Book Review: When Sinners Say “I Do”

Title: When Sinners Say “I Do” Author: Dave Harvey Publisher: Shepherd Press, 2007; 189 pp. $13.95 Recommendation (4-star scale): While performing a wedding recently, I said something that has become a common refrain for me: “I wish I could tell you that the excitement, anticipation, and thrill you feel towards each other now will endure […]

Today’s Quote – Knowing God (Packer)

J. I. Packer, Knowing God: What were we made for? What aim should we set ourselves in life? To know God. What is the “eternal life” that Jesus give? Knowledge of God. “This is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3). What […]

Head and heart

Fear of leaving the love of God might leave some thinking that the attention to doctrine practiced by the Ephesians is detrimental to a passionate, heart-filled following of Christ (I have a friend who leans in that direction). Yet, John Piper this week made “A Plea for Heart Devotions and Head Study.” It is a […]

Today’s Quote – Scripture (MacArthur)

John MacArthur, Our Sufficiency in Christ: You’ll never know what the Word can do if you don’t study and apply it. It isn’t enough to simply say you believe it. It must occupy an exalted place in your life. Since God Himself exalts and magnifies it (Ps. 138:2), how much more should we?

Today’s Quote – Knowledge (Getz)

Gene Getz, Sharpening the Focus of the Church: Experience has demonstrated beyond doubt that knowing does not automatically lead to doing.…A Christian can know many things about God without sensing His greatness, His power, His riches, and His grace, without being moved by the marvel and wonder of it all.…In short, it is possible to […]

Today’s Quote – Ministry (Sanders)

J. Oswald Sanders, Enjoying Intimacy with God: All spiritual ministry flows from the reality of our knowledge of God and the vitality of our fellowship with Him and His Son.

Today’s Quote – Love for God (MacArthur)

John MacArthur, “Rekindling Your Love for Christ:” …the Christian life is about loving Christ. [It] is about loving him singularly. It is about loving him totally. It is about loving him sacrificially. It is about loving him obediently. It is about loving him worshipfully. It is about loving him in terms of service. It really […]

Sunday Leftovers, 3/22/09

It is good to maintain doctrinal purity in the church. It’s not only good — it’s the reason the church exists (1 Tim. 3:15) and is our calling and responsibility (2 Tim. 1:13ff). But there is no benefit to maintaining a doctrinal purity and clarity without devotion; nor is their benefit in keeping devotion without […]

Count your many blessings

Today’s reading in the Psalms is a precursor to the hymn, “Count Your Many Blessings.” Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders which You have done, And Your thoughts toward us; There is none to compare with You. If I would declare and speak of them, They would be too numerous to count. Take […]

Are you satisfied with your inheritance?

With all the talk about the economy in recent days, many people’s minds are firmly on what they may or may not have in the future. Dwindling retirement accounts and diminishing potential inheritance bequests have stimulated no small amount of angst among many in our culture. Which makes you wonder what the Levites thought when […]

Today’s Quote – Safety (Piper)

John Piper, “Will We Risk? Venturing in Ministry” (audio sermon only): Safety is a mirage. It ought to be. And yet our churches — American churches — are filled with people who only dream security, now and until they drop dead. Maximize safety. Maximize security. Maximize comfort. It’s the total opposite of the Biblical vision […]

Self-examination and boasting

Self-examination will lead to boasting. At least that’s what Paul says. And he says such self-examination and boasting is good and beneficial: But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another. Two truths dominate this verse: the […]

Today’s Quote – Safety (Mohler)

Al Mohler, in Preaching the Cross: We live in a world in which it makes sense not to worry. We have childproof caps on our medicine bottles. We have warnings on coffee cups from McDonald’s that we ought not to drive with the beverage in our lap. We have vaccines, antibiotics, MRIs, and CAT scans. […]

After a conference

I typically attend two or more conferences each year. I usually travel to at least one — sometimes two — and usually attend to one or more locally. The benefit of attending conferences is being focused for a particular time on a given topic and interacting on those topics with like-minded people without the distraction […]

Taking a risk

I had been looking forward to David’s sermon Sunday since he told me several weeks ago what he was planning on preaching. I’ve listened to several sermons on the same theme and found myself provoked, but was particularly wanting to hear how David processed his thoughts, having lived through several “risks” that are uncommon for […]