Friday is For Feeding Your E-Reader 8.3.12

In my opinion one of the best and most helpful books ever written is John Owen’s The Mortification of Sin.  Justin Taylor and Kelly Kapic have edited and occasionally updated three classic works of John Owen in Overcoming Sin and Temptation. 

For $3.99 your a silly person not to buy this. 

I do not aspire to Becoming God’s True Woman, so I haven’t read this book.  But my wife tells me good things from Nancy Leigh DeMoss and I trust her.  You may want to get this one whose aim is to help women reclaim “God-given beauty, wonder, and treasure of their distinctive calling and mission.

Only $2.99

It seems like there are a decent amount of these overview of the Bible story books coming out.  Though I haven’t read this one judging from the contributors Understanding the Big Picture of the Bible is probably one of the better ones.

Yours for only $2.99

One of my favorite people from the halls of church history is Robert Murray McCheyne.  (“Borrowed Light” actually derives it’s name from a McCheyne quote).  I am happy that his biography written by his good friend Andrew Bonar is available in illustrated version

for only $1.00

Spoons In Your Fridge

“Nikki!  What in the world are you doing?  You can’t do that!”  I gently said to my dear wife. 

She had just committed an unpardonable sin in my home of origin.  She…are you ready for my unveiling of her dastardly crime…she…left a…spoon…in our leftovers…and…oh the humanity!…put said bowl and spoon…in the refrigerator!!!

Apparently, she is hell bent on killing our entire family.  At least that is the way that I was raised to think.  Nikki in tears of laughter—or maybe pain, I never can tell—informed me that this little spoon rule was nothing more than an old wives tale.  I think she also began taunting me by sticking the spoon in the fridge and then her mouth. 

As I began thinking about this I realized that it is a little ludicrous.  But, after some research, I discovered that my mother is not totally insane.  At least not on this point.  Or at least she wouldn’t have been insane about 50 years ago.  It is maybe possible somewhat likely that a copper or aluminum spoon could actually cause some problems with your food if left in leftovers in your fridge and consumed later.  Problem is we no longer use aluminum spoons and the ones that we have in our home could be left in the fridge for weeks and never do any damage. 

So, I lived for a good 25 years of my life with a death fear of spoons placed in a refrigerator.  This was life changing information for me. 

Sin, Familiarity, and Light

What is the point of this story?  As Charles Bridges has said

Indeed it is the fearful property of sin to hide its own character and tendency.  The blindness increases in proportion to our familiarity with it.  (Commentary on Proverbs 14:12, page 177)

I never realized that my fear of spoons and refrigerators was woefully misinformed until I was placed outside my family of origin and entered the world of another.  Because of my familiarity with this spoon rule my blindness was never exposed.  It’s the same way with sin.

As Bridges states sin doesn’t like to show itself for what it is.  Sin likes to hide in the dark and make you think it isn’t there.  Or at least it makes itself not seem so bad as it exposes it’s half truth but masks its deadly poison.  The more familiar we are with these particular sins the less likely we are to see them for what they really are. 

Because of this tendency of sin three things are absolutely necessary for living the Christian life.  The darkness of sin is only exposed by:

1. The light of the Word
2. The light of the Spirit
3. The light of the redeemed community

We need the church, the Scriptures, and the work of the Spirit to overcome the blindness to our sin.  May we be like David who said, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” 

And then may we be bold enough to place ourselves under the light of the Word, the Spirit and the redeemed community. 

Today in Blogworld 8.3.12

Eight Things to Help You Understand Introverts

Thom Rainer, an introvert himself, wrote awhile back about introverts in leadership.  Now he offers 8 statements to help people understand introverts a little better.

FREE Andrew Fuller Biography

Piper’s biography of Andrew Fuller is now free online.  In other news I am taking a class on Andrew Fuller this fall that I am super excited about.  I’ve been intrigued by his life and work for awhile and now I’m glad to be forced to dig deep into his work. 

The Three R’s of Christian Engagement in the Culture War

In response to the Chick-fil-A fiasco and the culture war that we find ourselves entrenched in, Kevin DeYoung offers three R’s for the Christian’s engagement: No Retreat, No Reversal, No Reviling.  Read the whole thing…

Does Proverbs Teach “the Health, Wealth, and Prosperity Gospel?” 

Prosperity teachers love the Proverbs, because, let’s be honest they do contain multiple promises of health, wealth, and prosperity to those that live in the fear of God.  David Murray, however, says that there is a world of difference between Gospel Prosperity and the Prosperity Gospel. 

You’ve gotta love Ralph Wiggums:

(HT: 22 Words)

Wrestling and Genuine Trust

I’m reading through The Wounded Heart by Dan Allender.  I’m finally on the section of the book that provides steps for growth and shines the light on redemption in Jesus.  I found this statement really helpful and wanted to share it with you:

It is frighteningly easy to appear trusting when in fact one is simply dead (in denial of wounds, hunger, or struggle of the heart)…Genuine trust involves allowing another to matter and have an impact in our lives.  For that reason, many who hate and do battle with God trust Him more deeply than those whose complacent faith permits an abstract and motionless stance before Him.  Those who trust God most are those whose faith permits them to risk wrestling with Him over the deepest questions of life.  Good hearts are captured in a divine wrestling match; fearful, doubting hearts stay clear of the mat.

I’m very grateful for a God that doggedly pursues me even when everything within me is screaming out “leave me alone”!  He’s too good to do that, and I’m grateful. 

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On a side note if you have ever experienced abuse or have loved ones in your life that have then Dan Allender’s book The Wounded Heart: Hope for Adult Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse is a good read. 

Jesus, So Much More than a Gentleman

God’s a gentleman.  He won’t force himself upon you.  He will not do what you do not ask Him to.  So, you have to ask.  It’s your choice.  It’s your decision.  God won’t make it for you. 

I’ve heard those types of phrases numerous times.  This may surprise you, coming from a Calvinist like myself, but theologically I agree with those statements when it comes to the point of repentance and faith.  God doesn’t believe for us.  God doesn’t repent for us.  And He’s not going to take you kicking and screaming into heaven. 

So, yeah I guess in some respects I agree with those statements. 

Problem is, I honestly don’t know why they are necessary words to say.  Is it so that the sinner knows that she has to respond to God’s grace?  If so, why not just say what the Bible does and urge her to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus today?  Why is it necessary to give Jesus a top-hat and a monocle and turn him into a namby-pamby gentleman that’ll never do anything that we don’t ask him to?

Not a Gentleman But a Warrior

I’ve been dealing with quite a bit lately.  The Lord has chosen this season in my life to open up old wounds and to go into deep dark places in my soul that I never wanted light to shine.  Yet he’s doing that.  He’s tearing me to pieces and making me feel things and think about things and remember things that I never wanted to.  He’s…dare I say it…forcing me to be authentic and honest. 

And so in the spirit of honesty, I have to say, that if Jesus is such a gentleman I’m in deep trouble.  I say that because as He is opening up these dark recesses in my heart there are times when I’m shaking my fist at God and screaming at Him to leave me alone! 

And I guess a gentleman would do just that.  He’d let me deal with things on my terms and not his.  When I scream out “leave me alone” He would listen and just wait for me to heal and wait until I am ready for this barrage of somewhat unwanted emotions.  He’d allow me to keep things in the dark and never actually address them.

But Jesus isn’t merely a gentleman.  He’s a devoted lover.  He’s a faithful friend.  He’s the Lord of the universe and He’s staking claim on my soul.  I don’t need a gentleman, I need a warrior.  I need a warrior that will break my rebellion and will refuse not to have my heart.  I need love.  I need a God that will overcome my stubborn rebellion with His relentless love. 

Yeah, I understand telling unbelievers that they need to respond in repentance and faith and the work of God.  And I firmly believe that the Lord is powerful and wise and holy and good and He works in such a way that He changes our desire to be what they ought to be.  He woos us in such a way that we do really substantially turn to Him. 

I believe whole-heartedly that what God is doing in my own heart is a dedicated and unstopping work of changing my desires to fit what is holy.  He’s bringing light where there is darkness. 

Just as the Spirit took Jesus into the wilderness I feel that the Lord is leading me into the darkest parts of my being.  And what I’m finding there isn’t only death.  It’s life.  It’s light.  It’s not a gentleman Jesus that’s asking my permission before opening every door.  It’s a warrior that is the Lord whose saying, “Mike, we’re going to deal with this stuff”.  And he’s ripping and tearing.  He’s healing and comforting.  He’s proving Himself to be both Lord and Savior. 

I’m glad Jesus is so much more than gentleman.