Putting Unity First (04/18/09 - 15 Comments)
The following quote comes from Iain Murray's book Evangelicalism Divided (on page 291 if you must know). I think it offers good food for thought (even on a Saturday morning). The ecumenical call [in the mid-20th century] was not for truth and salt; it was supremely for oneness: the greater the unity of 'the Church', it was confidently asserted, the stronger would be the impression made upon the world; and to attain that end churches...
The King of the Ages (04/11/09 - 2 Comments)
A few days ago, while studying 1 Timothy, I came across an interesting portion of Philip Ryken's commentary and I thought I'd share it with you. Ryken comments on 1 Timothy 1:17, those verses that inspired a classic hymn of the Christian faith: "To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen." Here is what Ryken says: ***** Demetrius was right to be worried. The Ephesian...
The Means of Relating to God (03/28/09 - 14 Comments)
I've been reading a new book by Jerry Bridges and Bob Bevington. It is titled The Bookends of the Christian Life. I read it some time ago when it was in manuscript form (as I was asked to write a blurb for it) but I am reading it again for review purposes, now that I've received a printed copy. I should have a review of the book ready to go for Tuesday. For now, though,...
Dislike of Dogma (03/14/09 - 16 Comments)
It has been a bit of a theme in my life lately--the timeliness and relevance of words spoken or words written many years ago. Such is this case with this quote from the pen of J.C. Ryle, who wrote about the dislike of dogma that was so powerfully present in his day and age. Here is what Ryle had to say, words that could as easily be written about our day: [Dislike of dogma] is...
The Wings of Prayer (03/08/09 - 2 Comments)
While Charles Spurgeon has justly gone down in history as "the Prince of Preachers," he was also a man who prayed very powerfully. Tony Capoccia has gone to the trouble of updating just a few of Spurgeon's prayers, removing some of the antiquated language and replacing it with language that is a bit more familiar to us. Though these prayers are clearly geared to corporate prayer, they are valuable even to individuals as we seek...
The Valley of Vision (02/28/09 - 10 Comments)
Many weekends I like to post a prayer from that collection of Puritan prayers called The Valley of Vision. I do this because I need to learn to pray and because I know there is much I can learn from this book. Though it is not an instruction manual, there is a sense in which is serves in just that way. Most of us (perhaps all of us) learn to pray by imitating others. And...
Evening Praise (02/22/09 - 5 Comments)
It was a long but beautiful day today. I spent just about all of it, from beginning to end, with God's people--time spent with them worshiping God, time spent with them in fellowship. Early this morning I had hoped to post a prayer from the Valley of Vision but time got away from me. It seems even more appropriate to do so now, with the day drawing to a close. Here is "Evening Praise," a...
Humbly Rejoicing in the Goodness of Others (02/21/09 - 14 Comments)
As I read John Piper's book Finally Alive I came across a lot of godly wisdom. But there was one quote that, more than the others, jumped out at me. I thought I'd share it with you today... ***** This is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did...
A Failure to Think (02/14/09 - 20 Comments)
In John Stott's little book Your Mind Matters I found this quote from Martyn Lloyd-Jones. He was commenting on Matthew 6:30 in his Studies in the Sermon on the Mount and offered a great critique to those who feel that faith and thinking are opposites; that a person who has faith is a person who refuses to use his mind. Instead, says Lloyd-Jones, a person who exercises faith must use his mind. Faith according to...
Spiritual Gravitas (02/07/09 - 7 Comments)
I really enjoying reading David Wells' books (the theologian, that is, not the pitcher). His four (or five) volume series that began with No Place for Truth and ended with Above All Earthly Pow'rs (or The Courage To Be Protestant) is a modern day classic. There is lots of great content to mine from them. Here is something he wrote in Above All Earthly Pow'rs. He reflected on the events of September 11 and the...
Greg Koukl on Theistic Evolution (02/06/09 - 77 Comments)
I've been reading through Gregory Koukl's new book Tactics (check back on Tuesday for a review) and came to a brief section dealing with theistic evolution. Theistic evolution is all the rage within Christian circles today and I thought it may be worth discussing the logic he uses to refute it. I'd be interested in your thoughts on it. Here's Koukl: ***** Some people suggest that God used evolution to design the world. They are...
Like News from a Far Country (02/01/09 - 9 Comments)
This morning I stumbled across the first few pages of Alexander Strauch's Leading with Love. He begins this book by telling a story from the life of Dwight L. Moody. He tells of a time that the evangelist Henry Moorhouse was asked to preach at Moody's church every night for a week. To everyone's surprise, Moorhouse preached seven consecutive sermons on John 3:16, preaching on God's love from Genesis to Revelation. Moody's son recorded the...
With the Old Breed (01/31/09 - 10 Comments)
Aileen is away for the day and I'm at home with some sick children. So we're sprawled out on the couch and instead of doing my usual reading, I'm kicking back with an old favorite, With the Old Breed by Eugene Sledge. Sledge's memoir is probably the best Second World War memoir I've ever read (and I've read a few). I first encountered it studying military history in university and have read it a few...
A Prayer for the Lord's Supper (01/25/09 - 9 Comments)
Today is widely regarded as the best Sunday of the month at Grace Fellowship Church. We gather in the morning for our regular morning service but afterward, instead of going our separate ways, we enjoy a potluck fellowship lunch. Following that, we have a brief second service that culminates in the celebration of the Lord's Supper. I thought this was an appropriate prayer for any of us who are preparing to enjoy Lord's Supper on...
What It May Cost (01/18/09 - 13 Comments)
Yesterday I was reading Michael Haykin's new book The Christian Lover (review coming soon) which is a compilation of Christian love letters. Well, all but one. This is a remarkable letter sent from Adoniram Judson to John Hasseltine, the father of Ann, the woman he wished to marry. In this letter he asks John for Ann's hand, but, as he intends to head to Burma to serve as a missionary, he is forthright in his...
Poignant (01/10/09 - 8 Comments)
I'm not sure exactly why it is, but this letter just tears me up. I've come across it a few times now, and every time I hear or read it, it affects me deeply. It's a letter from Lt. Col. John Butler of the 5th Marine Division and was written to his son, John Jr.. It was one of many letters sent from father to son while dad was far away, fighting in a terrible...
The Unknown Waters of this Year (12/31/08 - 6 Comments)
Yet another year is giving us its last gasps. Tonight we'll celebrate the passing of an old year and the dawning of a new one. It is a good occasion, a good opportunity, to reflect on the year that was and the year that will be. To that end, here is a prayer drawn from The Valley of Vision. It shares hope and encouragement for the new year. It is a good one to include...
A Prayer for Year's End (12/28/08 - 6 Comments)
Let me share again today a prayer from The Valley of Vision that great collection of Puritan prayers. This one seems appropriate as we approach the end of another year and look forward to the year beyond. O Love beyond Compare, Thou art good when thou givest, when thou takest away, when the sun shines upon me, when night gathers over me. Thou hast loved me before the foundation of the world, and in love...
Things Vaguely Comprehended (12/21/08 - 10 Comments)
Earlier this year John Naish, a British journalist, released a book titled Enough (which does not seem to be widely available in the United States). He subtitled the book, "Breaking free from the world of more." He uses the book to encourage people to stop when they have enough--enough stuff, enough food, enough work, enough information. There were parts of the book I thought were much better than others; one part I thoroughly enjoyed was...
Great Power and Great Stupidity (12/13/08 - 25 Comments)
It will come as no surprise to you that atheists are becoming increasingly militant in their stand against theism in general and Christianity in particular. This militancy is often taking the form of mock horror and dripping sarcasm. I find it valuable every now and again to read quotes like this one from Sam Harris, author of Letter to a Christian Nation. Why? Well, I suppose it helps me remember the old adage--the truth--that the...
