A small grab bag

Here, in no particular order, and with little comment, are a few articles and blogs that I’ve come across this week that were of varying kinds of interest to me. They all triggered thoughts that warranted more extended discussion, but I just haven’t had the time to think them all through yet… John Ensor, “Magnifying […]

God knows

He knows. I know he knows. At least I thought he knew. My friend Ned has eyes that not only see you, but pierce you. They don’t blink. They don’t wander. They cut through you and seem to examine your heart. And so it was that when I met him my first thought was, “He […]

Having trouble with trust?

Do you ever have trouble with trusting God? You and I are not alone. Several years ago, Reuters reported the story of a London accountant who knew he needed bladder surgery, but didn’t trust the doctor or the hospital, so he attempted the surgery himself — with the anticipated consequence of his untimely death. It […]

A couple things I’m reading

Two books that have come across my desk this week: I am enjoying reading Thabiti Anyabwile’s (I know how to pronounce his name, but have no idea how to write it phonetically — sorry!) new book, What is a Healthy Church Member? He offers ten marks of a healthy church member: is an expositional listener […]

Today’s Quote (9/11/08)

David Hegg, in Reforming Pastoral Ministry: Those who take pride in their independence and self-sufficiency will not come to prize a fellowship of interdependence until the myth of their independence is reformed according to the truth of Christ. The fruit of true fellowship demonstrated through mutual dependence among believers, comes only as we acknowledge our […]

Today’s Quote (9/10/08)

David Hegg, in Reforming Pastoral Ministry: Fellowship among believers is the fruit of fellowship with Christ. To produce the first, you must fertilize the second. What elevates true fellowship far above what the world would call friendship and belonging is simply this: Our relationship with fellow believers is a demonstration of our union with Christ, […]

Today’s Quote (9/9/09)

David Hegg, in Reforming Pastoral Ministry: Fellowship is a mutual participation in a common life that gives rise to shared enjoyment and responsibility.…The relationship that exists between believers is one of shared life, not merely the sharing of the things that fill our lives. To be sure, this relationship of interdependence, of interlocking lives, necessarily […]

Packer and Owen on mortification

Having written several blogs on the topic of mortification, and one specific review of John Owen’s masterpiece, On the Mortification of Sin, I was intrigued to read a short piece today by J. I. Packer on the influence of Owen on his own life. Packer has written several introductions to various Puritan works, along with […]

Today’s Quote (9/8/08)

“The Cambridge Declaration:” Scripture must take us beyond our perceived needs to our real needs and liberate us from seeing ourselves through the seductive images, cliches, promises and priorities of mass culture. It is only in the light of God’s truth that we understand ourselves aright and see God’s provision for our need. The Bible, […]

Sunday Leftovers (9/7/08)

Psalm 139 begins with David’s delight in God’s omniscience: God knows David’s past (v. 1) God knows David’s every present activity (vv. 2-3) God knows David’s every future word (and thoughts, v. 4) God knows David as if to surround him perpetually (v. 5) God’s knowledge of David is a delight to David (v. 6) […]

Today’s Quote (9/7/08)

Howard Hendricks, Living by the Book: The mark of spiritual maturity is not how much you understand [of Scripture], but how much you use. In the spiritual realm, the opposite of ignorance is not knowledge but obedience.

Fellowship – broken and reconciled

A number of years ago, one of my former seminary professors was preaching at a public event for men and exhorted us to expand our relationships by saying (and here I paraphrase): Every man needs three relationships: you need a Paul — someone walking ahead of you who will build into you, a Barnabas — […]

A woman in the White House but not in the pulpit?

Apparently, the selection of Sarah Palin by John McCain has triggered a number of questions and accusations against evangelicals. The debate is essentially over this question: “Evangelicals are willing to have a woman serve in the White House, but not as the pastor of a church? Isn’t that just a little inconsistent?” In light of […]

Today’s Quote (9/6/08)

John Piper, God is the Gospel: Gratitude that is pleasing to God is not first a delight in the benefits God gives (though that will be part of it). True gratitude must be rooted in something else that comes first — namely, a delight int he beauty and excellency of God’s character. If this is […]

Too much to read?

Do you ever feel like your “to read” book stack is out of control — that you will never get caught up on your reading? Sometimes the problem is not just a question about the amount of time needed to read, but knowing what to read. That’s where a group like Christian Book Summaries is […]