Good morning from home! I was tremendously blessed to spend time with believers in several European countries over the past few weeks. But, as always, I am glad to be home.
Westminster Books has a good deal on Paul Tripp’s new daily devotional. I’ve read a good bit of it and think it’s excellent.
Today’s Kindle deals include a tremendous pair of books that are massively reduced from their $45 list price: How to Understand and Apply the New Testament and How to Understand and Apply the Old Testament. Both will benefit you a lot, as will the other books on the list.
(Yesterday on the blog: A Whole List of Reasons to Consider Marrying Young)
The Complexity of Calling
I think Nick has done some really interesting and helpful writing here on what we mean when we talk about calling. “When we fail to see the ways the Bible talks about calling from different angles, we’ll inevitably reduce calling to something less than God intends. To that end, I find it very helpful to think of our ‘calling’ as Christians in terms of three layers of living the Christian life.”
“Disqualified”: What It Means and How a Pastor Gets There
Jesse Johnson writes about what it means to be disqualified from ministry and tells how a pastor gets there.
The Beauty of Scripture’s Word Pictures
It does us good to pause to consider the beauty of Scripture, not only in its big storyline but also in the way it tells that story. “People sometimes refer to the Bible as God’s instruction manual. While I can appreciate the sentiment, imagine for a moment if He’d actually written it like one.”
Getting the Most Out of Scripture Writing
Speaking of Scripture, Rebekah describes her habit of writing out Scripture and tells how it has benefited her. She also explains how to get started with the practice.
Seven Qualities God Expects In Missionaries
Phil Hunt lists and explains seven qualities God expects in missionaries. “Effective cross-cultural ministry requires more than just a passport and a plane ticket. The role of a missionary demands a unique blend of personal qualities, spiritual maturity, and practical skills.”
The Calling of Motherhood
Bethany Belue: “It had been a good day. A day of errands, laundry, reading books together, playing, and caring for my children. I tucked my 3 and 2-year-olds into bed, came downstairs and sat my tired body on the couch. I opened social media for a few minutes before cleaning up from the day. In a matter of moments, I felt my heart go from thankful and satisfied to longing for more and dissatisfied with what I hadn’t accomplished that day. “
Flashback: The Ones Who Sow and the Ones Who Reap
The ones who sow shall rejoice as much as the ones who reap, the ones who supported as much as the ones who accomplished. Those who shared in the labor shall share in the results, and share in the reward.
A humble Christian studies his own infirmities, and another’s excellencies.
—Thomas Watson
