Solus Christus

by Keith Shearer

CHRIST ALONE (Hebrews 1:1-4)

Superior to all other forms of God's Self-revelation is His revealing of Himself "in His Son" (Hebrews 1:2), the Lord Jesus Christ.

While God has spoken clearly and inerrantly in the Scripture, the Bible Itself owes its authority to the Lord Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1:1-2). It was Jesus Who affirmed the completed Old Testament (see Matthew 5:17-18, Luke 24:25-27 and 44). If any content would have been contained in the Old Testament that should not have been, surely Jesus would have corrected it. If anything was missing from the Old Testament, surely Jesus would have added it. But, clearly Jesus affirmed the Old Testament as it is. It is Jesus Who authorized the New Testament by granting Apostolic authority to eyewitnesses of His identity, teaching, and accomplishments (Matthew 10:40, Luke 10:16, Second Peter 1:16-21 and 3:15-16), and Who sent them His Spirit to superintend their memory processes so that they would inerrantly record the words of Jesus, the events of His life, death, and resurrection, and the implications of the Gospel and the Church in the New Testament (John 14:26, 16:13). So, even Sola Scriptura owes its authority to the superiority of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus said of the Scriptures, "It is these that bear witness of Me" (John 5:39).

While God's Creation powerfully speaks to make Him known (Romans 1:20, Psalm 19:1ff.), nothing in all of Creation exists apart from Jesus Christ. It is Christ Alone "through Whom also He made the world" (Hebrews 1:2). "All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being" (John 1:3). It is fascinating that in Hebrews 1:2 God the Father's appointment of His Son to be "heir of all things" occurs before the Creation. The Father did not search through the world and then select Jesus to be the heir. Rather, Jesus has been the "Heir of all things" from before Creation. The very purpose of the existence of anything is to be the inheritance of Jesus Christ. "All things have been created by Him and for Him." (Colossians 1:16).

While the intricate preservation processes working in people, plants, animals, gravity, weather, etc. display the wonders of the power of God, Hebrews 1:3 significantly states that none of these processes occur without Jesus, but rather "He upholds all things by the word of His power." Colossians 1:17 phrases the concept this way, "In Him all things hold together." Whether the most magnificent sunrise, or the most awesome lighting strike; whether the destructive hurricane, or the long, slow rain in the time of drought; whether the impressive strength and health of the Olympic athlete, or the frailty and disease of the cancer patient; nothing occurs without the power of His involvement. As the possessor of all of the same glorious attributes as God the Father, Christ alone, above any other means of Divine revelation, is "the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature" (Hebrews 1:3). Jesus alone can say, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 14:9). Even the application of the ultimate "sola" - soli Deo gloria - is accomplished through Jesus Christ alone.

While the Old Testament Law has a necessary and holy function (Romans 7:12-13), it could never make "purification of sins" (Hebrews 1:3). Neither the ministry of Levitical priests ( Hebrews 7:27), nor the slaughter of millions of sacrificial animals could ever take away sins (Hebrews 10:4). All of the attempts and works of all humanity fail to take away sins (Isaiah 64:6, Romans 3:10-20). But Jesus alone, in the completed, decisive work of the Cross, "made purification of sins". Observe the tense of the verb - "had made". Purification of sins was completed on the Cross. Jesus made complete sacrifice for sins "once for all when He offered up Himself" (Hebrews 7:27). The Cross is not only a display of God's love in providing salvation, the Cross is also a display of God's hatred of sin and the necessity of His judging sin with holy wrath. This He did by requiring the death of His Son to satisfy His Own justice (Propitiation - Romans 3:24-26).The applied benefits of justification from sin occur instantaneously, once and for all, at the instant one trusts upon Christ through the regenerating gift of the Holy Spirit (Hebrews 10:14). The offering of Christ's body, the shedding of His blood, was an accomplished,once -for -all (Hebrews 10:10ff), non-repeatable, only satisfactory purification of sins. To have sins forgiven one can only look in faith to what Jesus accomplished at the Cross, not anything occuring in the present. In Christ alone is justification and forgiveness.

While martyrs have given their lives for various causes, some even for the glorious cause of the Gospel of Christ, only One's death made satisfactory payment for sin. As a result, only Jesus was raised from the dead, ascended, and then "sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high" (Hebrews 1:3). Jesus, in His glorified and ascended session, is the "one Mediator" between God and man (First Timothy 2:5). He "was raised because of our justification" (Romans 4:25). "He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them" (Hebrews 7:25). Therefore Jesus has "inherited a more excellent name" (Hebrews 1:4) than angels, prophets, priests, kings, etc. Because of Christ's incarnation and crucifixion, God the Father has exalted Jesus in in resurrection and ascension, granting Him "the name which is above every name" - The Lord Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:9). Before this name every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:10-11).

In Christ alone is creation, existence, preservation,representation of Father God purification of sin bringing forgiveness, resurrection, eternal life, glorification, and the true worship of the majestic God to Whom belongs all glory.

Solus Christus.
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Keith Shearer is Senior Pastor New Beginnings Grace Brethren Church in Myerstown, PA. On the side, he also spends a significant amount of time shepherding me.

DJW, Altar Calls & Gospel Preaching

I reproducing the reasons from Preaching & Preachers that Martyn Lloyd-Jones used to explain why he did not regularly practice altar calls. As I've stated earlier, some misunderstand a lack of altar calls as an apathy for soul winning. It's important to understand reasons why ML-J resisted this newer (relatively) practice. Reasons 1 & 2, Reason 3, Reasons 4 & 5, Reason 6, Reason 7, Reasons 8 & 9 and Reason 10 have already been addressed.

I don't presume to be on any level comparable to Martyn Lloyd-Jones. I completely agree with all 10 (well, 9) of his reasons. Yet, I'd like to add one more reason that ML-J did quite address. (Perhaps we can pretend it was the elusive number eight).

Altar calls diminish the need for clear gospel preaching.

At first, this seems counterintuative. Messages that are followed with altar calls are typically considered quite evangelistic. However, many times, the sermon itself is not evangelistic, but simply the altar call is.

I remember listening live to the "pastor" of America's largest "church." As he waxed on about Christians having better fuel economy, surrounding ourselves with more positive people and overcoming obstacles, he completely neglected any mentions of Christ, the cross, sin or grace. His "sermon" did not deal with man's depravity, God's righteousness or the great exchange. No mention was made of heaven or hell or even life beyond the grave. Not only did the message lack biblical accuracy, but it's complete avoidance of the gospel prevented even a remote assessment of it being evangelistic.

However, then came his altar call. As he called people to stand and act, he then laid out certain terms (yes, he called for action before he even explained toward what). Within the altar call, he then spoke of sin, Christ, the cross...he even uttered the word "repentance." Suddenly, he's got a group of people standing and responding to a message that seems to include elements of the gospel.

But would Paul simply rejoice that the gospel was preached? Shouldn't we just celebrate that elements of the gospel were present?

Well, techinically, the gospel was not preached. The gospel was given a brief moment. The gospel was quickly presented. The details of the gospel were shared, but it was not preached. In essence, an altar call can often allow us to mop up the damage from a message that was not centered on the cross. However, because people were challenged to trust Jesus, most would never think to examine the message. Consider some of the problems if the gospel is not made clear until and altar call:

1. Again, the sermon and altar call become two separate entities. The "action" does not even derive from the sermon.

2. The gospel is given very short treatment. It is not developed over the course of the message, but handled quickly at the end.

3. The challenge becomes only immediate and introductory.

4. The gospel challenge appears to be severed from the text which was preached.

5. Any action/challenge given during the sermon is separated from the gospel. To call people to action outside of understanding the gospel is legalism.

My experience has been that messages with altar calls typically to do not call upon the sinner to repent until during the altar call. Proper preaching requires that the call be rooted in the gospel. This call should come the whole time as the preacher is working through the text.

To return back to the question of Paul...Yes, I think he would rejoice whenever the gospel is preached. But when it is actually preached, an altar call is not necessary.

ML-J, Altar Calls & Decisions

I'm reproducing the reasons from Preaching & Preachers that Martin Lloyd-Jones used to explain why he did not regularly practice altar calls. As I've stated earlier, some misunderstand a lack of altar calls as an apathy for soul winning. It's important to understand reasons why ML-J resisted this newer (relatively) practice. Reasons 1 & 2, Reason 3, Reasons 4 & 5, Reason 6, Reason 7 and Reasons 8 & 9 have already been addressed: (ML-J's thoughts in black, mine in blue).

10. No sinner ever really 'decides for Christ'...A sinner does not 'decide' for Christ; the sinner flies to Christ in utter helplessness and despair saying--Foul, I to the fountain fly, Wash me, Saviour, or I die.

No man truly comes to Christ unless he flies to Him as his only refuge and hope, his only way of escape from the accusations of conscience and the condemnation of God's holy law. Nothing else is satisfactory. If a man says that having thought about the matter and having considered all sides he has on the whole decided for Christ, and if he has done so without any emotion or feeling, I cannot regard him as a man who has been regenerated. The convicted sinner no more 'decides' for Christ than the poor drowning man 'decides' to take hold of that rope that is thrown to him and suddenly provides him with the only means of escape. The term is entirely inappropriate.

Amen!

ML-J, Altar Calls & Regeneration

I'm reproducing the reasons from Preaching & Preachers that Martin Lloyd-Jones used to explain why he did not regularly practice altar calls. As I've stated earlier, some misunderstand a lack of altar calls as an apathy for soul winning. It's important to understand reasons why ML-J resisted this newer (relatively) practice. Reasons 1 & 2, Reason 3, Reasons 4 & 5, Reason 6 and Reason 7 have already been addressed: (ML-J's thoughts in black, mine in blue).

8. There is no eight.
Preaching & Preachers is actually a transcript of some lectures. In this segment, he skips right from point 7 to point 9. There is no telling if an eighth point actually existed, or if ML-J simply miscounted.

9. Does it not raise the whole question of the doctrine of Regeneration? This, to me, is the most serious thing of all. What I mean is this, and it covers this point and the previous one, that as this work is the work of the Holy Spirit, and His work alone, no one else can do it. The true work of conviction o sin, and regeneration, and the giving of the gift of faith and new life is solely the work of the Holy Spirit. And as it is His work it is always a thorough work; and it is always a work that will show itself. It has always done so. You see it in a most dramatic form on the Day of Pentecost in Jerusalem as recorded in Acts 2. Even while Peter was preaching, people cried out under conviction of sin. 'Men and brethren, what shall we do?' Peter was preaching in the power of the Spirit. He was expounding the Scriptures and applying them. He did not employ any techniques and there was no interval between the sermon and the appeal. The mighty work of conviction was going on, and it showed itself, and it invariably does show itself.

ML-J, Altar Calls & Salvation

I'm reproducing the reasons from Preaching & Preachers that Martin Lloyd-Jones used to explain why he did not regularly practice altar calls. As I've stated earlier, some misunderstand a lack of altar calls as an apathy for soul winning. It's important to understand reasons why ML-J resisted this newer (relatively) practice. Reasons 1 & 2, Reason 3, Reasons 4 & 5 and Reason 6 have already been addressed: (ML-J's thoughts in black, mine in blue).

7. By doing this you are encouraging people to think that their act of going forward somehow saves them.
As a youth pastor, nothing broke my heart like talking to a teen who had no conviction for sin or understanding of the gospel who was confident of his/her salvation because they signed a card, came forward, raised their hand, or spoke to a counselor. Nothing seemed as tragic...until as a Teaching Pastor I started running into adults under the same delusion.

I can think of nothing more tragic than a person destined for hell, convinced he is headed to heaven.

ML-J, Altar Calls & Conviction

I'm reproducing the reasons from Preaching & Preachers that Martin Lloyd-Jones uses to explain why he does not regularly practice altar calls. As I've stated earlier, some misunderstand a lack of altar calls as an apathy for soul winning. It's important to understand reasons why ML-J resisted this newer (relatively) practice. Reasons 1 & 2, Reason 3 and Reasons 4 & 5 have already been addressed: (ML-J's thoughts in black, mine in blue).

6. This method tends to produce a superficial conviction of sin, if any at all.

Actually, MLJ said: Most would agree with my sixth point which is that this method tends to produce superficial conviction of sin, if any at all. MLJ uses an illustration in which he saw a man who appeared convicted during his preaching. He was tempted, after the service, to press the man for a response. He did not, but did run into the man the next day. Sure enough, the man told MJL, "You know, doctor, if you had asked me to stay last night I would have done so." MLJ invited the man to his study to discuss things that day, but the man refused. To which MLJ said: My dear friend, if what happened to you last night does not last for twenty-four hours I am not interested in it. If you are not ready to come with me now as you were last night you have not got the right, the true thing. Whatever affected you last night was only temporary and passing, you still do not see your real need of Christ.

But what did others do?

From ML-J: That is the kind of thing that may happen even when an appeal is not made. But when an appeal is made it is greatly exaggerated and so you get spurious conversions. As I have reminded you even John Wesley, the great Arminian, did not make appeals to people to 'come forward.' What you find so often in his Journals is something like this: 'Preached at such and such a place. Many seemed to be deeply affected, but God alone knows how deeply.' Surely that is very significant and important. He had spiritual understanding and knew that many factors can affect us. What he was concerned about was not immediate visible results but the work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration. A knowledge of the human heart, of psychology, should teach us to avoid anything that increases the possibility of spurious results.

ML-J, Altar Calls & Implications

I'm reproducing from the reasons Preaching & Preachers that Martin Lloyd-Jones uses to explain why he does not regularly practice altar calls. As I've stated earlier, some misunderstand a lack of altar calls as an apathy for soul winning. It's important to understand reasons why ML-J resisted this newer (relatively) practice. Reasons 1 & 2 and Reason 3 have already been addressed: (ML-J's thoughts in black, mine in blue).

4. This method surely carries in it the implication that sinners have an inherent power of decision and of self-conversion.
MLJ reminds us that a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God. Not every preacher who uses altar calls denies this truth, but MLJ reminds us: That is the history of the origin of this practice [altar calls], and it is important that we should know it. It is not an accident that it came in with Finney, because ultimately this is a matter of theology. At the same time it is not only a theological question; and we must never forget that an Arminian like John Wesley and others did not use this method.

I recently heard John MacArthur sharing another statement from Martin Lloyd-Jones. The Doctor was reminding his congregation that you can choose to become a buddist. You can choose to become a Muslim. You do not choose to be a Christian. You become born again.

5. I suggest that there is an implication here that the evangelist somehow is in a position to manipulate the Holy Spirit and His work.
Have big name preachers who make such an appeal ever seen a low response? It seems the formula is Big Preacher + Big Appeal = Big results. Does the Spirit really work that mathematically? We can claim the Spirit must work for conversion to take place, but if we think for one second that we can manipulate (or control) the Spirit...it is no longer the Spirit we submit to, but He who submits to us.

ML-J, the Sermon & the Appeal

I'm listing out the reasons why Martin Lloyd-Jones does not regularly practice altar calls. As I've stated earlier, some misunderstand a lack of altar calls as an apathy for soul winning. It's important to understand reasons why ML-J resisted this newer (relatively) practice. Reasons 1 & 2 have already been addressed: (ML-J's thoughts in black, mine in blue).

3. The preaching of the Word and the call for decision should not be separated in our thinking.
MLJ offers this observation: I remember being in an evangelistic meeting in which I, and others, felt that on that occasion the Gospel had not really been preached. It had been mentioned, but it certainly had not been conveyed, it had not been preached; but to my amazement a large number of people went forward in response to the appeal at the end. While some claim this is the sign of answered prayer, we must observe that God desires for faith to come through the hearing of the Word of Christ.

I remember one year at BNYC, our group arrived late and had to sit near the back of the gathering. The group in front of us spent the entire message talking amongnst themselves. It didn't matter whether the speaker was quoting Scripture or explaining the passage, the students (and the youth staff!!!) continued talking, laughing and passing notes. But then something interesting happened. The speaker closed his Bible and moved away from the podium. He began to appeal to the students that they needed to apply his message. Suddenly, these students stopped and listened. Sure enough, when the music started, and the speaker called for a response, several students from this group went forward. And as they returned, their youth leaders cried and hugged on them.

Even my youngest teens in our group recognized this was a bit off. I don't blame the conference. I don't blame the speaker, even. I just think this is an example that an altar call can almost feel like a second sermon. When people can casually pay attention at the beginning, but tune in near the end for the specific challenge, we cause the person to make a decision toward action without the foundation. And to get people to follow a rule or action without the contextual understanding of why is simply legalism.

Instead, our appeal should be found throughout the message. As we walk through the text, the Word of God can be doing its convicting work. People should be called to action, but it should happen within the preaching of the text.

ML-J, the Will & Altar Calls

I mentioned earlier, I plan to examine Martin Lloyd-Jones' thoughts on altar calls. His first two reasons dealt with the will. (ML-J's comments in black, mine in blue.)

1. It is wrong, surely, to put direct pressure on the will.
MLJ explains from Romans 6:17: In other words the obedience is not the result of direct pressure on the will, it is the result of an enlightened mind and softened heart. The altar call aims squarely at the will, instead of letting the sermon work through the mind, which will soften the heart, and together impact the will.

2. I argue that too much pressure on the will--there is inevitably an element of this in all preaching, but I say too much pressure--or too direct pressure, is dangerous, because in the end it may produce a condition in which what has determined the response of the man who 'comes forward' is not so much the Truth itself as, perhaps, the personality of the evangelist, or some vague general fear, or some other kind of psychological influence. MLJ provides an illustration of a pastor who became irratated because his altar call did not immediately follow his sermon, but had to endure 30 minutes of singing first. This preacher admitted his delayed altar call created lesser results.

Perhaps Carbon Dating?

This new brethren group seems to exude much of the old brethren heritage.

So, do you call them "new" or "old?" (Perhaps further investigation is needed.)

(HT: Dunker Journal)

Stand: Session 4

I'm briefly summarizing the messages from Desiring God's most recent conference.

Certainties That Drive Enduring Ministry, Part 2

John MacArthur continues his message from 2 Corinthians 3 & 4, having listed four certainties in his previous message, he lists another five:

5. Embraces the reality that the results of his ministry do not depend on him.--2 Corinthians 4:3-4

6. Embraces the reality of his own insignificance.--2 Corinthians 4:7

7. Embraces the benefits of suffering.--2 Corinthians 4:8-11

8. Embraces the need for bold conviction.--2 Corinthians 4:13

9. Embraces eternity as his priority.--2 Corinthians 4:16-18

MacArthur spent a significant amount of time on point five. He laid out that the major concern with the market-driven church model is that it assumes that consumer barriers are our major obstacle of bringing a person to Christ. However, MacArthur reminds us how the Bible describes this task:

Preaching the gospel is "foolish"

because we are preaching to those who are dead and blind

a message that is a stumbling block or folly

while we, as messengers are foolish, weak, base and despised.

Numeric Review: 9 of 10 (highly recommended)

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Other Reviews: Sessions 1 & 2, Session 3

Analyzing Altar Calls

I've finished Preaching & Preachers by Martyn Lloyd-Jones. I didn't agree with certain segments, but overall I found it a very solid read...one I wish i had read fifteen years ago.

At one point, ML-J begins to deal with altar calls. He makes the following observations:

This is a subject which has gained considerable prominence at the present time, and therefore we must deal with it. In any case it is a problem that faces every preacher. I have often had to face this problem. People have at various times come to me at the close ofa service and chided me, indeed sometimes reprimanded me, because I have not made an appeal for immediate decisions. Some of them would go so far as to say that I had been guilty of sin, that an opportunity had been created by my own preaching but that I had not taken advantage of it. They have said, "I am quite sure that if you had only made an appeal you would have had a great response"--that kind of argument.

Lloyd-Jones continued:

In addition to that I have been told by a number of minister within the last ten years or so that they have been told by people at the end of a service that they had not preached the Gospel, simply because they had not made an appeal...I once met three men, three ministers, who had virtually been given a call to minister in certain churches, and who were on the verge of accepting, when someone suddenly asked the question: Did they give an 'altar call' at the end of every sermon? And because these three particular men had said that they did not do so, they had not received the call, the decision was reversed.

I am not stating that altar calls are evil nor that the men who practice them are. However, I have felt the inverse. I have been challenged that a message was incomplete or not evangelistic since it lacked an appeal at the end.

Altar calls are not only an emotional time in the service, but the discussion of the practice involves emotion as well. ML-J provides ten reasons why altar calls are not a typical practice in his preaching. I originally had all of them listed in one post, but it made for a post that exceeds the wise limits for a blog. Therefore, I plan to list each of his reasons individually, followed by brief comment of my own.

Not to try to convince others to "stop the evil practice of altar calls," but to explain why I do not find them to be a wise part of my preaching.

2 for 3 Aint Bad

The following came across my Fact of the Day Widget

Inventor Gail Borden, Jr invented condensed milk in the 1850's and later the Lazy Susan, but he struck out with one other invention: the poorly-received "meat bisquit."

Stand: Session 3

I'm briefly summarizing the messages from Desiring God's most recent conference.

Four Essentials to Finishing Well--Jerry Bridges

Since Jerry Bridges has been serving the Navigators for fifty-two years, he is certainly one who can speak of enduring faith. Bridges begins by contrasting Demas and Paul from 2 Timothy 4:7-10. He then laid out Four Essentials to Finishing Well:

1. Daily time of personal communion with God.

2. Daily appropriation of the gospel.

3. Daily commit yourself to God as a living sacrifice.--Romans 12:1

4. A firm belief in the sovereignty and love of God.--Lamentations 3:37-38

Bridges certainly presented four important elements to finishing well. It was a delight to hear Bridges share a similar testimony to mine (that in fact, he once thought the gospel was simply a message necessary to bring a person to salvation...yet now sees the glory for the believer to focus on the gospel continually). However, my grand expositional bias (as some would find annoying) found this message lacking a bit of punch. The four elements were valid and Scripturally supported, but not necessarily tied together with a passage. In my mind, I find myself asking, "Why these four elements? Are these the only four? If not, could these be just four of ten, and possibly not the most essential four?" I realize these questions are entirely unfair, as a conference message does not have to be expository...again, it just shows my bias.

Numeric Review: 7 of 10 (encouraging/edifying but not expository)

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Other Reviews: Sessions 1 & 2

Stand: Sessions 1 & 2

As I mentioned earlier, I had hoped to listen to Piper's Stand: A Call for the Endurance of the Saints. I didn't listen to as much of the conference as I had hoped by now, but I plan to review the messages briefly on my blog (in case you do not feel like listening without knowing what you would be listening to):

Session One: Certainties that Drive Enduring Ministry, Part 1--John MacArthur

From 2 Corinthians 3-4, Dr. MacArthur shared four key elements of the enduring life.

The enduring life is one that:

1. Embraces the staggering nature of the New Covenant.--2 Corinthians 3

2. Understands that all ministry is undeserved.--2 Corinthians 4:1

3. Embraces the need for internal purity.--2 Corinthians 4:2a

4. Certain of the responsibility to accurately handle the Word of God.--2 Corinthians 4:2b

Numeric Review: 9 of 10 (highly recommend)

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Session Two: A Conversation with John Piper and John MacArthur

In a relaxed Q&A format, Justin Taylor facilitates a conversation between MacArthur and Piper. The two John's share about their fathers (wonderful stories of enduring faith) and about how they met each other. They share similarities and differences in both their ministries and their perosnalities.

Numeric Review: 6 of 10 (interesting/entertaining but not essential)

Perseverance

I'm listening to the messages from Stand: A Call for the Endurance of the Saints, so I'm sure I'll have more to state on this topic. However, in my sermon preparation, I ran across this brief, yet crystal clear quote:

Election predestines to faith and therewith to obedience.

--TDNT, p145, "τηρων"

Or consider Jesus Christ's words:

I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.

--John 17:6

Two Wrongs Don't Make a Wright...

but two Wrights make a Malachi!

Malachi Joel Wright
8lbs 12oz/ 21.25in
October 3, 2007

This shot pretty well sums up the attitude of the other monkeys, who have been very well behaved since Malachi's arrival.

(more pics here)

What I'll Be Chewing On...

Hopefully, some Chipotle. But I'm not one of those black and white guys, I'll take whatever I can get.

But more significantly, I hope to also chew on

this

and

this.

(HT:JT)

Pray for Us

Lord willing, tomorrow will mark the day that the 6th Wright from our household is foisted upon this world. Please pray (especially for my wife).

On second thought...maybe I should be praying for you!