruption expected. We Christians have only ourselves to blame for the decline. 

We have neglected the means of grace, which keep a Church salty. Consistent expository preaching of the Scriptures is rare. Our sheep are emaciated spiritually for a lack of solid feeding. Though Moses declared the law of God to be our life, few Christians can name the Ten Commandments in order. Such Biblical illiteracy echoes the old prophe’s lament, “My people perish for a lack of knowledge.” 

Yet, the glaring problems of modern evangelicalism do not stop here. Personal godliness and holiness diminishes as believers become indistinguishable in their lifestyles from their secular neighbors. Hypocrisy abounds even among ministers and their dysfunctional families. It is not interesting that Christians feel compelled to advertise the faith with T-shirts, metal fish, and Jesus paraphernalia, rather than advertising with their whole life?

Christians need to awaken to the fact that the Glory is departing from the Church and the evidence abounds in our culture. The salt is losing its saltiness and our society is putrefying like rotten meat.

What can you do? First, you must humble yourself before God. If you have never trusted in Christ as Savior, you must call upon His Name and believe on Him alone for salvation. Christians must seek God’s forgiveness for their sins and repent of them wholeheartedly. You must seek God in His Word, study the Scriptures diligently, and conform the entirety of your life to them. Secondly, you must sit under weekly Biblical teaching and preaching. Thirdly, you must worship God with your family through prayer, the sacraments in church, the singing of Psalms and hymns, and the Word of God. 

May God bless us and aid us to maintain our saltiness in this decaying society.