Resources

Free Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: December 2011

Wallpaper Sponsor
It’s December 1 today, and that means that I’ve got a desktop wallpaper for you to download. For the next few months at least I’ve decided to change things up a bit. Instead of putting out a public call for wallpapers, I am asking just one designer to create a fantastic design. 

A few notes: 320 x 480 is for your iPhone; 1024 x 1024 is for your iPad; your desktop or laptop may take any of the other sizes depending on your monitor size and a host of other considerations. If you’re not sure of the size, just find one that looks like it would be pretty much the same size as your screen. Generally you set one of these are your wallpaper by clicking on the link to the image, then right-clicking on the image (once it’s open) and selecting “Set as Background,” “Set as Desktop Background,” or something similar. If you aren’t sure, post a comment and we’ll try to help you figure it out.

What God Has Done

Created by Eric Novak from Chicago, IL. He says, “The Wexford Carol, Carl Loch Garman, is an Irish Christmas carol from the early 12th century. One of the oldest songs in European tradition, it originated in Wexford County and was typically only sung by men. The full song has strong ties to Catholicism, however, it’s message, a reminder of God’s amazing love and divine plan, still rings true.”

I Will Give Thanks

Churchplantmedia

Cyber Monday 2011 Deals for Christians

Cyber Monday is a new tradition—the day that online retailers offer deals to match or surpass the deals offered by retailers on Black Friday. I have been keeping tabs on various online stores and ministries looking for deals that will be of particular interest to Christians.

Here are some excellent Cyber Monday deals:

Amazon

Amazon always has great Black Friday deals. You pretty much need to visit the site to see them all. Start here, then go here. (Also, Mark Driscoll book’s Doctrine is on sale in Kindle format for $3.99)

Banner of Truth

Banner of Truth has some fantastic deals on sets and some individual titles. For example, you can get John Owen’s collected works (16 volumes) for $198, the two-volume biography of Martyn Lloyd-Jones (written by Iain Murray) for $39 or Dallimore’s two-volume life of George Whitefield for $40. The complete Puritan paperback series (45 volumes) can be had for $235. And so on. There is lots more. If you’re having trouble spotting the deals, click on the “Book Catalogue” button at the top of the page and then look to the sidebar.

Centricity

Centricity Music is offering all of their albums at $4 for downloads or $5 for CDs for the whole weekend. Artists include Andrew Peterson, Downhere, Matt Papa, Me in Motion, and others.

Christian Audio

Christian Audio is offering hourly deals on audio books. Your best bet is to track them on Twitter throughout the day.

Crossway

Crossway has a long list of deals today only. They include Bibles, reference works and books.

Cruciform Press

Cruciform Press is offering bundle deals. You can buy bundles of ebooks at $25 for 7 books (there are 2 bundles, each with 7 different books). If you prefer printed books, you can get subscriber pricing rather than regular pricing if you buy 5 or more titles.

CVBBS

Cumberland Valley Bible Book Service will be offering an across-the-board 10% discount. This will take many of their prices below what you’ll find anywhere else.

Desiring God

Desiring God has several of John Piper’s books marked down to $5: Filling Up the Afflictions of Christ; Spectacular Sins; Think: The Life of the Mind and the Love of God; Contending for Our All; The Power of Words and the Wonder of God; What Jesus Demands from the World. The offer ends at 3 PM CST.

Eternal Perspectives Ministries

Eternal Perspectives Ministries has some of Randy Alcorn’s bestselling books on sale. Included are Courageous at $6.99, Heaven at $9.99, The Treasure Principle at $3.99 and The Resolution for Men at $6.99. You’ll need to use the code blackfriday and will need to ship to the continental US.

Family Christian Stores

Family Christian Stores has a long list of items on sale both in-store and online. You can browse their brochure to find particulars (check pages 4-11).

The Good Book Company

The Good Book Company is selling their popular Good Book Guides at 50% off. Also, many of their bestselling paperback books, along with their books for teens, are 50% off.

Grace and Truth Books

Grace and Truth Books will have several substantial bargains. They include this 2-book edition of Pilgrim’s Progress and The Holy War; Reformation Study Bible; The Valley of Vision.

Indelible Grace

Indelible Grace has a bunch of deals on their music: Matthew Smith CDs for $7.99, a 3-pack of Even When My Heart Is Breaking for $9.99, or all 6 Indelible Grace studio CDs for $64.99, plus other great deals.

Lifeway

Lifeway has quite a long list of items for sale in-store and online.

Logos

Logos is selling 3 new resource bundles as well as 12 great commentaries and standalone references at good discounts. Base packages are discounted 15%. They are also giving away $250 dollars of Logos credit to 5 winners.

Monergism Books

Monergism Books has a series of coupon codes that will drive down prices on all of their products. Use coupon code EXTRA5 to take 5% off your order. If you spend more than $75, use coupon code EXTRA10 to take an extra 10% off your purchase and to get free shipping. If you spend $350 or more, use coupon code EXTRA15 to get an extra 15% off your order. These offers will be valid from Friday until Monday. Also, they have a few notable ebook deals: What Is the Mission of the Church? by Greg Gilbert and Kevin DeYoung is $5.99; Joy by Lydia Brownback is $1.99; The Godly Home by Richard Baxter is $1.99; Rescuing Ambition by Dave Harvey is $2.99.

New Growth Press

New Growth Press is offering the brand new The Gospel Story Bible by Marty Machowski for just $9.99 (regular price is $29.99). The same deal can be had at Westminster Books.

Reformation Heritage Books

Reformation Heritage Books has a significant list of books on sale. A few highlights: A New Testament Biblical Theology by G.K. Beale is $30.00; 365 Great Bible Stories by Carine Mackenzie is $12.00; Reformation Heroes by Joel R. Beeke and Diana Kleyn is $15.00; The Enemy Within by Kris Lundgaard is $5.00.

Sovereign Grace

Sovereign Grace Ministries has a bunch of their books and music on sale.

Vyrso

Vyrso (Logos’ ebook company) has limited time free downloads of several Christian authors as well as deep discounts of up to 80% on a large number of titles. There will be a couple of free books available for download on Friday and Monday so check back both days to get a copy of these limited freebees. The Vyrso app is free to download and works on iPhone, android, iPad, and android tablets.

Westminster Books

Westminster Books has all of their ESV Bibles on sale at a 45% discount. On Monday they will also have the brand new The Gospel Story Bible at just $9.99 (regular price is $29.99—link will go live on Monday).

Black Friday Deals for the Book Lover

By popular request, here is a listing of some of the best Black Friday book deals for Christian readers. Note that most of these are Friday-only deals and that in many cases there is limited inventory. In other words, don’t dawdle!

$5 and less:

Bibles:

Other Notable Book Deals:

Audio Books:

eBooks

Enjoy Messiah This Christmas Season

Around this time last year I let you know about a new book that provides background and commentary for Handel’s Messiah. And now I want to encourage you to take in a performance of Messiah this Christmas season. And just to get you started, I’ve done some of the work, at least for those of you who live in a few major cities.

Messiah is one of the last distinctly Christian cultural events. Think about it: every year thousands and thousands of people pack concert halls to hear people sing Scripture set to music. They hear prophecies of a coming Messiah, they hear of his birth, they hear of his death and resurrection and they hear of his coming return. It is a remarkable thing. I almost feel a responsibility to support this kind of an event. I try to go every year and always enjoy it immensely.

I think you should do the same. It’s really quite easy to find a performance. I typed a few cities into Google and quickly found performances in:

New York - New York Philharmonic. Avery Fisher Hall. December 13, 14, 15, 16, 17  $31-$132

Toronto - Toronto Symphony Orchestra with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Roy Thompson Hall. December 14, 16, 17, 18, 19. $38 - $107

Atlanta - Atlanta Symphony Orchestra with Atlanta Symphony Chamber Chorus. Atlanta Symphony Hall. December 1, 3. $29 - $59

Philadelphia - The Philadelphia Orchestra with the Philadelphia Singers Chorale. Verizon Hall. December 18. $29 - $124.

Los Angeles - Los Angeles Master Chorale. Disney Hall. December 18. $24-$114.

I could go on and on. These are just the major events in major cities. Countless smaller churches, choirs and orchestras will also be offering performances.

So what are you waiting for? Book your tickets, buy the book, and prepare to have your soul stirred.

Free Desktop Wallpaper Calendars: November 2011

Wallpaper Sponsor
It’s November 1 today, and that means that I’ve got a whole new batch of amazing desktop wallpaper designs for you to download. Thanks to each of this month’s designers for sending along some amazing work (and for a couple of young, future designers as well).

A few notes: 320 x 480 is for your iPhone; 1024 x 1024 is for your iPad; your desktop or laptop may take any of the other sizes depending on your monitor size and a host of other considerations. If you’re not sure of the size, just find one that looks like it would be pretty much the same size as your screen. Generally you set one of these are your wallpaper by clicking on the link to the image, then right-clicking on the image (once it’s open) and selecting “Set as Background,” “Set as Desktop Background,” or something similar. If you aren’t sure, post a comment and we’ll try to help you figure it out.

One of the designers will win a $50 Amazon or Westminster Books gift certificate courtesy of Church Plant Media. How can you have your say? You can have your say in who wins by downloading a wallpaper? Each download counts as a vote (and no, you can’t download the same wallpaper 100 times and have your vote tallied each time).

I Will Give Thanks

Created by Jeff Lash from Grand Rapids, MI.

I Will Give Thanks

November

Created by Harold Sikkema from Hamilton, ON. Dream with me in warmer grey and white beneath this dreary misery. Discover nuance in November: drab among months, unless your eyes really listen. Choose perception when driving by ditches flocked with fuzzy cat-tails and grey grass. Compare in code the colours #ccc and #ddd. Value variance within a narrow range of hinted tints. Play with luminance on a scale of visual semi-tones. Rely on other options than the treble/bass dichotomy of poorly executed pop. Restrict your eyes to the eleventh melody’s percussive palette. Take it as a treat when seasonal snafu veils its inner whisper. Flaunt - as do the mist and frost - a subtler side of you. Whisper of the whirls that were and whorls that will be. Anticipate with drowning leaves, a thick, white, flowing sea. Think. Reflect. November.

November

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Free Desktop Wallpaper Calendars: October 2011

Wallpaper Sponsor
It’s October 1 today, and that means that I’ve got a whole new batch of amazing desktop wallpaper designs for you to download. Thanks to each of this month’s designers for sending along some amazing work.

A few notes: 320 x 480 is for your iPhone; 1024 x 1024 is for your iPad; your desktop or laptop may take any of the other sizes depending on your monitor size and a host of other considerations. If you’re not sure of the size, just find one that looks like it would be pretty much the same size as your screen. Generally you set one of these are your wallpaper by clicking on the link to the image, then right-clicking on the image (once it’s open) and selecting “Set as Background,” “Set as Desktop Background,” or something similar. If you aren’t sure, post a comment and we’ll try to help you figure it out.

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PrayerMate

PrayerMateIf you keep up with this blog, you know that I’ve been trying to learn how other people—pastors in particular—organize their prayer life. The fact is that I am a forgetful person and, at heart, a selfish one. Yet I want to pray for the things that I ought to pray for—the things that are important to the people I serve at my church. And I want to pray for other requests that come along, the kind of requests I mean to pray for, but tend to forget about. If I do not organize my prayer life, I naturally gravitate to only those things that are most urgent to me.

What I am finding is that most people, at least most pastors, eventually develop some kind of a system that ensures they pray for all the things they want and need to pray for. I am eager to learn from them.

But then something interesting happened. A reader of this site happens to have developed an app for iPhones or iPods that is meant to organize a person’s prayer life. He calls it PrayerMate. Now listen, I am as wary as anyone about using an app for prayer. But he sent me a copy of the app and asked if I’d like to check it out. Rather on a whim I decided to give it a try for a 1-week period. So for 7 days I relied on the app to guide me. And I have to say that I was quite impressed. It ended up being a very useful aid. I was genuinely surprised by this.

Now, I think the usefulness of the app will vary a lot with how and when you pray. I tend to do my praying early in the morning, before phone calls and text messages start to come in. If I were to use this app in the middle of the day I know I would be interrupted too often. But in the way I used it, it was remarkably helpful.

Here is what Andy Geers, who developed the app, says about it:

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Justification & Regeneration

Justification and RegenerationCharles Leiter’s book Justification & Regeneration has been available since 2007. At least, it has been available in English since 2007. More recently it has been translated into several other langauges. The author has given me permission to distribute the files. 

Here is a description:

What does the Bible mean when it says that Christians have died to sin? How is it possible for a just God to justify the ungodly without becoming unjust Himself? What is regeneration? What is justification? Why do all men desperately need to be justified? If I have died to sin, why am I still affected by it? As a Christian, am I the new man or he old man or both? What does the Bible mean when it says that Christians have died to the Law? Are Christians still slaves to sin?

The answers to these and many other questions become clear once we gain a Biblical understanding of justification and regeneration. These two great miracles lie at the very heart of the gospel, yet even among genuine Christians they are surrounded by confusion and ignorance. This book attempts to set forth in clear Biblical light the nature and characteristics of justification and regeneration that God may be glorified and His children brought to know more fully the liberty that is theirs in Christ. 

I also reviewed it right here.

And now, if you want it, it’s free for the taking. You can download the files for your own use or distribute them as you please. The book is available in:

Free Desktop Wallpaper Calendars: September 2011

Wallpaper Sponsor
It’s September 1 and that means that I’ve got a whole new batch of amazing desktop wallpaper designs for you to download. Thanks to each of this month’s designers for sending along some amazing work.

A few notes: 320 x 480 is for your iPhone; 1024 x 1024 is for your iPad; your desktop or laptop may take any of the other sizes depending on your monitor size and a host of other considerations. If you’re not sure of the size, just find one that looks like it would be pretty much the same size as your screen. Generally you set one of these are your wallpaper by clicking on the link to the image, then right-clicking on the image (once it’s open) and selecting “Set as Background,” “Set as Desktop Background,” or something similar. If you aren’t sure, post a comment and we’ll try to help you figure it out.

One of the designers will win a $50 Amazon or Westminster Books gift certificate courtesy of Church Plant Media. How can you have your say? You can have your say in who wins by downloading a wallpaper? Each download counts as a vote (and no, you can’t download the same wallpaper 100 times and have your vote tallied each time).

There is no featured designer this month; that feature will return in October.

The Crown of Wisdom

Created by Josh Mandell from Greenville, SC.

The Crown of Wisdom

My Cup Overflows

Created by Ariseli Modica from Lynnwood, WA.

My Cup Overflows

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Ten Tips for Teaching Kids

The most recent edition of Matthias Media’s enews newsletter had a great little list of tips for teaching young children about God. It was written by Stephanie Carmichael. Carmichael has written several books for young kids and two of them, Grumpy Day and The Birthday Party are available to read online. Here are her tips:

Teach all the time: Young children live in the moment. Help them to learn in the moment by making the most of opportunities as they arise. Talk about God in the day-to-day things you are doing.

Teach at a special time: Try to set aside a special time to read about God. Prepare for this time. If you are going to read the Bible, think about what you will read and how to simplify and explain it.

Questions and answers: Listen to your children’s questions, and give quality time to answering them. But also ask them questions about what you’ve been trying to teach to check they have understood.

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