In his book, The Hidden Smile of God, John Piper recounts the story of hymn writer William Cowper (pronounced “Cooper”). His is a sad tale including the death of his mother at age six, his abandonment by his father into boarding schools where it seems certain he was abused, and his constant battles with despair […]
Read More God moves in a mysterious wayJohn MacArthur, The Book on Leadership: A true leader is someone who demonstrates to everyone around him that their interests are what most occupy his heart. A real leader will work hard to make everyone around him successful. His passion is to help make the people under his leadership flourish. That is why a true […]
Read More Today’s Quote – Leadership (MacArthur)George Whitfield, quoted in Christians You Should Know: [In a response to some criticism:] Let my name be forgotten, let me be trodden under the feet of all men, if Jesus may thereby be glorified.…Let us look above names and parties; let Jesus be our all in all.…I care not who is uppermost. I know […]
Read More Today’s Quote – Servanthood (Whitfield)Elisabeth Elliott, in Christianity Today: We have proved beyond any doubt that He means what He says — His grace is sufficient, nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. We pray that if any, anywhere, are fearing that the cost of discipleship is too great, that they may be given to glimpse that […]
Read More Today’s Quote – Christ’s Sufficiency (Elliott)What do you think about when it rains? (And we’ve had much opportunity to form an opinion about rain this month.) When I was a child, I thought “It’s raining it’s pouring…rain, rain, go away, come again another day…” When I was in seminary, working as a pool cleaner, I would wake up to the […]
Read More What do you think about when it rains?This past weekend, Desiring God hosted its annual national conference. The topic this year, marking the 500th anniversary of John Calvin’s birth, was “With Calvin in the Theater of God.” All the audio and video has been posted, and you may access it at either Desiring God, or the conference website, Theater of God.
Read More With Calvin in the Theater of GodWe tend towards discouragement because we do not think rightly about our position in relation to God’s wisdom and sovereignty. We see big circumstances and an inadequate God. We feel the weight of responsibility from God rather than viewing that responsibility as a gift and a privilege. We want the end of God’s reward and […]
Read More Sunday Leftovers (9/27/09)D. A. Carson, The Cross and the Christian Ministry: …many of us…have unwittingly become more like Corinthian Christians than like Pauline (that is, biblical!) Christians. Many of us are well-to-do and comfortable, with little incentive to live in vibrant anticipation of Christ’s return. Our desire for the approval of the world often outstrips our desire […]
Read More Today’s Quote – Approval (Carson)Blaise Pascal, Pensées: Do little things as though they were great, because of the majesty of Jesus Christ who does them in us, and who lives our life: and do the greatest things as though they were little and easy, because of His omnipotence. (HT: CQOD)
Read More Today’s Quote – Christ’s Adequacy (Pascal)Jay Adams, The Journal of Modern Ministry (Fall 2006): One factor hindering proper training in this area is the increasing social acceptance of childhood rebellion, and teenage rebellion in particular. Many parents have been duped into thinking that their children will inevitably rebel and that nothing can be done to stop it. This causes hopelessness […]
Read More Today’s Quote – Adolescence (Adams)An assortment of miscellaneous articles and thoughts from around the web: Al Mohler, “Looking Back: TIME asks: ‘Is God Dead John Piper, “10 Reasons Why Believing in the Sovereignty of God Matters” A couple books that look interesting (I have not read these books and know nothing about them other than what you will read […]
Read More Grab BagKris Lundgaard, Through the Looking Glass: We are all brothers and sisters, whether or not we want to be, because we are human beings. It’s a fact of life and has nothing to do with choice. With the Lord Christ it was different (see Hebrews 2:11, 14-15). So that he might rescue us from death, […]
Read More Today’s Quote – Jesus Christ (Lundgaard)Howard Eyrich in The Journal of Modern Ministry: Seven key commitments for resolving marital conflict Committed to divorce being a non-option Speak the truth in love Take responsibility for thoughts and actions Seek and grant forgiveness Commit to repentance Practice the one anothers of Christian relationships Practice spiritual disciplines
Read More Today’s Quote – Resolving Conflict (Eyrich)As we think about the early church, even though reading the epistles, it is still sometimes tempting to be idealistic about the world in which those believers lived and the manner in which those churches functioned. “If only our church could be like those early New Testament churches…,” we suggest. Yet in such longings we […]
Read More Sunday Leftovers (9/20/09)Josh Harris, Stop Dating the Church: The longer I’m a Christian, the more aware I become that I cannot live the Christian life on my own. My individual and direct relationship with God through Jesus is the greatest privilege and He is truly all I need — and yet God in His wisdom has created […]
Read More Today’s Quote – One Another (Harris)
