CALLING ALL ‘PIPETTES’!

•  John Piper’s new book Seeing Beauty and Saying Beautifully: The Power of Poetic Effort in the Work of George Herbert, George Whitefield, and C. S. Lewis, the sixth book in the The Swans Are Not Silent series, will be released May 31.
• Here is an interesting post from Desiring God titled “Is Tim Keller Weak on Wrath”? – http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/is-tim-keller-weak-on-wrath
• Read this thought-provoking article “Will America Be Judged?” from John Piper: http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/will-america-be-judged
• And speaking of Piper, you can download a PDF free of his book When I Don’t Desire God: How to Fight for Joy here: http://www.desiringgod.org/books/when-i-dont-desire-god

~ THIS AND THAT ~

• Christianaudio’s book of the month is A Normal Christian Life by Watchman Nee. Watchman Nee was a Christian teacher and leader imprisoned, persecuted, and martyred for his faith in China. His best-known book, A Normal Christian Life, unfolds the path of the Christian faith and the eternal purpose of God in simple terms. To find out how to download your copy, go to:  http://www.christianaudio.com/free/?utm_source=HomePage&utm_medium=InternalBanner&utm_campaign=CAFreeBook

• The God Girl Bible and God Guy Bible, now available in the ESV translation, are devotional Bibles geared especially for teens (or some preteens). Hayley and Michael DiMarco, authors of several bestselling books for young men and women, have packed these Bibles with devotionals and book introductions alongside the Bible text. Both editions also include special prayers, a subject index, reading plans, a glossary of key words, and character profiles of men and women in the Bible.

• Dave Ramsey will release Smart Money Smart Kids: Raising the Next Generation to Win with Money, written with his daughter Rachel Cruze, on April 22.

• Popular Mitford series author Jan Karon returns with a new novel on September 2: Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good. Here’s a description of the book: After five hectic years of retirement from Lord’s Chapel, Father Tim Kavanagh returns with his wife, Cynthia, from a so-called pleasure trip to the land of his Irish ancestors.
  While glad to be at home in Mitford, something is definitely missing: a pulpit. But when he’s offered one, he decides he doesn’t want it. Maybe he’s lost his passion.
  His adopted son, Dooley, wrestles with his own passion—for the beautiful and gifted Lace Turner, and his vision to become a successful country vet. Dooley’s brother, Sammy, still enraged by his mother’s abandonment, destroys one of Father Tim’s prized possessions. And Hope Murphy, owner of Happy Endings bookstore, struggles with the potential loss of her unborn child and her hard-won business.
  All this as Wanda’s Feel Good Café opens, a romance catches fire through an Internet word game, their former mayor hatches a reelection campaign to throw the bums out, and the weekly Muse poses a probing inquiry: Does Mitford still take care of its own?
  Millions of fans will applaud the chance to spend time, once more, in the often comic and utterly human presence of Jan Karon’s characters. Indeed, they have never been more sympathetic, bighearted, and engaging.

• I had a wonderful week at Covenant Seminary a few Januarys back with Carl Trueman as he taught a class on B.B. Warfield. Check out his article on the book Jesus Calling by Sarah Young: http://www.reformation21.org/blog/2014/02/jesus-calling.php

• Ligonier Ministries has released a new teaching series on the attributes of God by Teaching Fellow Steven Lawson.  In the 16-part teaching series, The Attributes of God, Lawson articulates a biblical understanding of divine attributes and explores how a right understanding of God can affect every aspect of our lives. The series is available in both audio and video formats.  http://www.ligonier.org/blog/attributes-god-new-teaching-series-steven-lawson/

• I found this listing of the world’s most admired companies of interest. Do any of those on the list surprise you? Anyone you feel should be on there? Let us know. See the listing here: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/most-admired/2014/snapshots/670.html?iid=wma14_lp_arrow1

• Dr. Albert Mohler recently spoke at Brigham Young University. Read what Dr. Mohler writes about that here: http://www.albertmohler.com/2014/02/25/strengthen-the-things-that-remain-human-dignity-human-rights-and-human-flourishing-in-a-dangerous-age-an-address-at-brigham-young-university/

• There are three upcoming films of interest to Christians – Son of God, Noah and Moses. Check out this article from Ken Ham regarding content concerns with Noah: http://blogs.answersingenesis.org/blogs/ken-ham/2013/11/19/dont-be-taken-in-by-the-noah-movies-promotion/

• Noise Trade is offering a free download from NEEDTOBREATHE. Check it out here: http://www.noisetrade.com/needtobreathe/live-from-austin-city-limits

• I found this article by Kevin Trax “Are We Missing the Point of Frozen’s “Let it Go”? to be of interest: http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevinwax/2014/02/17/missing-the-point-of-frozens-let-it-go/

• tobyMac, Skillet, Lecrae, Capital Kings, Tedashii and We As Human will bring the Summer Shed Tour to St. Louis May 9 at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre for a 6:00 pm concert.

• Jars of Clay will release Inlandia, the remix project March 4. Inland was one of my top albums of 2013.

• Ravinia in Highland Park announced their 2014 concert lineup on February 27. It’s my favorite place to see a concert, and like no other. We’ve seen James Taylor and John Hiatt there in the past.  JT returns for two dates this summer (June 26-27). Check out the entire schedule at: http://www.ravinia.org/Calendar

• U2 performed a beautiful version of their “Ordinary Love” song from the film Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom on at the 86^th Academy Awards ea. The song was nominated for best song. Check it out here: http://www.u2.com/news/title/ordinary-love-live-at-the-oscars

• The 2014 Academy Awards were given out on March 2. Here is a list of the winners: http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2014/03/02/2014-academy-awards-winners-list/5900341/

• And speaking of U2 and the Oscars, here is Benedict Cumberbatch  (among other things, the voice of the dragon in The Hobbit), photobombing U2 on the red carpet at the Oscars.

 

~ UPDATED PAGES ON THE BLOG ~

Reflections on My Covenant Seminary Classes with Scotty Smith

Movie Review –  Son of God, rated PG-13

Book Review – Does Prayer Change Things? (Crucial Questions Series No. 3) by R.C. Sproul

New to the Leadership Library – The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey. Fifteenth Anniversary Edition. Audiobook read by Stephen R. Covey. 2004.

Quotable:  I am never better than when I am brought to lie at the foot of the cross. – George Whitefield