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As we begin a new day and head into a weekend, please know: Right now, at this very moment, God is reigning from his eternal throne. There’s a great list of Kindle deals to look through today. This is one of those occasional reminders that all the quote graphics I share from day-to-day are available to print or download for free in high definition at SquareQuotes. (Yesterday on the blog: Three New Tools That Make a Huge Difference) The Great …
Many years ago I discovered a set of tools and procedures that allowed me to be most productive. Since then, I have pretty much stuck with those same tools and with that same system, save for a few minor tweaks here and there. (See Do More Better) In the past year, though, I have discovered a few new tools that have swiftly made a big difference to my life. These have not replaced any of my existing tools, but instead …
Grace and peace to you today, my friends. There are just two Kindle deals this morning. Logos users will find some good deals in the Back to School sale. Afghanistan, the Pulpit, and the Myth of Progress “If we’re to truly remember the world’s tragedies in our ministries, what we need to retrieve isn’t simply what our Christian forebears taught in their ministries. We need to also retrieve their sense of the world which lay behind their ministries – a …
Good morning. May the Lord bless and keep you throughout this day. There’s a small but still good list of Kindle deals today. (Yesterday on the blog: We Are Never Without Beauty) Do You Know Where You’re At? Sylvia Schroeder reflects on her father-in-law’s confusion. “‘I don’t know where we’re at,’ Phil’s dad used to say from the front seat of his handicapped van. In his later days my father-in-law, sweet and intelligent seemed to live in an anxious …
I stepped out my front door this morning and stepped into a veritable work of art. I stepped out for my morning walk and stepped into God’s own gallery. The sun was just beginning to peer over the eastern horizon, its earliest light warm and brilliant gold. The clouds that stretched across the sky faded from east to west, from thick to thin, from heavy to light. Each cloud caught the golden rays and reflected them in a fiery swirl …
May the Lord bless and keep you today. There are a number of Kindle deals to look at today. Those who prefer printed books may want to look at Westminster Books and their deals on books by J.I. Packer. How Afghan Pastors Reflect on God’s Sovereignty Writing for TGC, Mark Morris writes about Afghan pastors. “In early July, Afghan pastors and church leaders made a difficult decision. They decided to formally register their faith with the Afghan government. What an …
"To bear sorrow with dry eyes and stolid heart may befit a Stoic, but not a Christian." (F.B. Meyer)
"God never made a soul so small that the whole world will satisfy it." (William Hendriksen)
"Before a sin, Satan tempts you to believe repentance will be easy. After a sin, Satan tempts you to believe repentance is impossible." (Garrett Kell)
"People thinking they’re smart because they searched the Internet is like thinking they’re good swimmers because they got wet walking through a rainstorm." (Tom Nichols)
"We must never be silent when we ought to speak. We must never speak when we ought to be silent." (J.R. Miller)
"Do for duty’s sake what you cannot do as a pleasure, and you will find it becomes delightful." (F.B. Meyer)
"Without God as an ultimate standard of truth, all we have are “truths” as interpreted by individuals. To each their own. You do you. It’s no wonder we are now as confused as we are. Do away with God, and you do away with truth." (Brett McCracken)
May the God of love and peace be with you today. There are a few Kindle deals I dug up today. (Yesterday on the blog: Success Beyond What We Can Handle) Return of the Taliban Mindy Belz’s article from WORLD is now a few days old, and hence somewhat out-of-date, but does explain some of the context to the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. Afghan Pastors Ask for Prayer And speaking of Afghanistan, here are prayer requests from Christians within the country. …
I know many who long to make a mark in their field. I know writers who long to get that first contract and publish that first great novel. I know musicians who yearn to get noticed and get signed and get recorded. I know speakers who are convinced they could make their mark if only they could be invited to that first conference, deliver that first keynote, inspire that first audience. I know and admire many such people and often …
Good morning. May grace and peace be with you today and in the week ahead. I have listed a few new Kindle deals; besides the ones listed, Zondervan’s entire 37-volume Counterpoints series is marked down. (Yesterday on the blog: A Parent’s Prayer for Obedience) Of Minds and Machines : Transhumanism and the Christian Christopher Brown has written an interesting essay on transhumanism. If you don’t know the term, you probably should. Rejection That Cuts Deep “I have come to believe that …
I have already shared a few of Kathleen Nielson’s prayers for children–young children and adult children. I wanted to share just one more, this one from her collection of prayers for parents of teenagers. After all, is there any time we pray for our children with more fervency than during their teenage years? This is a prayer for matters of first importance. May it give you words to pray for the child you love… O Lord, so many things I’d …
May you know the Lord’s sweetest blessings as you serve and worship him this weekend. There are some classics and a couple of newer works listed in today’s Kindle deals. (Yesterday on the blog: A Mid-August Family Update) Just Call Me Old-Fashioned “Many people who would label themselves a progressive Christian—which is an oxymoron, if we can be honest—would paint those who believe the whole Bible as fundamentalists. Or old-fashioned. Either way, whatever word they use is meant as a pejorative.” …
We have somehow already come to the middle of August, and over the past couple of weeks have been experiencing the full heat and humidity of a Canadian summer. Temperatures are often hovering around the low-30s Celsius (+-90 Fahrenheit) with humidity making it feel more like 40 (105). But it won’t be long now before the heat breaks, the days grow shorter, and we head into the fall season. Last month we were able to get away from the city …
Grace and peace to you on this fine Friday. Westminster Books is holding a nice little back-to-school sale that has lots of deals. Today’s Kindle deals include the whole collection of 9Marks: Building Healthy Churches series, plus a couple of good biographies. 5 Truths About Your Battle with Sin You Hate to Admit “If you are a Christian, you battle with sin. I do not need to list examples of the struggles with the flesh you may have. The minute …
Good morning. May the Lord bless and keep you throughout this day. (Yesterday on the blog: The Great Stores of God’s Provision) Perfect Courtesy Toward All in the Worst of Times This is important stuff. “In Titus 3:1 Paul tells Titus to remind his flocks of seven important Christian virtues. Their need to be reminded implies a tendency to forget. Apparently, top-to-bottom cultural corruption creates a need for repeated conscience re-calibration. While we might not be in such ugly times …
I recently read an account of one of the world’s most dangerous and demanding races. Over the course of a week, participants must run nearly 300 kilometers over scorching desert terrain. Once they set out, they are expected to remain mostly independent and to follow a track that has been staked across flatlands and dunes, dry river beds and infrequent oases. To ensure participants have the provisions they need, the race organizers leave stores of food, water, and medical supplies …
Good morning. May the Lord bless and keep you today. Westminster Books has a deal this week on a new Bible story book for children. There are just a few Kindle deals to look at today. How Could Jonathan Edwards Own Slaves? In this article, John Piper wrestles through the fact that his hero, Jonathan Edwards, owned slaves. Is It Complicated Or Is It Difficult? “When we have a problem, we moderns tend to look for something to fix it with. Can …
May the God of love and peace be with you on this fine day. (Yesterday on the blog: We Must, We Can, Bloom for Him) A Church Only Explained by the Gospel It is so important, this. “The gospel of Jesus doesn’t just make strangers into friends. It makes enemies into brothers and sisters. The church is a family created by grace. Just as Jesus called fishermen, tax collectors, and zealots into his flock. And when Christ is our God, …
Far down a desert road, far from the swarms of people crowding Bryce and Zion and the other big attractions, far from just about anything and anyone else, we pulled over and got out. Beneath us was parched ground, above us a vicious sky, before us a towering cactus. And there, under the dark clouds, there against the stark desert, there before the sharp thorns, we gazed at the bright beauty of gentle, precious flowers. We saw flowers in the …
I wrote this short, fast-paced, practical guide to productivity to share what I have learned about getting things done in today’s digital world. It will help you learn to structure your life to do the most good to the glory of God. Read More
