Puritan Picks June 11, 2009

Thank you Tim Challies, once again, you find the best stuff!!!

I am totally signing up for this!  Puritan Picks is similar to Netflix except they have great Christian DVDs for rent!  In just skimming the titles and speakers in these dvds, I got really excited!  

John Piper, the Blazing Center, Desiring God conferences, R.C. Sproul, Ligonier Conferences, Francis Schaeffer, C.S. Lewis, new DVDs I saw at monergism… etc.  Yay!!  

 

You pay $4.99 a month, rent just like Netflix, and watch all these great sermons, speakers, messages, series without paying tons of money! Yay!

Can’t wait to show my husband.

Great deal on ESV Study Bibles June 10, 2009

Timberdoodle is selling all their original Crossway ESV Study Bibles for a fantastic price!

Their genuine leather one is going for $45! 

The trutone ones are only $37.50!  Great price on great Bibles.

The Ploughshare Must be Sent Deeper May 25, 2009

This is my heart’s cry:  That the ‘ploughshare’ be sent deeper.  That my love for Christ is not an emotional medley of hearsay theology, but that it might be rooted and grounded in the eternal Truths of His Word.  My heart aches while considering how so few desire to pursue a clearer picture of the Heavenly One, the Holy One, the Savior, the Righteous God.  We squeeze out our tears and lift up barren hands on Sunday… then go on as if He did not give us anything at all… as if His radical plan of salvation is worthy of a few twinges of grateful (perhaps guilty) acknowledgment.  How hollow is our ‘religion’?  How fair-weather is our ‘friendship’ with Christ?

 

I speak as one who would be condemned, not as the condemner.  He knows my heart well, how desperately wicked, how futile my efforts to grasp eternity would be, if not for the Spirit working in me, if not for the finished work of Christ that brings the sinner into favour with God. (Bonar)  How far exceeding is His grace to make Christ the perfect substitute on our behalf that we might approach Him as our Abba.  Do we contemplate the marvel of the gospel enough?  Or is it worn and wearisome to us?

 

Is it enough to be recognized and commended as a believer, impressing with outward professions of faith but void of inward reformation and renewal?  Does it suffice to be warmed by the coziness of a loving Christ and yet be offended by the scope of His Sovereignty and wrath?

 

I’m echoing the words of Horatius Bonar, a 19th-century preacher, in his book “Everlasting Righteousness”:

Religion is fashionable in our age…But… Is it that of apostles and prophets?  Is it the calm yet thorough religion which did such great deeds in other days?  Has it gone deep into the conscience?  Has it filled the heart?  has it pervaded the man?  Or has it left the conscience unpacified, the heart unfilled, the man unchanged, save with some external appliances of religiousness, which leaves him hollow as before?  There is at this moment many an aching spirit, bitterly conscious of this hollowness.  The doctrine, the profession, the good report of others, the bustle of work, will not fill the soul.  God Himself must be there, with His covering righteousness, His cleansing blood, His quickening Spirit.  Without this, religion is but a shell:  holy services are dull and irksome.  Joy in God, which is the soul and essence of worship, is unknown.  Sacraments, prayer-meetings, religious services, labours of charity, will not make up for the living God.

May His Word so deeply probe, penetrate, excavate our hearts that stubborn roots of unbelief may be ripped out and replaced by a humble, ‘more excellent’ treasure.

My newest finds 5-19-09 May 19, 2009

I’m always finding new links, blogs, articles, stores, deals etc. and I would like to list them here regularly so that they are not just lost in my growing link sidebar.  So, very Challies-like, I’ll be regularly listing some interesting finds (without quite as much detail as Challies indulges us with!).  Hope these will bless you!

 

TIM CHALLIES

Since I’ve mentioned his blog already, let’s start with Tim Challies’ blog.  Interesting blog entries, great (and extensive) book reviews, latest discussions on current issues, conversations, anything that is sure to create a stir in reformed circles.  Definitely a must-visit!

 

NEXT

Here’s a webzine called NEXT that looks interesting.  In the line-up this week are theological heavy-hitters like D.A. Carson and worship leader extraordinaire, Bob Kauflin of Sovereign Grace Music. 

 

TITUS2TALK

For the Discovery and Recovery of Biblical Womanhood.  They have a post this week for Pastors’ Wives on 10 Questions for Pastors’ Wives.

TRUTHS WE CONFESS

Truths We Confess: 3 Volume set by R. C. Sproul on sale for $34.50 (50% off) at Monergism.  I ordered this for our church library and I think this will be an excellent resource.  I want one for my own library!  I might not agree with everything (i.e. eschatological or paedo-baptism views), I always benefit from Sproul’s writings and this extensive one looks like one to delve into! 

 

CHAPEL LIBRARY

I don’t think enough people are aware of this wonderful ministry called Chapel Library by Mount Zion Bible Church in Florida.  If you would like a taste of Puritan writings, Spurgeon, excellent reformed theology … for FREE then you must contact this organization for some of their resources.  I have been so blessed by their publications as well as their online material.  The website is a bit primitive but they are a non-profit group.  They also have free and extensive Bible studies that are reformed and very well done.  Bookmark this one!  And consider partnering with them so that the Lord can continue to bless many through this unique ministry!

 

If you find something noteworthy, I’d really love for you to share them with me!

 

*I’m having a hard time formatting this on WordPress. The spacing and underlining has come out all strange and I can’t fix it. Oh well!*

 

 

 

 

Cancer in Light of Eternity May 16, 2009

Wow. I haven’t finished watching this video yet.  However, I want to share this link of a young mom my age, who is not going to live to see her 38th birthday.  What is considered by most to be a tragedy is bringing great glory to God.  You often hear that only the weak and the simple need the crutch of religion (i.e. Christ).  The strongest people I know acknowledge that it is the truth and that the strength they exude is from Christ alone.  

“Cancer does not define me. Neither does being a wife or a mother. All these things are part of who I am but they do not define me. What defines me is my relationship with Jesus.”

Let Us Hate Sin May 11, 2009

This reminded me how great my sin is and how unfathomable His love:

“And let us learn from the story of the passion always to hate sin with a great hatred.  Sin was the cause of all our Savior’s sufferings.  Our sins twisted the crown of thorns; our sins drove the nails into his hands and feet; on account of our sins his blood was shed.  Surely the thought of Christ crucified should make us loathe all sin.  As the Church of England Homily of Passion says so well: “Let this image of Christ crucified be always printed in our hearts.  Let it stir us up to the hatred of sin, and provoke our minds to the earnest love of Almighty God.”

~ J. C. Ryle (Expository thoughts on the Gospel)

Taken from “Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross” edited by Nancy Guthrie

“Run in With Robbers” March 12, 2009

Oh my. Please read this account of this man getting attacked and robbed.  

After that, read the latest update here.  I am in tears to see not only how God takes the scum of the earth (me!) and does a life-changing work, He gave His precious Son, Jesus to do it! 

Thank You, my Lord and my God!

Prayer for Joni Eareckson Tada March 2, 2009

I’ve been thinking of Joni Eareckson Tada all morning.  What grace the Lord has shown to me through her life!  I have much to be challenged by considering her suffering and her understanding of God’s sovereignty.  Justin Taylor has a video of one of her latest talks on his website and you can see her struggling to breathe: Between Two Worlds

Justin Taylor:  I asked her how readers of this blog could pray for her.

 

She wrote: I’ve been doing better and feeling much stronger since that presentation at the Dallas Theological Seminary chapel. If I were to ask for anything, I would say…

 

Pray that my very thin fragile bones gain bone mineral density from the quarterly Boniva treatments.

 

Ask God to help my family and care givers “be careful” when lifting me in or out of bed and other transfers onto airplanes.

 

Ask God to infuse courage into my heart daily! Pray away anxiety and fear of the future.

 

Help me not to become me-centered when I’m in pain!

 

Ask God to bring a helper who might be able to assist during nighttimes once a week — I’d like to give Ken and my friend Judy a break.

 

Ask God to alleviate the side affects of the pain medication I take… eventually I would like to wean myself off of it!

 

Plead to God that I might know Jesus better through all of this and not “waste” my sufferings!!

 

So would you consider taking these requests before the throne of grace? I know that she is deeply thankful.

Please join me in praying for this dear sister in Christ.  She has ministered to so many over the years.  The Lord has strengthened and inspired His people through her courage and dependence on her Savior.

Challies: Thoughts on Reading February 26, 2009

I came across Tim Challies thoughts on reading and wanted to share. I love to read as well and sometimes I wonder why and occasionally I wonder if I SHOULD be reading so much. Thank you, Tim for stating what I would want to say in a very readable, and encouraging, way!

Why I Love Puritan Writings February 5, 2009

If you know me, you know that lately I am reading through many of the Puritan Classics. I want to encourage you to pick up a book by Thomas Watson or Richard Sibbes or John Bunyan and be prepared to be brought to your knees in worship of the One they served and adored. Their faith is one that brings tears to my eyes when I consider my own frail rendering of love for God. The un-modernized versions take careful concentration to collect the precious gems from every paragraph, even almost every sentence. But it is worth the effort and time. They loved the Word: their writings drip with scriptural references and illustrations and undergird every thought and expression. I’m greatly impressed and moved by their high view of God, their love for their Savior, their sacrificial care of others, their unshakeable faith in eternal future grace (Piper), their careful study of the Word, their worship and acceptance of God’s sovereignty in all things… the list goes on. But most of all, it draws me closer to the Christ they love and uphold. I will read 10 books at a time written by them if I could. So much better than the ’spiritual junk food’ that’s being shoveled into modern churched people. That’s why I love Puritan Writings so much.

 

Read Rutherford: “I am half content to have boils for my Lord Jesus’ plaisters. Sickness hath this advantage, that it draweth our sweet Physician’s hand and his holy and soft fingers to touch our withered and leper skins: it is a blessed fever that fetcheth Christ to the bedside – I think my Lord’s, “How doest thou with it, sick body?’ is worth all my pained nights.”

“Glorify the Lord in your sufferings, and take his banner of love, and spread it over you. Others will follow you, if they see you strong in the Lord; their courage shall take life from your Christian carriage.”

“I am in as sweet communion with Christ as a poor sinner can be; and am only pained that he hath much beauty and fairness, and I little love; he great power and mercy, and I little faith; he much light, and I bleared eyes.”

“I find Christ the most steadable friend and companion in the world to me now; the need and usefulness of Christ is seen best in trials.”

“Learn to believe Christ better than his strokes; himself and his promises better than his glooms… ‘For we know that all things work together for good to them that love God’, ergo, shipwreck, losses, etc., work together for the good of them that love God: hence I infer, that losses, disappointments, ill tongues, loss of friends, houses, or country, are God’s workmen, set on work, to work out good to you, out of everything that befalleth you.”