CHRISTIAN LIVING:

• A Prayer for Acknowledging Our Performance-ism and Perfectionism. Here’s a prayer from Scotty Smith, who I was blessed to enjoy two wonderful classes with at Covenant Seminary. This particular prayer hits pretty close to home for me.
• What Not to Ask Someone Suffering. Nancy Guthrie cautions us not to ask “How are You Doing” to someone who is grieving the loss of someone. She offers other things you can say however.
• Your Joy Rests in Jesus’ Righteousness. David Mathis of Desiring God writes “What if you really believed that God is 100% for you? That he not only accepts you, but accepts you fully, because of the perfect person and work of his Son? That your best successes can’t earn you any more access, and your worst failures can’t take any of it away? If you did — really did — it might change everything for the pursuit of joy in your life.”
• When Orphan Care Goes Bad: Russell Moore on why Adoption is not for Everyone. Russell Moore writes “Adoption is a beautiful, life-giving act, when taken up by those called to and equipped for it. But it does a child no good to be brought into a family that has counted their blessings but hasn’t counted the cost.”
• A Good Mentor Slows You Down. Mike Leake writes “This is what a good mentor will do. He/she will lovingly slow down us young whippersnappers. If you are the young gun wanting to change the world keep that passion—but temper it with wise mentors.”
• Why Doesn’t God Just Remove Our Sin Cravings Immediately? J.D. Greear writes “So when you are tempted to despair because you continue to struggle, remember what God is doing through your circumstances.”
• Overcoming Pornography: Choosing Obedience. Randy Alcorn writes “Numerous studies have shown that a majority of men who profess to be Christians view pornographic images in any given week. Countless believers are in bondage to this sinful behavior and many feel hopeless about being able to overcome it. We’re in a battle—big time—and we need a strategy to have victory in this area of sexual temptation. This is a spiritual battle (Eph. 6:12), but as children of God, we are equipped to win it (1 Cor. 10:13).” In this first of three articles on the subject Alcorn looks at the first step of choosing obedience.
• Isn’t the Christian View of Sexuality Dangerous and Harmful? Sam Allberry writes “The gospel shows us that there is forgiveness for all who have sinned sexually, and it liberates us from the mindset that sex is intrinsic to human fulfillment. That no one need to cast all his happiness on his sexual fortunes is not bad news, but good news. It’s not the path to harm, but to wholeness.”
• The Bible and Homosexuality: Wrong and Right Lessons. Rick Phillips writes “Here, then, is the right lesson to learn from the various churches urging tolerance towards homosexual sin: instead of learning to surrender biblical truth to a sinful culture, we should be bold in standing firm on the clear teaching of God’s Word, humbling ourselves before God by refusing to compromise with worldly unbelief and seeking his power to use our faithful to witness for the repentance and salvation of many through faith in Jesus Christ.”
• Three Lectures from Russell Moore on Engaging the Culture without Losing the Gospel. Russell Moore, President of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, recently delivered the Spring 2015 Gheens Lecture Series on the campus of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
• A Gospel-Focused Reenergizing of Politics. Russell Moore writes “American evangelicals are, sometimes frantically, trying to adjust to an increasingly post-Christian America. We can no longer pretend that we are a “moral majority,” sharing “values” with the American mainstream. In a quest to differentiate themselves from the activism of previous generations, some younger evangelicals wish to retreat into a libertarian cultural isolationism, and some wish to adjust to the ambient culture. Those who wish to retreat are wrong. Pulling back from politics or cultural engagement is the wrong approach. What we need is actually a reenergizing of politics.”
• Do You Pay Your Taxes Joyfully? Tim Challies writes “I believe that there are at least two reasons that we are to pay taxes to the authorities. There is practical value in paying taxes and there is also a kind of important symbolic value.”

BIBLE READING, WORSHIP AND THEOLOGY:

• The Seven Last Sayings of Christ. Over the next two weeks John MacArthur will be looking at each of Jesus’ last sayings from the cross. Here he starts with His plea for forgiveness.
• How to Read the Bible for Yourself. John Piper offers three helpful suggestions.
• Worship According to the Word. Albert Mohler writes “We will either recover the biblical vision of true Christian worship, or we will slide into some form of pagan worship. There is no third option.”
• Why Sing Sad Songs When I Don’t Feel Sad? Matthew Westerholm lists four reasons why it is appropriate, and even necessary, for Christians to lament, whether in a corporate worship setting or in private prayer.
• God The Savior Of All? Does God save everyone? See this article from David Murray.
• Jonah’s Final Lesson. John MacArthur writes “Like Jonah, we might be tempted to allow our own fears, prejudices, or selfish interests to inhibit our gospel witness. But when we prioritize the gospel message over our own personal agendas, we bring glory to God as we advance His kingdom purposes throughout the world.”
• Relentless. Paul Trip writes “God is angry, and his anger is relentless.”
• The Lesser Known Lloyd-Jones. Jeff Robinson writes that “Two areas seem to receive much less attention when it comes to Lloyd-Jones, though they were major themes in his preaching ministry: evangelism and revival.”

IN THE NEWS:

• Aaron Schock’s Resignation from Congress. J.C. Derrick of World Magazine reports “Schock, once seen as a rising star in the Republican Party, came to Washington in 2009 at age 27—meeting the age requirement by just two years. He was then the youngest person in Congress and the first born in the 1980s. He talked a lot about his faith and ethics in a 2009 WORLD profile, but questionable decisions are precisely what led to his demise.” Here’s another article on the resignation from the Washington Post.
• Is There a Diversity Dividend? David Murray writes “The majority of the post-Ferguson conversation and writing has focused on quotas, legislation, rehashing the past, and guilting people and churches into change. Surely we can build a much more positive case for biblical diversity by demonstrating the future spiritual profit we can enjoy in our lives, families, and churches.”
• Jeb Bush, 20 Years After Conversion, Is Guided by His Catholic Faith. Michael Paulson of the New York Times, writes ““Twenty years after Mr. Bush converted to Catholicism, the religion of his wife, following a difficult and unsuccessful political campaign that had put a strain on his marriage, his faith has become a central element of the way he shapes his life and frames his views on public policy.”
• The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has approved a new definition of marriage that includes gay marriage. No surprise here. The denomination is now the largest Protestant group to recognize same-sex marriage as Christian and allow same-sex weddings churchwide. In light of this news, the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), the denomination in which I serve as an elder, affirmed Biblical marriage.
  

  Courtesy of World Magazine

MUSIC:

• Casting Crowns Lead Singer Recovering from Cancer Surgery. Casting Crowns lead singer Mark Hall is now recovering following surgery to remove one of his kidneys, after doctors detected a mass in that kidney.
• NEEDTOBREATHE and Switchfoot at Six Flags St. Louis. Two of my favorite bands will play the theme park on July 25 as a part of their Tour De Compadres.
• Paul McCartney will Induct Ringo Starr into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. As it should be.
• New Brian Wilson Song. Watch the legendary Brian Wilson perform his new song performing one of its tracks with a very special guest:  Capital Cities‘ Sebu, who stopped by Wilson’s recent show at the Venetian in Las Vegas to help out on the new song “Runaway Dancer.”

BOOKS:

• What is the Measure of a Great Book? Tim Challies writes “So I paused and began to think of the books that have caused me to stop and to pray, to put down the book and to go straight to the Lord. And here are just a few of them.”
• Why Did Christianity Grow? Kevin DeYoung shares thirteen key points from Rodney Stark’s book The Rise of Christianity.
• New Luther Biography. Eric Metaxas is my favorite writer of biographies. His current best-seller is Miracles and his next book is 7 Women (September 8). I was excited to hear that he is working on a new biography of the great reformer Martin Luther.

TO MAKE YOU SMILE:

Rock, Paper, Scissors Pie. Did you see Jennifer Garner and Jimmy Fallon play this game recently on The Tonight Show? 

Favorite Quotes of the Week ~ 3.22.2015

• You beat suffering by Who you trust in your suffering. Tim Trouten

• Why should we think that we wouldn’t have a cross to carry? Are we somehow more deserving than our Lord? Kevin DeYoung

• If Christ could make a complaint, it would be, “My bride never talks to me. R.C. Sproul

• Good leaders must communicate vision clearly, creatively, and continually. However, the vision doesn’t come alive until the leader models it. John Maxwell
• When we try and use fear or pride to stop from sinning, we are forgetting that we sin because of either fear or pride. Tim Keller

• The only thing that we have earned at the hands of perfect justice is perfect punishment. R.C. Sproul

• No one can hate you in this life more than Jesus was hated. Kevin DeYoung

• If He has said much about prayer, it is because He knows we have much need of it. Charles Spurgeon

• Jesus, help want to forgive the people who may never acknowledge they have harmed us. Scotty Smith

• A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way. John Maxwell

• The leader who takes absolute credit for success will not successfully lead a team for long. Eric Geiger

• It’s easy to be an educated fool. R.C. Sproul

• An argument may remove doubt, but only the Holy Spirit can convict of truth. Ravi Zacharias

• Be more concerned with your character than your reputation because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are. John Wooden

• The fear of conflict is almost always a sign of problems. Patrick Lencioni

• Nowhere in Scripture do we find doctrine studied for its own sake or in isolation from life. Wayne Grudem

• There are some needs only you can see, some hands only you can hold and some people only you can reach. Tim Keller

• The hub of Christianity is not “do something for Jesus.” The hub of Christianity is “Jesus has done everything for you. Tullian Tchividjian
• It’s not convincing to say you are a child of God if you have none of the characteristics of your Father. Kevin DeYoung

• In heaven we shall see that we had not one trial too many. Charles Spurgeon

• People don’t want to commit until they have clarity, but clarity comes with movement. Michael Hyatt

• People drift from generation to generation, and the morally unthinkable becomes thinkable as the years move on. Francis Schaeffer

• You don’t walk out of the concentration camp of sin. You kill the guards, and cut the wire, and run till you’re out of range. John Piper

• Deceit is the foundation of sin. Jonathan Edwards

• Being a child of God means confidence, but it never means complacency. Kevin DeYoung

• Evil may mar the divine image and cloud its brilliance, but it cannot destroy it. R.C. Sproul

• The greater the preoccupation with the beauty of Jesus, the more clearly we will know how to deal with our brokenness. Scotty Smith

• Denying self isn’t a one-time thing, but a daily task. Trip Lee

• Wise leaders get uneasy when a church begins to feel too comfortable. Eric Geiger

• All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity & importance & should be undertaken with painstaking excellence. Martin Luther King Jr.
• Grace runs best through people who know they’re broken. Tullian Tchividjian

• It is right to enjoy your work. “The Christian honors God when, like God himself, he takes pleasure in what he does. Paul Helm
• The purpose of prayer and of God’s call in your life isn’t to make you number one in the world’s eyes but to make Him number one in your life. Ravi Zacharias

• God’s concern is for His name, His glory, His people, His unfolding eternal purpose and for His Kingdom. Alistair Begg

• Marriage does not so much bring you into confrontation with your spouse as confront you with yourself. Tim Keller

• Where your delight is, the rest of your world is going to follow. Matt Chandler

• There’s one reason why you should walk away from whatever temptation you’re facing right now: God is better. Francis Chan

• We live not toward victory, but from the victory that Christ has already accomplished for us. Sin cannot reign over us because Christ is King! Michael Horton

• We become like what we focus upon. Fix your eyes upon Christ and be conformed into His image. Steven Lawson

• If your reformed theology enables you to rationalize your apathy towards prayer, evangelism, and mercy ministry, it’s not reformed theology. Burk Parsons

• Great leaders inspire, they don’t manipulate. Andy Mineo

• To be great at whatever it is that you do, it’s going to take some discipline to separate yourself from the average. Andy Andrews

• It’s really hard to be a servant leader because we come into this world as a baby in a self-survival mode. Life is a journey toward service. Ken Blanchard

• Who God is and what Christ did have huge implications for who we are personally and what we desire sexually. David Platt

• Every threatening of God, as well as every promise shall be fulfilled. Charles Spurgeon

• We are saved by grace, through faith in Christ alone! And since there is no room for human merit there can be no grounds for human boasting! Steve Camp

• Leaders don’t ever “arrive.” If we ever think we’re done, we are done! Mark Miller
• Because He freely owned my guilt I may freely own my sin. Guilty as charged, and yet, not guilty at all. R.C. Sproul Jr.