Books to enhance your marriage

Nine Marks has compiled a list of about 30 helpful books on the topic of marriage. Along with the bibliographic data for each book is a brief commentary of one to three paragraphs about the book. If you are looking for an encouraging resource about marriage, Nine Marks’ Marriage Book Comparison Chart is a good […]

True gratitude

One last thought about Thanksgiving. John Piper helps define what real gratitude and thankfulness looks like: Gratitude that is pleasing to God is not first a delight in the benefits that God gives (though that will be part of it). True gratitude must be rooted in something else that comes first — namely, a delight […]

Grab bag

A few sites worth reading in-between bites of leftover turkey sandwiches or trips to the store(s): If you are doing some internet shopping this weekend, check out the collection of deals for Christian books and resources amassed by Tim Challies. Desiring God has a 3-part series of questions and answers with writer Jerry Bridges. Dave […]

Thanksgiving thinking, Part 5

The turkey that cooks were desperately trying to thaw yesterday morning are now carved into multiple pieces, chilling again in the frozen climes of the freezer, awaiting transformation into multiple manifestations of last-minute leftovers on another day. Aluminum wrapped packages line the doors and shelves of refrigerators. It’s enough to make a cook wonder, at […]

Reading Micah

The book of Micah bears a strong resemblance to the other prophets of his time: Amos, Hosea, and Isaiah. Yet, while they all prophesied at approximately the same time, they each complimented each other in both their messages and their audiences. Read more here.

Thanksgiving thinking, Part 4

There may already be movement in your kitchen in preparation for the feast to come later today. In our home, the first thing produced in the kitchen today will be the last thing eaten — the desserts. I like to think of it as happy bookends on a fine day of eating. As you begin […]

Reading Joel

The book of Joel is a warning to the Israelites that they are facing a coming judgment unless they fulfill their part of the covenant with God. There are similarities in this book to the other prophets as well as the book of Revelation 9. And like those other books, it concludes with a positive […]

Thanksgiving thinking, Part 3

You know the verse. It’s short, concise, and direct. In everything give thanks, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thess. 5:18) Give thanks? Sure. We’ll give thanks when a job is provided. We’ll give thanks when a baby is born. And when a gift is received. And when verbal encouragement […]

Thanksgiving Thinking, Part 2

The handwriting was on the wall. God had spoken. And it wasn’t good news for the king and his minions. Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin. God has numbered the days of the kingdom, the king has been evaluated and found deficient, and the kingdom would be given to another empire. That night. What was the great […]

Reading 1 Thessalonians

After founding the Thessalonian church, Paul was able to stay there only a short time — perhaps as little as three weeks. And the persecution that drove him from that region was a continuing burden to the Thessalonians. This letter serves as an encouragement to the persecuted church and a call to stand ready to […]

Learning grace in affliction

Greg Lucas’ son Jake has a variety of severe learning disabilities. And Jake has been a significant means of grace in the Lucas family. He has learned and is learning the truth that God regularly uses trouble and trial in our lives to remove inept and futile desires from our lives and replace them with […]

Thanksgiving Thinking, part 1

In order to stimulate my own heart towards biblical gratitude this week, I pulled some files last week to remind myself of what Scripture and others have said about thankfulness. Might these next few days be ones in which you and I are genuinely giving thanks to the Lord for all that He is and […]

Reading Daniel

The book of Daniel is one of the more popular Old Testament books — it is filled with historical drama, interesting characters (where else can you read of the king who became like a beast who became a king again!), exciting visions, and fast action. In short, Daniel is a book of history. It looks […]

Grab bag

A few things I’ve spotted around the internet lately: Can six seconds a day protect your marriage? Jani Ortlund says it can — if it’s a six-second kiss. Unbelieving pastors? Say it ain’t so. And yet there are some. Perhaps (probably?) the report by new-atheist proponent Daniel Dennett is biased, but if he could find […]

My Soul Finds Rest

Here is the video of a new song we will be singing on Sunday — it is written as a collaboration between Aaron Keyes and Stuart Townend (who has written a number of songs with the Gettys). YouTube – My Soul Finds Rest – Psalm 62 – Aaron Keyes. The first verse — My soul […]