A Prayer for the New Year

From The Valley of Vision:

O Lord,
Length of days does not profit me
except the days are passed in Thy presence,
in Thy service, to Thy glory.

Give me a grace that precedes, follows, guides,
sustains, sanctifies, aids every hour,
that I may not be one moment apart from Thee,
but may rely on Thy Spirit
to supply every thought,
speak in every word,
direct every step,
prosper every work,
build up every mote of faith,
and give me a desire
to show forth Thy praise;
testify Thy love,
advance Thy kingdom.

I launch my bark on the unknown waters of this year,
with Thee, O Father, as my harbor,
Thee, O Son, at my helm,
Thee, O Holy Spirit, filling my sails.

Guide me to heaven with my loins girt,
my lamp burning,
my ear open to Thy calls,
my heart full of love,
my soul free.

Give me Thy grace to sanctify me,
Thy comforts to cheer,
Thy wisdom to teach,
Thy right hand to guide,
Thy counsel to instruct,
Thy law to judge,
Thy presence to stabilize.

May Thy fear be my awe,
Thy triumphs my joy.

A Long December

An excerpt from the song "A Long December" by Counting Crows (Recovering the Satellites album, 1996):

It's been a long December and there's reason to believe
Maybe this year will be better than the last.
I can't remember all the times I tried to tell myself
To hold on to these moments as they pass.

And this may be my favorite line from the song:

The smell of hospitals in winter
And the feeling that it's all a lot of oysters but no pearls.

Russell Moore on "Christlessness Is Peace"

Russell Moore provides a very thoughtful reflection on the true peace that Christ brings (and the means by which he brings it). Here's an excerpt:

The sound of Christmas, in the biblical text, isn’t the sound of sleigh-bells jingling, but the clanging swords and strangled babies and demon screams. It’s awful.

But in the midst of all that horror, there’s peace. This peace isn’t tranquility and stillness, but the dynamism of the shalom of God’s new creation. It is not merely the perfunctory “good will to men” but peace between the ruler of the universe and those “with whom he is pleased” (Lk. 2:14).

In the gospel, that peaces comes only through war. This isn’t violence, the way we think of it, flesh and blood against flesh and blood. It is the Spirit of Jesus marching as to war against the principalities and powers in the heavenly places (Eph. 6:12). It is the blood of Christ silencing the accusations of the ancient dragon (Rev. 12:10-11). This is why the Apostle Paul can say, without contradiction, that the “God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” (Rom. 16:20).

Read the whole reflection here.

Rise, the Woman's Conquering Seed!

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Charles Wesley, 1707-1788; alt. George Whitefield, 1714-1770

Hark, the herald angels sing,
Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!
Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
With angelic host proclaim,
Christ is born in Bethlehem.
Hark! The herald angels sing,
Glory to the newborn King.

Christ, by highest heavn adored;
Christ, the everlasting Lord:
Late in time, behold Him come,
Offspring of a virgin's womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see,
Hail th'incarnate Deity!
Pleased as man with men to dwell,
Jesus, our Immanuel.
Hark! The herald angels sing,
Glory to the newborn King.

Hail, the heav'n born Prince of Peace!
Hail, the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Ris'n with healing in his wings.
Mild He lays His glory by,
Born that man no more may die,
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
Hark! The herald angels sing,
Glory to the newborn King.

Come, Desire of nations, come,
Fix in us Thy humble home!
Rise, the Woman's conqu'ring Seed,
Bruise in us the Serpent's head!
Now display Thy saving power,
Ruined nature now restore;
Now in mystic union join
Thine to ours, and ours to Thine.
Hark! The herald angels sing,
Glory to the newborn King.

Adam's likeness, Lord, efface;
Stamp Thine image in its place;
Second Adam from above,
Reinstate us in Thy love!
Let us Thee, though lost, regain,
Thee, the Life, the Heavenly Man:
Oh, to all Thyself impart,
Formed in each believing heart!
Hark! The herald angels sing,
Glory to the newborn King.

Gospel Math

"Jesus plus nothing is everything. Everything minus Jesus is nothing.''

--Randy Alcorn, "Dethroning Money to Treasure Christ Above All" in For the Fame of God's Name: Essays in Honor of John Piper

Put another way:

Jesus + nothing = everything

Everything - Jesus = nothing

Dethroning All Secondary Treasures

"[Jesus] calls all of us to a life of dethroning all secondary treasures in order to elevate him as our primary treasure. If we value anything or anyone more than we value Jesus, we are not his disciples."

--Randy Alcorn, "Dethroning Money to Treasure Christ Above All" in For the Fame of God's Name: Essays in Honor of John Piper

Yet Another Reason for Humility

"For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly..." (Psalm 138:6)

The Bottom of Every Sin

"The desire to be God rather than to serve God lies at the bottom of every sin that anyone has ever committed. Sin isn't first rooted in a philosophical debate of the appropriateness or healthiness of a certain ethic. No, sin is rooted in my unwillingness to find joy in living my life under the authority of, and for the glory of, Another. Sin is rooted in my desire to live for me. It's driven by my propensity to indulge my every feeling, satisfy my every desire, and meet my every need."

--Paul David Tripp, Whiter than Snow: Meditations on Sin and Mercy

This Year's Advent Hymn

All People of the Coming King
© 2010, M. Justin Wainscott

All people of the coming King,
All servants of the Lord,
Come, lift your voices, let us sing
With hearts in one accord:
Alleluia! Alleluia!

In Bethlehem the angels praised
The birth of Christ our King;
So let us now with voices raised
Rejoice with them and sing:
Alleluia! Alleluia!

Oh, marvel in the mystery
Of Jesus' virgin birth;
To God all praise and glory be,
And peace o'er all the earth.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

His first advent salvation wrought
By dying on the tree;
Yet He, through resurrection, bought
For us eternity.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

To Him who came and conquered sin,
Triumphant and supreme;
To Him who'll one day come again,
We sound this joyous theme:
Alleluia! Alleluia!

And when He comes, our King, to reign,
And earth and heav'n be new;
Then may the sound of this refrain
Our longing hearts renew:
Alleluia! Alleluia!

The Great Spoil to be Found in Scripture

"I rejoice at your word
like one who finds great spoil."
(Psalm 119:162)

I wonder if our all too often joyless reading of the Scriptures is due to the fact that we don't approach them with the wide-eyed wonder and excitement of discovering a great treasure. There is spoil to be found and joy to be had for those who will hunt it!

Unfolding the Word of God

"The unfolding of your words gives light..." (Psalm 119:130).

This is not just a promise for preachers and teachers (though it certainly has profound implications for us). But it is also a promise for everyone who will open the Bible, ask the Spirit to unfold the truth of what is there, and then bask in the warm glow of the light of the gospel.

Christ, Our Wounded Comforter

"Someday in a lonely moment man-
kind will shake an unfamiliar hand
and find it wounded."

--Calvin Miller, The Singer: A Classic Retelling of Cosmic Conflict

Spread Gospel Tidings All Around

Immortal God in Mortal Flesh
Advent 2008, M. Justin Wainscott

Immortal God in mortal flesh,
Our Lord has come to earth.
Incarnate God, He came to bring
The gift of second birth.

Spread gospel tidings all around;
Let sinners celebrate!
For Christ was born to save us all
From sin's condemning fate.

In mercy, God has sent His Son
To bear the curse of sin;
To hang condemned on Calv'ry's cross,
And pardon sinful men.

This precious Babe of Bethlehem
Will be forever blessed;
He ransomed us from hell's domain
To enter heaven's rest.

So to our great Immanuel,
Glad songs of praise we'll sing.
From now and through eternity,
He'll reign, our saving King.

The Cradle and the Cross

"The crucial significance of the cradle at Bethlehem lies in its place in the sequence of steps that led the Son of God to the cross of Calvary, and we do not understand it till we see it in this context."

--J.I. Packer, Knowing God

HT: Of First Importance

Undated Promises

"Though we find promises of God throughout Scripture, they don't come with specific dates and times. Therefore, when our circumstances contradict God's character and promises, we're tempted to supply God with a time frame and demand that He fulfill His promises according to it....It takes faith to wait tranquilly for something for which we have a promise from God, but no date."

--C.J. Mahaney, Humility: True Greatness

A Dangerous Prayer

"Thy kingdom come is a dangerous prayer, for it means the death of your own sovereignty. It means your life will be shaped by the will of another. It means that you will experience the messiness, discomfort, and difficulty of God's refining grace. It means surrendering the center of your universe to the One who alone deserves to be there. It means loving God above all else and your neighbor as yourself. It means experiencing the freedom that can only be found when God breaks your bondage to you! It means finally living for the one glory that is truly glorious, the glory of God."

--Paul David Tripp, Whiter than Snow: Meditations on Sin and Mercy

The Condescension of the Christ

Sing Highest Praises to Our King
M. Justin Wainscott © 2009

Sing highest praises to our King,
Who left His throne above;
And clothed Himself in flesh to bring
The blessings of His love.

The glory He had long enjoyed,
He humbly set aside;
How great the means which Christ employed
To save a sinful Bride!

In Bethlehem by virgin birth,
As prophets did foretell;
Our God descended to the earth,
And didst among us dwell.

Yes, see Him in the manger lay,
But let us ne’er forget;
This precious Child was born to pay
Our cursed, sinful debt.

This perfect Lamb for sinners slain,
Who died and rose again,
Now sits on David’s throne and reigns
In vict’ry over sin.

So let our longing hearts all burn
With zeal for Christ our King,
And for the day of His return,
When He shall reign supreme!

For Unto Us A Child Is Born

A truly beautiful portion of Scripture set to a truly beautiful piece of music:

A Mirror Into Which We See Ourselves

The following poem may look a bit lengthy, but I assure you it reads quickly and it is well worth the time it may take you to get through it. Let it be a balm for your soul; drink deeply from it; and rejoice in the grace of the gospel.

Aren't You Glad You're Not Like David?
Paul David Tripp, in Whiter than Snow: Meditations on Sin and Mercy

Aren't you glad you're not like David,
Such blazoned sin, how could he?
Aren't you glad you're not like Saul,
Making up his own rules; what was he thinking?
Aren't you glad you're not like Cain,
Violence against his own brother?
Aren't you glad you're not like Rebekah,
Such planned deceit?
Aren't you glad you're not like the Israelites,
So easily seduced by idols?
Aren't you glad you're not like Absalom;
How could he be so jealous?
Aren't you glad you're not like Elijah;
How could he forget God, be so depressed?
Aren't you glad you're not like Nebuchadnezzar;
How could he be so obsessed with power?
Aren't you glad you're not like Samson;
How could he be so easily deceived?
Aren't you glad you're not like Jonah;
How could he run from the Father's call?
Aren't you glad you're not like the Pharisees,
So religiously right yet spiritually wrong?
Aren't you glad you're not like Judas,
Selling the Messiah for a little bit of silver?
Aren't you glad you're not like the Corinthians,
So much better at division than at serving the Lord?
But wait.
You are like them, and so am I.
There is simply no denying it.
Their stories are a mirror into which we see ourselves.
We too are jealous and easily deceived.
We too are proud and obsessed with power.
We are better at division while we run from God.
We too get angry and get seduced by idols.
In sorrow we must say,
We stand with David,
And Saul,
And Rebekah,
And Jonah,
And Elijah,
And the rest.
These stories are for us to look into and see us,
So that we are not able to buy into
The lie of our own righteousness.
But instead,
Run to His mercy,
Hold onto His unfailing love,
And finally rest
In His great compassion.
Aren't you glad you can step out of the darkness of self-deceit,
And admit who you are?

The Deceptive, Blinding Power of Sin

"On our own, you and I will never develop a competency for recognizing our sin. We'll always need help.

Never forget that others see what you do not. Where you're blind to sin, their vision is often twenty-twenty."

--C.J. Mahaney, Humility: True Greatness

Two Attractive But Dangerous Lies

"All fallen human beings tend to buy into two attractive but dangerous lies. These are the lies that were on the tongue of the serpent on that fateful day of manipulation and disobedience in the garden. The first lie is the lie of autonomy, which tells me that I am an independent human being with the right to invest my life however I choose. The second lie is the lie of self-sufficiency, which declares that I have everything I need within myself to be what I am supposed to be and do what I am supposed to do. Because we do not want to live for God, but for ourselves, we are easily seduced, at the mundane, everyday level, by these lies."

--Paul David Tripp, Whiter Than Snow: Meditations on Sin and Mercy

Russell Moore on "Why I'm Ungrateful"

Great post by Russell Moore here (a very apt word at this Thanksgiving season).

Praise and Thanksgiving to God

A prayer from The Valley of Vision:

O my God...

For the soul Thou hast created,
For adorning it, sanctifying it, though it is fixed in barren soil;
For the body Thou hast given me,
For preserving its strength and vigor,
For providing senses to enjoy delights,
For the ease and freedom of my limbs,
For hands, eyes, ears that do Thy bidding;
For Thy royal bounty providing my daily support,
For a full table and overflowing cup,
For appetite, taste, sweetness,
For social joys of relatives and friends,
For ability to serve others,
For a heart that feels sorrows and necessities,
For a mind to care for my fellow-men,
For opportunities of spreading happiness around,
For loved ones in the joys of heaven,
For my own expectation of seeing Thee clearly....

I bless Thee and thank Thee.

The Consoling, Heart-Cheering Word of God

"When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul." (Psalm 94:19)

Lord, Why Was I A Guest?

How Sweet and Awful Is the Place
Isaac Watts, 1674-1748

How sweet and awful is the place,
With Christ within the doors,
While everlasting love displays
The choicest of her stores.

Here every bowel of our God
With soft compassion rolls;
Here peace and pardon, love and blood,
Is food for dying souls.

While all our hearts and all our songs
Join to admire the feast,
Each of us cry, with thankful tongues,
"Lord, why was I a guest?"

Why was I made to hear Thy voice,
And enter while there's room;
When thousands make a wretched choice,
And rather starve than come?

'Twas the same love that spread the feast
That sweetly forced us in;
Else we had still refused to taste,
And perished in our sin.

True Piety or Just a Reputation for Piety?

"The person who prays more in public than in private reveals that he is less interested in God's approval than in human praise. Not piety but a reputation for piety is his concern."

--D.A. Carson

Ferguson and Begg on The Beeson Podcast

Beeson Divinity School recently launched The Beeson Podcast, and the two most recent episodes are:

Preaching and Ministry with Sinclair Ferguson

The Shaping of a Pastor with Alistair Begg

Click here for more information or to listen.

The Holy Scriptures and the Common Tongue

"I totally disagree with those who are unwilling that the Holy Scriptures should be translated into everyday languages and read by unlearned people. Christ wishes his mysteries to be made known as widely as possible....I wish that they were translated into all the languages of all Christian people....I wish that the farm laborer might sing parts of them at his plow, that the weaver might hum them at his shuttle, and that the traveler might ease his weariness by reciting them."

--Erasmus of Rotterdam (1466-1536)

What Wondrous Grace Was This!

Join, Every Tongue, To Sing
Joseph Hart, 1712-1768

Join, every tongue, to sing
The mercies of the Lord;
The love of Christ, our King,
Let ev'ry heart record.
He saved us from the wrath of God,
And paid our ransom with His blood!

What wondrous grace was this!
We sinned, and Jesus died;
He wrought the righteousness,
And we were justified.
We ran the score to lengths extreme,
And all the debt was charged on Him.

Hell was our just desert,
And He that hell endured;
Guilt broke His guiltless heart
With wrath that we incurred;
We bruised His body, spilt His blood,
And both became our heavenly food.

New ESV Seek & Find Bible

Crossway has recently published the new ESV Seek & Find Bible for 5-9 year-olds (but which will also serve as a great Bible for family worship). Read this post by Justin Taylor for more information about it.

A Good Description of the Bible

"[T]he Bible - the book that could be described as the Father's portrait of the Son painted by the Holy Spirit."

--John Stott

Great Work Is Done While We're Asleep

And [Jesus] said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come." (Mark 4:26-29)

Sabbath Poems (1979), from A Timbered Choir
Wendell Berry

Harvest will fill the barn; for that
The hand must ache, the face must sweat.

And yet no leaf or grain is filled
By work of ours; the field is tilled
And left to grace. That we may reap,
Great work is done while we're asleep.

We must do the hard work of sowing and scattering the seed (our hands will ache and our heads must sweat), but then we leave it to grace, trusting that "great work is done while we're asleep."

Avoiding Both Escapism and Conformism

"The church has a double responsibility in relation to the world around us. On the one hand we are to live, serve and witness in the world. On the other hand we are to avoid becoming contaminated by the world. So we are neither to seek to preserve our holiness by escaping from the world nor to sacrifice our holiness by conforming to the world. Escapism and conformism are thus both forbidden to us (italics in original)."

--John Stott, The Radical Disciple

Every Prop Will Sink or Fail But Jesus Christ

He That Trusts in His Own Heart
John Berridge, 1716-1793

He that trusts in hiw own heart,
Acts a raw and foolish part;
Base it is, and full of guile,
Brooding mischief in a smile.

Does it boast of love within?
So it may, and yet may sin;
Peter loved his Master well,
Yet a loving Peter fell.

Does it feel a melting frame?
David also felt the same;
Yet he made a woeful trip,
And perceived his mountain slip.

Does it talk of faith, and boast?
Abra'm had as much as most;
Yet beguiled by unbelief,
Twice he durst deny his wife.

Every prop will, first or last,
Sink or fail, but Jesus Christ;
On this sure foundation stone
Let me build and rest alone.

9Marks Interview with Danny Akin

The most recent 9Marks interview is with Danny Akin on "Life and Ministry in the Southern Baptist Convention." Dr. Akin is the president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina.

Insipid, Innocuous Pablum

"How wearisome it must be to God to hear His inspired Word replaced by insipid, innocuous pablum dribbled out of pulpits!"

--John MacArthur, Ashamed of the Gospel

Russell Moore Preaching at FBC Jackson This Sunday

For those of you in and around Jackson, Russell Moore, Dean of the School of Theology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, preaching pastor at Highview Baptist Church (Fegenbush campus), and author of Adopted for Life, will be preaching at First Baptist Church in our morning service at 9:00am this Sunday, November 7, which is Orphan Sunday. There will be a Q & A on adoption following the service (from 10:30-11:00) in the sanctuary for anyone who is interested.

All Saints Day

For All the Saints
William How, 1823-1897

For all the saints, who from their labors rest,
Who Thee by faith before the world confessed,
Thy Name, O Jesus, be forever blessed.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

Thou wast their Rock, their Fortress and their Might;
Thou, Lord, their Captain in the well-fought fight;
Thou, in the darkness drear, their one true Light.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

O blest communion, fellowship divine!
We feebly struggle, they in glory shine;
Yet all are one in Thee, for all are Thine.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

O may Thy soldiers, faithful, true, and bold,
Fight as the saints who nobly fought of old,
And win with them the victor's crown of gold.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long,
Steals on the ear the distant triumph song,
And hearts are brave again, and arms are strong.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

But lo! there breaks a yet more glorious day;
The saints triumphant rise in bright array;
The King of glory passes on His way.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

From earth's wide bounds, from ocean's farthest coast,
Through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,
Singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost:
Alleluia, Alleluia!

Happy Reformation Day!

A little Reformation humor...

A Reformation Hymn

A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
Martin Luther, 1483-1546

A mighty fortress is our God,
A bulwark never failing;
Our Helper, He amid the flood
Of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe
Doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great,
And armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide,
Our striving would be losing,
Were not the right Man on our side,
The Man of God's own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His name;
From age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.

And though this world, with devils filled,
Should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed
His truth to triumph through us.
The Prince of Darkness grim,
We tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure,
For lo, his doom is sure;
One little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly powers,
No thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours,
Through Him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go,
This mortal life also;
The body they may kill;
God's truth abideth still;
His kingdom is forever.

Luther Before the Diet of Worms

As much as October 31 and Luther's tacking of the 95 Theses are celebrated as the beginning of the Reformation, in many ways, this was actually the moment that Protestant Christianity was born.

What the Reformation Was Really About

I posted this quote several months ago, but with Reformation Day quickly approaching I thought it would be appropriate to post it again:

The closer one looks, the clearer it becomes: the Reformation was not, principally, a negative movement, about moving away from Rome; it was a positive movement, about moving towards the gospel.

--Michael Reeves, The Unquenchable Flame: Discovering the Heart of the Reformation

An Inside Job

"[M]any Christians seem completely unaware - if not unwilling to see - that serious dangers threaten the church from within. Yet if church history teaches us anything, it teaches us that the most devastating assaults on the faith have always begun as subtle errors arising from inside the body itself."

--John MacArthur, Ashamed of the Gospel

A Profound Theological Blunder

The following was said by Martyn Lloyd-Jones in 1972. In 2010, this profound theological blunder has become the preferred method of much of American evangelicalism.

Our Lord attracted sinners because He was different. They drew near to Him because they felt that there was something different about Him....And the world always expects us to be different. This idea that you are going to win people to the Christian faith by showing them that after all you are remarkably like them, is theologically and psychologically a profound blunder.

--Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Preaching and Preachers

The Throne of Grace

Behold the Throne of Grace
John Newton, 1725-1807

Behold the throne of grace!
The promise calls me near;
There Jesus shows his smiling face;
And waits to answer prayer.

That rich atoning blood
Which, sprinkled round, I see,
Provides for those who come to God
An all-prevailing plea.

My soul, ask what thou wilt,
Thou canst not be too bold;
Since his own blood for thee he spilt,
What else can he withhold?

Beyond thy utmost wants
His love and pow'r can bless.
To praying souls he always grants
More than they can express.

Luther on Becoming a Powerful Preacher (Not What You Might Expect)

"One who diligently reads the Books of Kings will become a powerful preacher."

--Martin Luther

Give and Take

Sabbaths, 1998, VI.

Nothing is given
That is not taken,
And nothing taken
That was not first a gift.

--Wendell Berry, Given: Poems

Fearing Our Sinful Selves

"The well-instructed believer is very much afraid of himself. He dares not go into temptation, for he feels that a man who carries a bomb within him ought to mind that he keeps away from the sparks - and that he who has a powder keg in his heart ought not to play with fire."

--Charles Spurgeon

Our Ongoing Need for the Gospel

What a blessing to have one of our church members encourage me with this quote after yesterday's sermon:

"The gospel cannot soak deeply into us unless it is addressing our ongoing need for it."

--Neil H. Williams, Gospel Transformation

HT: Of First Importance

Make Thy Word Take Root

Guardian of Thy Helpless Sheep
Joseph Hart, 1712-1768

Guardian of Thy helpless sheep,
Jesus, almighty Lord,
Help our heedful hearts to keep
The treasure of Thy Word.

Let not Satan steal what's sown;
Bid it bring forth precious fruit;
Thou can soften hearts of stone,
And make Thy Word take root.

No Greater Mystery

"At the cross the creation itself took hold of the Creator; the creation entombed the Creator. At the cross the loftiest heights came down to the deepest depths; at the cross the hands of men pierced the hands that made humankind. There could be no greater mystery."

--Mark Noll

Young Pastors and Old Saints

I am so thankful that I have the privilege of pastoring an inter-generational congregation, because it affords me such a variety of situations in which I can see God's grace at work. But as a young pastor in particular, I am grateful for the older saints in our church. And here are just ten reasons why:

1. They teach me what faithfulness in marriage looks like.
2. They teach me what godly wisdom sounds like.
3. They teach me that perseverance and endurance are worth the costs.
4. They teach me the intersection of divine grace and personal history.
5. They teach me why family really matters.
6. They teach me all the complex joys of simplicity.
7. They teach me to value the dying art of conversation.
   
8. They teach me church history and practical theology of a different sort than I could ever learn in a textbook.
9. They teach me that a decade is a short amount of time.
10. They teach me how to face suffering and death with hope.

If you're a young pastor, go spend time with some of your older saints. You'll be amazed at the lessons you'll learn. If you're an aspiring young pastor, I encourage you to consider churches that are inter-generational and will afford you opportunities to sit with dying saints. And if you're an older saint, then take the opportunity to teach the generations behind you the lessons you've learned during your lifetime.

A Pit That Is Bottomless

"None of you have ever seen fully the plague of your own heart. There are chambers in your heart you have never yet seen into - there are caves in that ocean you have never fathomed - there are fountains of bitterness you have never tasted. When you have felt the wickedness of your heart to the uttermost, then lie down under this awful truth, that you have only seen a few yards into a pit that is bottomless - that you carry about with you a slumbering volcano - a heart whose wickedness you do not and cannot know."

--Robert Murray M'Cheyne

WHI Interview with Graeme Goldsworthy

One of the most helpful books I have ever read, in terms of making sense of the unity and Christo-centricity of the Scriptures, is Graeme Goldsworthy's According to Plan: The Unfolding Revelation of God in the Bible. Since then, I have read many of Goldsworthy's books (and found them all extremely beneficial). I would highly recommend According to Plan (for anyone wanting to gain a better understanding of the basic plot-line of the Bible) and The Goldsworthy Trilogy (especially for pastors or Sunday School teachers).

Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to listen to a recent White Horse Inn interview with Dr. Goldsworthy, which I would also recommend to you.

Fly to the Hope the Gospel Gives

What Curses Does the Law Denounce
Isaac Watts, 1674-1748

What curses does the law denounce
Against the man who fails but once!
But in the gospel Christ appears,
Pardoning the guilt of numerous years.

My soul, no more attempt to draw
Thy life and comfort from the law;
Fly to the hope the gospel gives;
The man that trusts the promise lives.

Thinking Rightly of Ourselves

"It is a common mistake among the children of men to think themselves, their own hearts at least, a great deal better than they really are."

--Matthew Henry

Waiting Is Not Passive

"Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!" (Psalm 27:14)

Waiting on the Lord requires strength and courage. It's not a passive activity.

Mohler - "On Getting Boys to Read"

Al Mohler offers further reflections on Thomas Spence's article, "How To Raise Boys Who Read," in The Wall Street Journal. Here's a brief excerpt:

The most direct enemies of reading in the lives of today’s boys are video games and digital media. These devices crowd out time and attention at the expense of reading. Spence cites one set of parents who tried to bribe their 13-year-old son to read by offering video games as a reward. Spence is exactly right — don’t reward with video games. Instead, take the games away. If parents do not restrict time spent with digital devices, boys will never learn to read and to love reading.

Read the entire thing here.

Rend Every Veil That Shades Thy Face

Chained to the World, To Sin Tied Down
Augustus Toplady, 1740-1778

Chained to the world, to sin tied down,
In darkness still I lie;
Lord, break my bonds, Lord, give me wings,
And teach me how to fly.

Instruct my feeble hands to war,
In me Thy strength reveal,
To put my every lust to death,
And fight Thy battles well.

Rend every veil that shades Thy face,
Put on Thine helmet, Lord;
My sin shall fall, my guilt expire,
Beneath Thy conquering sword.

Thou art the mighty God of hosts,
Whose counsels never fail;
Be Thou my glorious Chief, and then
I cannot but prevail.

A Lifting Up for the Downcast

"The LORD upholds all who are falling
and raises up all who are bowed down." (Psalm 145:14)

When you're falling, it's fearful and harmful because no one is there to catch you. But the LORD upholds all who are falling.

When you're bowed down, it's difficult to get up on your own. But the LORD raises up all who are bowed down.

Don't be ashamed of falling or being bowed down. You're in the perfect place for the Lord to uphold you and in the perfect posture for the Lord to raise you up.

Holy Humor

As a pastor (and as a parent), it's always a joy to look out over the congregation on a Sunday morning and see a father or mother teaching a child how to follow a hymn or find a biblical passage. This past Sunday, I had the privilege of seeing one of our fathers explaining to his son the symbolism of the bread and cup during our celebration of the Lord's Supper. What a beautiful picture it was of a father instructing his child in the truths of the gospel.

But there was more to the story, which I learned the next day. This father in our congregation shared with me that the conversation was going very well until the cups were passed their way. As he began explaining to him that the cup represented the blood of Jesus, he noticed his son closely inspecting the cup. Thinking that his son was growing very interested in the atoning sacrifice of Christ, he awaited the thoughts of his young mind.

His son leaned over and whispered to him, "Daddy, Jesus' blood smells just like grape juice."

What Is Gospel Centered Expository Preaching?

Here is Jon Dennis' brief answer to that question:

Gospel centered expository preaching is uncovering the raw glory of God from a particular passage and showing how it relates to Christ.

--Jon Dennis, "Multiplying Men: Training and Deploying Gospel Ministers" in Preach the Word: Essays on Expository Preaching in Honor of R. Kent Hughes

The Perpetual Monotony of the Cross

Let us never tire of preaching (or hearing) the perpetual monotony of the cross:

Saintly ones find here, in the perpetual monotony of the cross, a greater variety than in all other doctrines put together. Preach you Christ, and Christ, and Christ, and Christ, and nothing else but Christ, and opened ears shall find in your ministry a wondrous harmony of linked sweetnesses, a charming perfectness of all manner of delicious voices. All good things lie within the compass of the cross; its outstretched arms overshadow the whole world of thought; from the east even unto the west it sheds a hallowed influence; meanwhile, its foot is planted deep in the eternal mysteries, and its top pierces all earth-born clouds, and rises to the throne of the Most High. Christ is lifted up upon the cross, that he may draw all men unto him; and if we desire to draw them, this must be our magnet.

--Charles Spurgeon, Majesty in Misery (Volume 1)

The Charming Sound of Grace

Grace, 'Tis a Charming Sound
Phillip Doddridge, 1702-1751

Grace! 'tis a charming sound,
Harmonious to the ear;
Heaven with the echo shall resound,
And all the earth shall hear.

Grace first contrived a way
To save rebellious man,
And all the steps that grace display
Which drew the wondrous plan.

Grace first inscribed my name
In God's eternal book;
'Twas grace that gave me to the Lamb,
Who all my sorrows took.

Grace taught my soul to pray,
And pardoning love to know;
'Twas grace that kept me to this day,
And will not let me go.

Grace all the work shall crown,
Through everlasting days;
It lays in heaven the topmost stone,
And well deserves the praise.

A Sober Warning to Churches

"The moment the Church of God shall despise the pulpit, God will despise her."

--Charles Spurgeon

A Living Parable of an Identity Crisis

I don't know about you, but Taco Bell is not the first fast-food restaurant that comes to my mind when I crave a chicken sandwich. In fact, it never comes to mind unless I want - oh, I don't know - tacos! But the Taco Bell that I pass every morning on the way to church is advertising their new 99-cent chicken sandwich. I thought it must have been a joke at first, but it has been on the sign now for several days (I included the picture just to prove it).

I know, I know, so many things can be said about this image. There is the obvious irony of Taco Bell advertising a chicken sandwich (can you imagine Chick-fil-A advertising a taco?). There is the seemingly difficult time Taco Bell must be having that has caused them to resort to neglecting their "bread and butter" (or shell and sauce, I guess I should say). And there is the apparent loss of their identity as a restaurant that specializes and focuses on tacos.

But as I laughed to myself about Taco Bell's loss of identity, I was reminded of how many churches resort to this same strategy. They forget what they are ultimately about, and so they begin to trust in gimmicks rather than in the gospel. They lose sight of who they are and what they're called to be. They neglect the very things that God has commanded in His Word in favor of whatever they assume the world must be craving. And how often must a watching world be laughing (like I did at Taco Bell) when they see churches trying to do things that churches have no business doing or that God has not called us to do. When we do that, we reveal our own crisis of identity. We're like a Taco Bell trying to sell chicken sandwiches!

A Thought on the Sea Shore

A Thought on the Sea Shore
John Newton, 1725-1807

In ev'ry object here I see
Something, O Lord, that leads to Thee.
Firm as the rocks Thy promise stands,
Thy mercies countless as the sands,
Thy love a sea immensely wide,
Thy grace an ever-flowing tide.

In ev'ry object here I see
Something, my heart, that points at thee.
Hard as the rocks that bound the strand,
Unfruitful as the barren sand,
Deep and deceitful as the ocean,
And, like the tides, in constant motion.

Don't Think Lightly of Sin

These remarks by Spurgeon in 1897 are just as true today:

Too many think lightly of sin, and therefore think lightly of the Savior. He who has stood before his God, convicted and condemned, with the rope about his neck, is the man to weep for joy when he is pardoned, to hate the evil which has been forgiven him, and to live to the honor of the Redeemer by whose blood he has been cleansed.

--Charles Spurgeon, C.H. Spurgeon Autobiography, Volume 1

Praise for Conversion

Come, Ye That Fear the Lord
Samuel Stennett, 1727-1795

Come, ye that fear the Lord,
And listen, while I tell
How narrowly my feet escaped
The snares of death and hell.

The flattering joys of sense
Assailed my foolish heart,
While Satan with malicious skill
Guided the poisonous dart.

I fell beneath the stroke,
But fell to rise again;
My anguish roused me into life,
And pleasure sprung from pain.

Darkness and shame and grief,
Oppressed my gloomy mind;
I looked around me for relief,
But no relief could find.

At length to God I cried;
He heard my plaintive sigh;
He heard, and instantly He sent
Salvation from on high.

My drooping head He raised;
My bleeding wounds He healed;
Pardoned my sins, and, with a smile,
The gracious pardon sealed.

Oh, may I never forget
The mercy of my God;
Nor ever want a tongue to spread
His loudest praise abroad.

The Given Life

Something to reflect on from the last line of a poem by Wendell Berry:

We live the given life, and not the planned.

--Wendell Berry, A Timbered Choir

Newton on Proofs of Our Depravity

"It is a proof of our depravity that good habits are much more easily lost than acquired, whereas bad habits are acquired with ease but laid aside with difficulty."

"One of the greatest contradictions in human nature, and the very strongest proof of our depravity is, that the communication of extraordinary measures of divine comforts, which in their own nature have a direct tendency to humble, has, through our corruptions, sometimes a contrary effect...."

--John Newton, Letters of John Newton

Let Me Rove No More

Jesus, Friend of Sinners, Hear
Charles Wesley, 1707-1788

Jesus, Friend of Sinners, hear
A feeble creature pray;
From my debt of sin set clear,
For I have nought to pay.
Speak, O speak my kind release,
A poor backsliding soul restore;
Love me freely, seal my peace,
And let me rove no more.

Though my sins as mountains rise,
And swell, and reach to heaven,
Mercy is above the skies,
And I shall stand forgiven.
Mighty is my guilt's increase,
But greater is Thy mercy's store!
Love me freely, seal my peace,
And let me rove no more.

From the oppresive weight of sin,
My struggling spirit free;
Blood and righteousness divine
Can rescue even me.
Holy Spirit, shed Thy grace,
And let me feel the softening shower;
Love me freely, seal my peace,
And let me rove no more.

Comforts and Crosses Work Together

"[B]e not discouraged: usefulness and trials, comforts and crosses, strength and exercise go together. But remember He has said, 'I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee; be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.' When you get to heaven, you will not complain of the way by which the Lord brought you."

--John Newton, Letters of John Newton

Crying from the Depths

Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD! (Psalm 130:1)

"It little matters where we are if we can pray; but prayer is never more real and acceptable than when it rises out of the worst places. Deep places beget deep devotion. Depths of earnestness are stirred by depths of tribulation. Diamonds sparkle most amid the darkness. Prayer de profundis gives to God gloria in excelsis."

--Charles Spureon, The Treasury of David

How To Improve Your Theology

This may not be the answer you expected to read when you saw the title of this post, but it is oh-so true, oh-so needed, and oh-so doable:

The source of all our theology must be the word of God, and so the most obvious but often overlooked way to develop our theology is to read broadly and thoughtfully in the Bible. If you want to improve your systematic theology, ensure that you are regularly reading through the Bible and being constantly exposed to God's thinking about subjects that you would otherwise avoid.

--Phillip Jensen and Paul Grimmond, The Archer and the Arrow

Sweetly Pursuing the Theme of God's Salvation

Sometimes a Light Surprises
William Cowper, 1731-1800

Sometimes a light surprises the Christian while he sings;
It is the Lord, who rises with healing in His wings:
When comforts are declining, He grants the soul again
A season of clear shining, to cheer it after rain.

In holy contemplation we sweetly then pursue
The theme of God’s salvation, and find it ever new.
Set free from present sorrow, we cheerfully can say,
Let the unknown tomorrow bring with it what it may.

It can bring with it nothing but He will bear us through;
Who gives the lilies clothing will clothe His people, too;
Beneath the spreading heavens, no creature but is fed;
And He Who feeds the ravens will give His children bread.

Though vine nor fig tree neither their wonted fruit should bear,
Though all the field should wither, nor flocks nor herds be there;
Yet God the same abiding, His praise shall tune my voice,
For while in Him confiding, I cannot but rejoice.

Hell: Remembering the Awful Reality (New 9Marks eJournal)

The September/October edition of the 9Marks eJournal is available - Hell:Remembering the Awful Reality.

The articles fall under two major categories: (1) pastoral perspectives on hell and (2) hell in biblical and theological perspective. Contributors include Mark Dever, Kevin DeYoung, Sinclair Ferguson, Greg Gilbert, Andrew Naselli, Jim Hamilton, and Gavin Ortlund.

Death by the Ear, Salvation by the Ear

"It was by the ear, by our first parents listening to the serpent that we lost paradise; and it is by the ear, by hearing of the Word, that we get to heaven."

--Thomas Watson

Interview with Phillip Jensen (on preaching)

Below is a video interview with Phillip Jensen in which he discusses preaching, preachers, and listening to preaching (see Monday's post for his new book on preaching). It is just under 30 minutes, but it is worthwhile for preachers and hearers alike. So whether you spend your Lord's Days doing the preaching or listening to the preaching, you will benefit from Jensen's wisdom on this subject.

Phillip Jensen and Kel Richards - Preaching from Audio Advice on Vimeo.

What Is the Bible Basically About?

Combining a portion of Tim Keller's talk at The Gospel Coalition's 2007 national conference and the art of Gustave Dore, Heath McPherson created this little video:

Jesus is the true and better Adam who passed the test in the garden and whose obedience is imputed to us.

Jesus is the true and better Abel who, though innocently slain, has blood now that cries out, not for our condemnation, but for acquittal.

Jesus is the true and better Abraham who answered the call of God to leave all the comfortable and familiar and go out into the void not knowing wither he went to create a new people of God.

Jesus is the true and better Isaac who was not just offered up by his father on the mount but was truly sacrificed for us. And when God said to Abraham, “Now I know you love me because you did not withhold your son, your only son whom you love from me,” now we can look at God taking his son up the mountain and sacrificing him and say, “Now we know that you love us because you did not withhold your son, your only son, whom you love from us.”

Jesus is the true and better Jacob who wrestled and took the blow of justice we deserved, so we, like Jacob, only receive the wounds of grace to wake us up and discipline us.

Jesus is the true and better Joseph who, at the right hand of the king, forgives those who betrayed and sold him and uses his new power to save them.

Jesus is the true and better Moses who stands in the gap between the people and the Lord and who mediates a new covenant.

Jesus is the true and better Rock of Moses who, struck with the rod of God’s justice, now gives us water in the desert.

Jesus is the true and better Job, the truly innocent sufferer, who then intercedes for and saves his stupid friends.

Jesus is the true and better David whose victory becomes his people’s victory, though they never lifted a stone to accomplish it themselves.

Jesus is the true and better Esther who didn’t just risk leaving an earthly palace but lost the ultimate and heavenly one, who didn’t just risk his life, but gave his life to save his people.

Jesus is the true and better Jonah who was cast out into the storm so that we could be brought in.

Jesus is the real Rock of Moses, the real Passover Lamb, innocent, perfect, helpless, slain so the angel of death will pass over us. He’s the true temple, the true prophet, the true priest, the true king, the true sacrifice, the true lamb, the true light, the true bread.

The Bible’s really not about you—it’s about him.

HT: Collin Hansen and Justin Taylor

Phillip Jensen Book on Preaching

Phillip Jensen - the Australian Anglican, mastermind behind Matthias Media, and wonderful example of a faithful preaching ministry - has a new book on preaching, The Archer and the Arrow: Preaching the Very Words of God.

Click here to read some of the blurbs for this new book.

Click here to read Tim Challies' overview of the book.

Unseen, Yet Forever at Hand

A Sov'reign Protector I Have
Augustus Toplady, 1740-1778

A Sov’reign Protector I have,
Unseen, yet forever at hand,
Unchangeably faithful to save,
Almighty to rule and command.
He smiles, and my comforts abound;
His grace as the dew shall descend;
And walls of salvation surround
The soul He delights to defend.

Inspirer and Hearer of prayer,
Thou Shepherd and Guardian of Thine,
My all to Thy covenant care
I sleeping and waking resign.
If Thou art my Shield and my Sun,
The night is no darkness to me;
And fast as my moments roll on,
They bring me but nearer to Thee.

Kind Author, and ground of my hope,
Thee, Thee, for my God I avow;
My glad Ebenezer set up,
And own Thou hast helped me till now.
I muse on the years that are past,
Wherein my defense Thou hast proved;
Nor wilt Thou relinquish at last
A sinner so signally loved!

Connecting Church and Home

The videos from the recent "Connecting Church and Home Conference" at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary are now available. Click here to see them.

Edwards on Pride

Jonathan Edwards on the danger and deceit of pride:

[Pride is] the worst viper that is in the heart...

[Pride is] the greatest disturber of the soul's peace and sweet communion with Christ...

[Pride is] the most hidden, secret and deceitful of all lusts....

What a foolish, silly, miserable, blind, deceived, poor worm am I, when pride works.

--Quoted in Humility: True Greatness, C.J. Mahaney

Sanctification - God's Work, Our Work

"God's working in us [in sanctification] is not suspended because we work, nor our working suspended because God works. Neither is the relation strictly one of co-operation as if God did his part and we did ours so that the conjunction or coordination of both produced the required result. God works in us and we also work. But the relation is that because God works we work."

--John Murray, Redemption Accomplished and Applied

Carl Trueman on Luther's Marks of a Good Preacher

Carl Trueman reflects on Luther's marks of a good preacher:

In Table Talk 2580, Luther outlines the qualifications of a good preacher in a way that is refreshingly practical. I will deal briefly with the first five marks today....

The first five are: ability to teach; possession of a good head; eloquence; clarity of speech; and a good memory. The list is interesting because it focuses first on practicalities, things often lost in the romantic spiritual notions of ministry we often have. In short, the person should be able to think and speak clearly, two traits which are often intimately connected. It seems like common sense, but these basic elements are often neglected by churches, seminaries, sessions, elder boards, presbyteries and classes. To put it bluntly: if you cannot put a decent, clear sentence into English and speak it in a way that others can understand, you are not called to the ministry, no matter how much that inner voice tells you that God is calling you to preach, or your mum tells you you'd make a wonderful pastor.

That does not mean that you cannot be of great use to the church; but clarity of mind and speech are absolutely basic, just as important as godly zeal and sense of call (internal and external), for the office of preacher. We need to be careful that we do not over-spiritualize the call: just as someone with St Vitus' Dance should never be allowed to be a brain surgeon, so the one who cannot speak with coherence and confidence should not be in a pulpit.

HT: Ref21

To Christ for Help I Fly

No Help in Self I Find
John Berridge, 1716-1793

No help in self I find,
And yet have sought it well;
The native treasure of my mind
Is sin and death and hell.

To Christ for help I fly,
The Friend of sinners lost,
A refuge sweet and sure and nigh,
And there is all my trust,

Lord, grant me free access
Unto Thy pierced side,
For there I seek my dwelling place,
And there my guilt would hide.

In every time of need,
My helpless soul defend,
And save me from all evil deed,
And save me to the end.

And when the hour is near
That flesh and heart will fail,
Do Thou in all Thy grace appear,
And bid my faith prevail.

The Death of Sin, The Death of Christ

"There is no death of sin without the death of Christ."

--John Owen, Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers

An Example of Common Grace

My wife and I watched a PBS documentary on Augustus Saint-Gaudens the other night, which was a fascinating reminder of God's common grace. Saint-Gaudens was the premier American sculptor and monument builder of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. His artistic ability was extremely impressive, and his sculptures are simply breathtaking. Among his most famous works are The Shaw Memorial, The Sherman Monument, Diana, Adams Memorial, The Farragut Memorial, The Phillips Brooks Memorial, The Puritan, and his design of American coinage.

Click here to watch "The Shaw Memorial" portion of the documentary (this sculpture probably demonstrates his skill and ability as much as any of his works).

God's Purpose in Showing Us the Evil of Our Own Hearts

"The purpose of God in showing believers the evil of their own hearts is to make them prize more highly the grace and all-sufficiency of Jesus."

--From the Introduction to Letters of John Newton

Pastors: Sheep Feeders or Goat Entertainers?

Strong yet wise counsel for pastors from William Still:

The pastor is called to feed the sheep, even if the sheep do not want to be fed. He is certainly not to become an entertainer of goats. Let goats entertain goats, and let them do it in goatland. You will certainly not turn goats into sheep by pandering to their goatishness. Do we really believe that the Word of God, by His Spirit, changes, as well as maddens men? If we do, to be evangelists and pastors, feeders of sheep, we must be men of the Word of God.

--William Still, The Work of the Pastor

A Fountain That Shall Ne'er Decay

Today the Living Streams of Grace
Samuel Davies, 1723-1761

Today the living streams of grace
Flow to refresh the thirsty soul;
Pardon and life and boundless bliss
In plenteous rivers roll.

Ho, ye that pine away and die,
Come, and your raging thirst allay;
Come all that will, here's rich supply,
A fountain that shall ne'er decay.

"Come all," the blessed Jesus cries,
"Freely My blessings I will give."
The Spirit echoes back the voice,
And bids us freely drink and live.

The saints below, that do but taste,
And saints above, who drink at will,
Cry jointly, "Thirsty sinners! haste,
And drink, the spring's exhaustless still."

Let all that hear the joyful sound,
To spread it through the world unite;
From house to house proclaim it round,
Each man his fellow man invite.

Like thirsty flocks, come let us go;
Come every color, every age;
And while the living waters flow,
Let all their parching thirst assuage.

Congregations Gone Wild

An interesting op-ed from the New York Times about the consumerist desires of so many American congregations (and how they affect pastors).

HT: Tim Challies

A Prayer

Lord, deliver us from the sophisticated pragmatism,

Which plagues and pilfers the purity of Your church.

Forgive us for being prayer-less and therefore powerless,

For being self-reliant to the point of thinking we’re self-sufficient.

Remove the Pharisaical façade of our self-righteousness,

And replace it with blood-bought humility and obedience.

Our Sovereign Fastened to a Tree

Jesus, Whose Blood So Freely Streamed
William Cowper, 1731-1800

Jesus, whose blood so freely streamed
To satisfy the law’s demand;
By Thee from guilt and wrath redeemed,
Before the Father’s face I stand.

To reconcile offending man,
Make Justice drop her angry rod;
What creature could have formed the plan,
Or who fulfill it but our God?

No drop remains of all the curse,
For wretches who deserved the whole;
No arrows dipped in wrath to pierce
The guilty, but returning soul.

Peace by such means so dearly bought,
What rebel could have hoped to see?
Peace by his injured Sovereign wrought,
His Sovereign fastened to a tree.

Now, Lord, Thy feeble worm prepare!
For strife with earth and hell begins;
Conform and gird me for the war;
They hate the soul that hates his sins.

Let them in horrid league agree!
They may assault, they may distress;
But cannot quench Thy love to me,
Nor rob me of the Lord my Peace.

New Hosea Commentary (NICOT)

Andrew Dearman's new commentary on Hosea (NICOT) has just been published, and WTS Books is offering it for 45% off of its list price until August 19th. They are also offering an extra 10% off of every NICOT volume's already discounted price with a purchase of 2 or more (so if someone buys 2 NICOT volumes they will receive an extra 10% off of each).

This is an excellent set of commentaries, and I have yet to be disappointed with any volume I own (but they are expensive, so this is an opportunity to take advantage of getting them at a discounted price).

Here is what folks are saying about this new volume on Hosea.

Mark J. Boda writes:
This is a welcome addition to the NICOT series. Dearman's commentary provides the most recent deep engagement with the ancient text of Hosea the prophet. Dialoguing with the best of scholarship, the commentary offers both detailed exegesis of the text with accompanying translation from the original Hebrew, as well as general overviews at key literary junctures to orient the reader to the progressive development of the book as a whole. Particularly helpful is Dearman's sensitivity to the social context of ancient Israelite households. He restores the vivid metaphorical colors of the book of Hosea long faded by history.

Tremper Longman III writes:
Serious engagement with the book of Hosea now starts with Dearman's commentary.

Bill T. Arnold:
This is a welcome addition to the NICOT series on one of the most important prophets of ancient Israel.... readers will not be disappointed by Dearman's thorough and penetrating exegesis.

Click here to find out more details.

Ray Ortlund on Gospel Militancy

Ray Ortlund had a great post yesterday on Gospel Militancy, explaining how the gospel of loving one's enemy fits with the biblical sentiment accompanied by verses such as Psalm 139:21, "Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD? Do I not loathe those who rise up against you?" Here are the six explanations he gave.

One, gospel militancy is not personally spiteful.

Two, gospel militancy recognizes that Christ has real enemies.

Three, gospel militancy is (1) required by love for Christ and (2) compatible with love for his enemies.

Four, gospel militancy includes self-criticism.

Five, gospel militancy accepts suffering.

Six, gospel militancy is sustained by quiet confidence in the final triumph of Christ.

Click here to read the entire post (and see his elaboration of each point).

Timothy George's Top 5 Biographies of Theologians

Timothy George, founding Dean of Beeson Divinity School, provided a list of his top five biographies of theologians in the August 2010 issue of Christianity Today. Click here to see his list.

Impersonation of C.J. Mahaney

If you've ever seen and/or heard C.J. Mahaney, then you will love this impersonation of him by Jonathan Rourke (which is spot-on). And the fact that C.J. can laugh so hard at himself is a sign of how genuine his humility really is.

Jonathan Rourke as CJ Mahaney from Resolved on Vimeo.

HT: Andy Naselli for Justin Taylor

Having the Relish and Savor and Power of Truth in Our Hearts

To be led into a truth is more than barely to know it; it is to be intimately and experimentally acquainted with it; to be piously and strongly affected with it; not only to have the notion of it in our heads, but the relish and savor and power of it in our hearts.

--Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible

A Woefully Inadequate Understanding of the Ministry of the Holy Spirit

The following quote (a personal confession by Art Azurdia in his book, Spirit Empowered Preaching) is one I can certainly relate to. And my guess is that many of my fellow evangelical pastors can too.

By way of personal reflection I must say that it has been painful for me to acknowledge my woefully inadequate understanding of the ministry of the Holy Spirit. To be brutally honest, over the years my concern has been directed more toward avoiding charismatic excesses than it has been toward rightfully acknowledging the sovereign Spirit as He presents Himself on the pages of His own scriptures. Consequently, the majority of my efforts in pneumatology [the study of the Spirit] have been devoted to establishing what the Spirit does not do, almost to the complete exclusion of establishing the magnificence of His person and the indispensability of His ministry in any positive way (italics mine).

Let us move beyond focusing just on what the Holy Spirit does not do, and let us make every effort to establish the magnificence of His person and the indispensability of His ministry!

Free Audiobook for August

The free audiobook from Christian Audio for the month of August is Tim Keller's Ministries of Mercy.

Thou Callest Burdened Souls to Thee, And Such, O Lord, Am I

Approach, My Soul, The Mercy Seat
John Newton, 1725-1807

Approach, my soul, the mercy seat,
Where Jesus answers prayer;
There humbly fall before his feet,
For none can perish there.

Thy promise is my only plea;
With this I venture nigh;
Thou callest burdened souls to Thee,
And such, O Lord, am I.

Bowed down beneath a load of sin;
By Satan sorely pressed;
By wars without and fears within,
I come to Thee for rest.

Be Thou my shield and hiding place,
That, sheltered near Thy side,
I may my fierce accuser face,
And tell him Thou hast died.

O wondrous love! to bleed and die;
To bear the cross and shame;
That guitly sinners such as I,
Might plead Thy gracious name.

Poor tempest-tossed soul, be still;
My promised grace receive;
I'll work in thee both power and will;
Thou shalt in me believe.

Reasons to Leave a Church

Jason Helopoulos has a great guest post on Kevin DeYoung's blog related to reasons for leaving a church. I'll summarize them below, but it would be worth reading his entire post for further discussion and clarification of the reasons he provides.

Good Reasons for Moving On - The Four P's

1) Providential moving

2) Planting another church

3) Purity has been lost

4) Peace of the church is in jeopardy due to my presence

Possible Reasons for Moving On - The Three S's

1) Spouse

2) Special Needs

3) Special Gifts

Reasons Often Used Which Are Insufficient

1) Children's ministry

2) Buzz

3) Youth group

4) Church has changed

5) New pastor

6) I'm not being ministered to

7) Music

Russell Moore on "Christ and Katrina"

The feature article in the July/August issue of Touchstone is Russell Moore's "Christ and Katrina." It is a haunting yet hallowed reflection on the five-year anniversary of Katrina and how that "apocalyptic event" affected his hometown of Biloxi, Mississippi - as well as his theology. You can read the entire article online here.

Two Quotes to Caution Against Misguided Methodology

Many churches' strategies and methods for outreach are well-intentioned but often misguided. Here are two quotes that caution against such misguided methodology.

What you win them with is what you'll keep them with.
(Mark Dever)

If reaching people "where they are" appears to endorse "where they are," then it is the most significant strategic error the church can possibly make....When the church approaches an individual as a consumer to be pleased, rather than as a recalcitrant sinner to be rescued, the church is no longer doing what it is called to do. (David Gordon)

Poetic Excess

From the Quodlibet section of the July/August issue of Touchstone (by Peter Leithart):

Poetry is a concentrated excess of language. Concentrated, because it always means more than it says. Excessive, because it always says more than it needs to say, because in many cases it need not be said at all.

Concentration: "The Lord is my shepherd" is a simple declarative sentence, but it unlatches a window on an alternative world, in which God is a shepherd, men are sheep, lives are pathways, providential discipline is a rod, and so forth.

Excess: Andrew Marvell could have said: "It's late, and we're going to die, so let's make love now." What he said was, "Had we but world enough and time,/this coyness, Lady, were no crime," and then went on to speak of the Ganges, the conversion of the Jews, worms and decaying corpses, and the cherubic (or Apollonian) chariot of time pressing close.

No wonder God chose to write so much of his own book in poetry.

Debtors to Mercy

A Debtor to Mercy Alone
Augustus Toplady, 1740-1778

A debtor to mercy alone,
Of covenant mercy I sing;
Nor fear, with Thy righteousness on,
My person and off’ring to bring.
The terrors of law and of God
With me can have nothing to do;
My Savior’s obedience and blood
Hide all my transgressions from view.

The work which His goodness began,
The arm of His strength will complete;
His promise is Yea and Amen,
And never was forfeited yet.
Things future, nor things that are now,
Nor all things below or above,
Can make Him His purpose forgo,
Or sever my soul from His love.

My name from the palms of His hands
Eternity will not erase;
Impressed on His heart it remains,
In marks of indelible grace.
Yes, I to the end shall endure,
As sure as the earnest is giv’n;
More happy, but not more secure,
The glorified spirits in Heav’n.

Thanks to my friend, Ron Boud, for reminding me of this great hymn!

The Usefulness of the Doctrine of Sin

“…[It] cannot but be extremely useful to let men see what sin is: how prodigiously vile, how deadly mischievous, and therefore how monstrously ugly and odious a thing sin is. Thus a way may be made: (1) For admiring the free and rich grace of God (2) For believing in our Lord Jesus Christ (3) For vindicating the holy, just and good law of God, and his condemnation of sinners for breaking it (4) For hating sin, and repenting for and from it, thereby taking a holy, just and good revenge on it and ourselves (5) That we may love and serve God at a better rate than we ever did in the little and short time of innocence itself (6) And, lastly, that this black spot may serve to set off the admirable, incomparable and transcendent beauty of holiness.”

--Ralph Venning, The Sinfulness of Sin

Spurgeon on the Necessity of Preaching with Power from on High

"I shall not attempt to teach a tiger the virtues of vegetarianism; but I shall as hopefully attempt that task as I would try to convince an unregenerate man of the truths revealed by God concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment to come. These spiritual truths are repugnant to carnal men, and the carnal mind cannot receive the things of God. Gospel truth is diametrically opposed to fallen nature; and if I have not a power much stronger than that which lies in moral suasion, or in my own explanations and arguments, I have undertaken a task in which I am sure of defeat. . . Except the Lord endow us with power from on high, our labor must be in vain, and our hopes must end in disappointment."

--Charles Spurgeon, An All-Round Ministry: Addresses to Ministers and Students

Interview with Justin Taylor

The 9Marks blog has an interview with Justin Taylor, whose own blog is one of the most helpful and beneficial stops on the web for evangelicals (in my opinion). If you are not familiar with Taylor or his blog, you can learn a great deal from this interview.

A Book on the Importance of Congregational Singing

My friend, Paul Clark, has written a book that is the product of years' worth of researching, reflecting on, practicing, theologizing about, and leading congregational singing. Tune My Heart to Sing Thy Grace: Worship Renewal through Congregational Singing will be of great benefit to any pastor and/or worship leader, and hopefully it will have the effect on countless churches that its subtitle proclaims. Paul has been writing about worship in a weekly newsletter for pastors, ministers of music, and worship leaders for years. I have always wished a wider audience could read his reflections and learn from him. With this book, that now can happen.

Here is what people are saying about the book:

Paul Clark is a church musician who is equally committed to the glory of God, the building up of his church, and using the best of creativity of the past and present to look towards the future. I cannot recommend him highly enough.

--Keith Getty, Christian artist, lecturer, and modern hymn writer

Worship involves a rhythm of revelation and response, and this book beautifully reflects that reality. Paul Clark reveals biblical, theological foundations for radically God-centered worship, and then he gives us clear, practical guidance for how God's people respond congregationally to God's greatness. I wholeheartedly recommend this book for pastors, worship music leaders, and Christians who long to see God-honoring, Christ-exalting, Spirit-led worship in the church.

--David Platt, PhD, Senior Pastor, The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, AL

In Tune My Heart to Sing Thy Grace, Paul Clark has crafted a powerful book on congregational singing. Writing out of a heart that has been richly shaped by God's mercy, Clark provides a roadmap through the story of song in the Bible and church history. From years of consultation with churches, he offers sage advice for how individuals and churches can "retune" their singing. I needed the "retuning" this book provided - and you probably do too!

--Dr. Reggie Kidd, Professor of New Testament, Reformed Theological Seminary

Dr. Clark serves as the director of worship and music ministries for the Tennessee Baptist Convention and blogs at Tune My Heart to Sing Thy Grace. To order the book, click here.

Sweet Truth, and Easy to Repeat!

When Darkness Long Has Veiled My Mind
William Cowper, 1731-1800

When darkness long has veiled my mind,
And smiling day once more appears,
Then, my Redeemer, then I find
The folly of my doubts and fears.

I chide my unbelieving heart,
And blush that I should ever be
Thus prone to act so base a part,
Or harbor one hard thought of Thee.

O let me then at length be taught
(What I am still so slow to learn)
That God is love, and changes not,
Nor knows the shadow of a turn.

Sweet truth, and easy to repeat!
But when my faith is sharply tried,
I find myself a learner yet,
Unskillful, weak, and apt to slide.

But, O my Lord, one look from Thee
Subdues the disobedient will;
Drives doubt and discontent away,
And Thy rebellious worm is still.

Thou art ready to forgive
As I am ready to repine;
Thou, therefore, all the praise receive;
Be shame and self-abhorrence mine.

The Gospel and Personal Honesty

An excellent (and helpful) quote from Tim Keller in the Journal of Biblical Counseling:

The gospel gives you psychological freedom to handle the wrong things that you will do. You won’t have to deny, spin, or repress the truth about yourself... Only with the support of hearing Jesus say, “You are capable of terrible things, but I am absolutely, unconditionally committed to you,” will you be able to be honest with yourself.

HT: 9Marks Blog

Song Shapes Theology

The following quote is a reminder why we must be so careful and diligent in choosing the songs we sing in church:

It is well known that the character of its song, almost equal with the character of its preaching, controls the theology of a church.

--From the preface of the Trinity Hymnal