CHRISTIAN LIFE:

• A Prayer for Knowing God’s Presence in the Storm(s). Here’s a wonderful prayer from our friend Scotty Smith.
• 10 Things Every Christian Should Know about Islam. Zane Pratt writes “Islam is a fast-growing religion, especially in the Western world. Christians increasingly need to be aware of Islam and, most importantly, how to engage its adherents with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Here are 10 things I learned about Islam during my 20 years as a missionary in a Muslim-majority country.”
• May Grace and Peace Be Multiplied to You. John Piper shares seven important implications the words “May grace and peace be multiplied to you” have for our lives.
• We’re All Called. The Only Questions are ‘Where’ and ‘How’”? J.D. Greear writes “God made you good at something. So do what you do well for the glory of God. And do it somewhere strategic for the mission of God.” Watch this short video.
• The Heresy of Racial Superiority — Confronting the Past, and Confronting the Truth. Albert Mohler writes “The ideology of racial superiority is one of the saddest and most sordid evidences of the Fall and its horrifying effects.”
• Ten Reasons Racism is Offensive to God. Kevin DeYoung offers ten biblical reasons why racism is a sin and offensive to God.
• What Charleston Should Remind Us About Forgiveness and Justice. Russell Moore writes “When we forgive we do not overlook or excuse sin. We are not saying that now everything is “okay.” Instead we are confessing that judgment is coming, and we can trust the One who judged justly more than we can trust ourselves.”
• A Prayer for Days When You’re Overwhelmed with Grief and Anger. Here’s another wonderful prayer from Scotty Smith.

CHURCH LIFE:

• Anatomy of a Sick Church – 10 Symptoms to Watch. Thom S. Rainer writes “While there are many potential symptoms of a sick church, I have found ten to be consistently common. These ten are not listed in any particular order.”
• An Appeal to Elders. Carl Trueman writes “The task of the elder is to pastor the pastor.  If they do not do it, nobody else will.”
• When Leaders Fall, All Are Punished. In light of another high profile Reformed pastor’s resignation as a result of moral failure, Marshall Segal writes “The collapse of a leader’s ministry does not signal the collapse of Christ’s church. No, not even hell can prevail against her (Matthew 16:18). Heaven is not thrown into crisis with a scandal, however shocking or hard the fall.”
• Books to Read in the Ministry. During the 2015 Inerrancy Summit, three Banner Trustees (Ian Hamilton, Iain Murray and Sinclair Ferguson) addressed a gathering of seminary students on the topic of ‘Books to Read in the Ministry’. Steven Lawson, a professor of expository preaching at The Masters’ Seminary, introduced the students to the Trustees present and to the ongoing work of the Banner. Listen to a one-hour audio recording of the address, which includes 20 plus book recommendations and a “Question and Answer” period between the students and the trustees.
• Workers for Your Joy: Why Christ Gave Us Leaders. David Mathis writes “Christian leadership exists for the joy of the church. Such a vision changes everything, first for pastors and then for their people.”

RESOURCES:

• Suffering Is Not For Nothing: A Teaching Series by Elisabeth Elliot. This teaching series was originally released on VHS in 1989, and is now available to stream for free.
• Francis Chan Podcast. Francis Chan’s new Crazy Love podcast launched on iTunes on June 18.

JUST FOR FUN:

• The Definitive Ranking of Pixar Movies. Kelly Lawler ranks the Pixar films from 15 to 1. Agree?
• I bet after you eat a camel you are so thirsty. Jim Gaffigan
• At this point people should announce when they are not running for president.  Jim Gaffigan
• We can all look at life and agree that there are some parts that have no purpose—like neckties or cats. Matt Chandler
• If the college you visit has a bookstore filled with t-shirts rather than books, find another college. Albert Mohler

Favorite Quotes of the Week 6.28.15

CURRENT THEOLOGIANS:

• Welcome to the valley of the shadow of death…thank God grace reigns here. Tullian Tchividjian   (after he admitted to committing adultery and resigned as lead pastor at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church).

• There is a danger that grace can become a topic we discuss rather than a power we experience. Heath Lambert

• I find that if I pray for the people I’m most angry with, my anger turns into something more redemptive. Jack Miller

• If God is not at the center of your life, something else is. Tim Keller

• Faith is not primarily a function of how you feel. Faith is living out, trusting, and believing what truth is despite what you feel. Tim Keller

• We’ve replaced the proclamation of Christ with an easy-listening legalism of do more and try harder. R. C. Sproul

• The God of popular religion is not holy. R.C. Sproul

• Jesus, many of us know what holiness is not; but we need you to show us what holiness IS. Help us to discover the beauty of gospel-holiness. Scotty Smith

• The Father did not require the death of Christ to persuade Him to love us. Christ died because the Father loves us. Sinclair Ferguson

• A quiet heart is content with what God gives. It is enough. All is grace. Elisabeth Elliot

• The greatest work God ever performs was not the creation of the universe out of nothing, but is the new creation of saints out of sinners. Steven Lawson

• The Bible knows nothing of a healthy Christian who does not or will not pray. Tim Challies
• Every time you get on your knees and pray to God, ‘Holy’ keeps the respect and reverence while ‘Father’ brings Him close & intimate. Ravi Zacharias
•  We should be so joyful from God’s grace that others would respond by saying, ‘I wish I had your God. Francis Chan
• We want awesomeness more than we want faithfulness. Michael Horton

• Grace has uprooted us from a barren wilderness of sin and transplanted us by streams of living water. Steven Lawson

• Charleston was where America split apart in 1861. Maybe it’s where America comes together in 2015. Russell Moore

• Sin claims to free but in fact it kills. Mark Dever

• Correct division should be preferred over corrupt unity. Mark Dever

• Prayer is the burden of revival; repentance is the breakthrough of revival; evangelism is the blessing of revival; holiness is the bounty of revival. Steve Camp

• God’s will is what we would choose if we knew what God knows. Nancy Leigh DeMoss 

• God is not embarrassed by his wrath or ashamed of his judgment, so we shouldn’t be either. Thabiti Anyabwile
• True maturity does not mean repenting less. It means repenting more, and repenting more quickly. Scott Sauls 

THEOLOGIANS FROM THE PAST:

• The eternal everlasting God has become our Father and the moment we realize that, it transforms everything. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

• Spiritual depression or unhappiness in the Christian life is very often due to our failure to realize the greatness of the gospel. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones.

• The whole man is involved, the mind, the heart and the will, and a common cause of spiritual depression is the failure to realize that the Christian life is a whole life, a balanced life. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

• The Holy Spirit is the bond by which Christ efficaciously unites us to himself. John Calvin

• Unless men establish their complete happiness in God, they will never give themselves truly and sincerely to him. John Calvin

• He makes those just who are unjust, forgives those who deserve to be punished, and favors those who deserve no favor. Charles Spurgeon

• However little we may be, if we are the Lord’s, we may rejoice that we are preserved in Christ Jesus. Charles Spurgeon

• The God who has been sufficient until now, should be trusted to the end. Charles Spurgeon

• To me, Calvinism means the placing of the eternal God at the head of all things. Charles Spurgeon

• Sin is not so sweet in the committing as it is heavy and bitter in the reckoning. Richard Sibbes

• We should take our discouragements as means of grace. Andrew Bonar There are many persons that seem to be converted, that are not so really. Don’t rest in any appearance of grace. Jonathan Edwards

• Free will without God’s grace is not free at all, but is the permanent bondservant of evil, since it cannot turn itself to good. Martin Luther