The Bible tells us repeatedly that we will eventually and inevitably begin to resemble the people we spend time with. If we walk with the wise we will become wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm (Proverbs 13:20). Much of the book of Proverbs deals with this very theme, warning the young and…
Too Great a Good for CaesarJohn Mark Reynolds offers a good perspective on health care. “Even fans of the President should be hesitant to give the government such powers. The Obama plan may be passed with great intentions, but Obama will not be President forever. Worse men may come to power and use increased government…
Yesterday I came across a “playlet” (the first time I’ve ever heard the term) called “The Long Silence.” If you’ve read John Stott’s The Cross of Christ you’ve probably read it before. I haven’t been able to find out who authored it or when he did so (though judging by the word “negro” it must…
The twentieth century was witness to a great battle between capitalism and communism. Early in the twenty-first century it is clear that capitalism won a resounding victory. Yet many people living in victorious nations continue to be uncomfortable with capitalism. They see it as a system of economics, a way of life that transfers wealth…
With another Friday (it’s amazing how quickly they come and go) we have another edition of Free Stuff Fridays. This week’s sponsor is Frontline Missions International. For nearly 20 years Frontline has worked among people in areas of war, persecution, and poverty, primarily in restricted-access countries, seeking to strengthen the Church, give voice to persecuted…
Jennifer Knapp To Make a Comeback?Well isn’t this a good bit of news. Several years after falling off the face of the earth (having released a collection of very good albums) Jennifer Knapp appears ready to try again. Unpacking ForgivenessChris Brauns: “I’ve been thinking recently about something television star Kelsey Grammer said. It’s not because…
So, today we come to chapter 10 of The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment. We’re on the homestretch now and it seems that Burroughs is concentrating quite a bit on the negative aspects of the topic. This week he offers a series of “Aggravations of the Sin of Murmuring.” Summary In this chapter Burroughs considers…
The Kindle Can’t Scare MeA small publisher of a very niche kind of book has some interesting things to say about Amazon’s Kindle. What it does well, what it does poorly and what it will do in the future. Do We Have Free Will?Andy Naselli answers this one over at Reformation21. It’s not one you…
A few years ago I wrote about Edwin Alden, a missionary and pastor who served in the United States in the nineteenth century. I have since updated the article and thought I’d share a little bit of what I found. Edwin H. Alden, was born in Connecticut River Valley, on January 14, 1836, born into…
Wikipedia To Make ChangesI find this very interesting (and a good lesson on human nature). “Wikipedia, one of the 10 most popular sites on the Web, was founded about eight years ago as a long-shot experiment to create a free encyclopedia from the contributions of volunteers, all with the power to edit, and presumably improve,…
There are certain things I never get tired of hearing. I never get tired of hearing Tom Cheek’s call of Joe Carter’s home run–the one that won the Blue Jays the World Series in 1993 (“Touch ’em all, Joe! You’ll never hit a bigger home run in your life!”). I never get tired of hearing…
What makes you angry? We all have our triggers, don’t we? We all have certain things, certain situations, certain affronts to our dignity or pride that stir anger within. I know I’ve got mine. And actually, I know quite a lot about anger, as Aileen could attest (and probably will if you think to ask…
Once again this Sunday I turned to The Valley of Vision and found there a great prayer. This one is titled “A Disciple’s Renewal.” O My Saviour, help me.I am so slow to learn, so prone to forget, so weak to climb; I am in the foothills when I should be in the heights;I am…
A friend sent this to me earlier in the week, a quote from John N. Oswalt’s The Bible Among the Myths (Zondervan, 2009). What grabbed me in this quote was the author’s insistence that we cannot measure human progress apart from our God-given purpose. It’s worth thinking about. I question whether we can talk about…
It’s time for another Free Stuff Friday. This week’s sponsor is Evangelical Press. As you may well know, Evangelical Press is a non-profit mission organization based in the UK but with an increasing presence on this side of the pond. It’s mission is to place sound Christian books and sound biblical teaching within reach of…
Here is (yet) another list of books I read that will not be receiving extensive reviews. Shakedown by Ezra Levant. Unless you are Canadian, you have probably not heard of Ezra Levant. Let me fill you in. Several years ago he was publisher of Western Standard magazine and made the decision to print the infamous…
Chernobyl Then and NowHere is an interesting series of photos showing Chernobyl back in 1984 and showing what it looks like today. The Greenback EffectWarren Buffet, in an op-ed at the Times, shares some staggering facts. “Congress is now spending 185% of what it takes in; the deficit is a post WWII record of 13%…
So after being just a little bit underwhelmed with chapter eight, I thought that Burroughs came back strong in chapter nine. Actually, I’m sure it is my fault and not his that I found the previous chapter slow-going, but I digress. There were a lot of things in this chapter, once again dealing with the…
Reformation Study Bible iPhone AppThe Reformation Study Bible is now available as an iPhone app. Ligonier’s blog has the details. A Quiet Circumvention of MoralityDr. Mohler writes about women being involved in combat situations in the U.S. military. “From a Christian perspective, the concern about women in combat goes far beyond the pollsters’ questions. If…
A couple of years ago I decided that I’d try to read through the works of historian David McCullough (a project that continues). I eventually came to Brave Companions, a book that offers “Portraits in History”—brief glimpses of people and incidents that helped make America what she is today. One of the chapters deals with…