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$.99 Kindle SALE ~ Study, Savor and Share Scripture: Becoming What We Behold

Sit down in your favorite chair, put your feet up and learn How to Study the Bible and trace the one big storyline of the bible from beginning to end.  My wife’s book  is available on Amazon for $.99 in the Kindle version, which includes many links to great websites and resources. It’s on sale from 6 a.m. July 13 to midnight July 19.  Here’s the Amazon description of the book:

Maybe you’ve read the Bible but want to dig deeper and know God and know yourself better. Throughout the book I use the analogy of making a quilt to show how the Bible is telling one big story about what God is doing in the world through Christ. Quilting takes much patience and precision, but the result is something beautiful that you can use, display or give to others for warmth and comfort. Hopefully this book is an accessible resource – somewhere between Sunday school and a seminary level of education. I hope orderly systematic folks as well as free spirits can use this tool since we desire both form and function as well as beauty. Wouldn’t it be great if along our own Emmaus road we said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while He talked to us on the road, while He opened to us the Scriptures?” Luke 24:32 Continue reading →


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$.99 Kindle SALE ~ Study, Savor and Share Scripture: Becoming What We Behold

Put your feet up, get under a warm quilt and learn How to Study the Bible and trace the one big storyline of the bible from beginning to end.  My wife’s book  is available on Amazon for $.99 in the Kindle version, which includes many links to great websites and resources. It’s on sale from 6 a.m. January 9 to midnight January 15.  Here’s the Amazon description of the book:

Maybe you’ve read the Bible but want to dig deeper and know God and know yourself better. Throughout the book I use the analogy of making a quilt to show how the Bible is telling one big story about what God is doing in the world through Christ. Quilting takes much patience and precision, but the result is something beautiful that you can use, display or give to others for warmth and comfort. Hopefully this book is an accessible resource – somewhere between Sunday school and a seminary level of education. I hope orderly systematic folks as well as free spirits can use this tool since we desire both form and function as well as beauty. Wouldn’t it be great if along our own Emmaus road we said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while He talked to us on the road, while He opened to us the Scriptures?” Luke 24:32 Continue reading →


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Tammy’s New Book ~ Study, Savor and Share Scripture: Becoming What We Behold

My wife just published a book about How to Study the Bible and trace the one big storyline of the bible from beginning to end. It is available on Amazon for $9.99 in a Kindle or Paperback version. She would recommend purchasing the Kindle version, because it includes so many links to great websites and resources. Here’s the Amazon description of the book:

Maybe you’ve read the Bible but want to dig deeper and know God and know yourself better. Throughout the book I use the analogy of making a quilt to show how the Bible is telling one big story about what God is doing in the world through Christ. Quilting takes much patience and precision, but the result is something beautiful that you can use, display or give to others for warmth and comfort. Hopefully this book is an accessible resource – somewhere between Sunday school and a seminary level of education. I hope orderly systematic folks as well as free spirits can use this tool since we desire both form and function as well as beauty. Wouldn’t it be great if along our own Emmaus road we said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while He talked to us on the road, while He opened to us the Scriptures?” Luke 24:32

Our Main Book Divisions will be COMPREHENSION, INTERPRETATION, APPLICATION and then SHARING. We will work from the text to understand what the original author intended the original audience to know, and travel from there through the cross of Christ before we apply the text to ourselves.

So, from your Head (Comprehension) to your Heart (Interpretation) to your Hands (Application and Sharing) let’s start our journey. Let’s learn how to study the Bible together, and pray that our hearts and minds will be transformed by our glimpses at our Almighty God as He has revealed Himself to us in His Word. Hopefully this book can be used to help equip all of us to Study, Savor and Share the Scripture.

 


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THIS & THAT: A Weekly Roundup of Favorite Articles and Quotes

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  • More interesting article links about Christian Living, Great Q & A, Theology and Recommended Resources
  • Favorite Quotes of the Week

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THIS & THAT: A Weekly Roundup of Favorite Articles and Quotes

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  • More interesting article links about The Reformation, Christian Living, Good Questions and Thinking Theologically
  • Favorite Quotes of the Week

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THIS & THAT: A Weekly Roundup of Favorite Articles and Quotes

  • New CBS Sitcom ‘Living Biblically’ Brings Faith to Primetime. Brett McCracken writes “Living Biblically wants to be a comedy that both Christians and atheists can watch and laugh at—one that provokes both sides without belittling or dismissing them. This is not an easy task, and we’ll see if the show maintains this balance, without feeling boring or neutered, for the rest of the season.”
  • Christian College Thanks God for Victory in 5-Year Religious Rights Battle. “In a stunning turn of events, and some would add an answer to prayer, Wheaton College won a five-year battle against the contraceptive mandate implemented under the Obama administration’s Affordable Care Act.”
  • Wheaton College’s Courageous Stance Leads to Religious Liberty Victory. Joe Carter writes “Wheaton did the hard thing, the unpopular thing, because they refused to compromise on what the school stands for. For their boldness they deserve the praise and admiration of those of us who still believe that we answer to a higher authority than the federal government.”
  • Restoring the Justice System. America now boasts the highest rate of incarceration in the world, but even more alarming are the system’s endemic injustices. Minority communities are far more afflicted by the justice system, a reality that affects the psyches of the children who grow up in them. Additionally, our system treats you much better if you’re rich and guilty than if you are poor and innocent. Bryan Stevenson, author of Just Mercy, my top book of 2017 believes these realities are fundamentally changing our world, and he’s devoted his life’s work to finding solutions.
  • Parental Rights: A Casualty of the Transgender Revolution. Andrew T. Walker writes “This case should never have risen to the level it did. That it even reached a judge is a clear example of Big Brother confusing its role with that of Mom and Dad. It sets a precedent that puts not only the natural family but the well-being of children at risk.”
  • Actual Girl Scout Cookies Marketing Meeting. John Crist breaks down Girl Scout Cookies and their marketing plan.

Courtesy of World Magazine

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THIS & THAT: A Weekly Roundup of Favorite Articles and Quotes

  • Preventing Sexual Abuse in the Church. In this Gospel Coalition roundtable discussion, Scotty Smith, Trillia Newbell and Justin Holcomb discuss how churches can more intentionally and effectively preempt sexual abuse.
  • Rachael Denhollander’s Cry for Justice in the Church.David Murray writes about Christianity Today’s interview with Rachael Denhollander, “What’s the biggest lesson church leaders must take from this? It’s that ignoring and covering up abuse is just as serious and sinful as the abuse.”
  • Authority and Its Abuse. Shai Linne writes “Brothers, we must realize pride is at the root of every abuse of authority—in the home, in the workplace, in the church, everywhere. We must also realize humility is the key to avoiding it. Surely this is Peter’s point in 1 Peter 5:5—“Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ‚God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’”
  • Eldership. Paul Levy writes “These are 4 articles on Eldership by the Rev. Eric Alexander, who was formerly Minister of St George’s Tron Church Glasgow.”
  • Preachers Are Servants, Not Celebrities: What I Learned from Charles Spurgeon. Alistair Begg, General Editor of the excellent new Spurgeon Study Bible, writes “I first heard the name “Spurgeon” as a young boy in Scotland. However, when I became a man, and began to read his sermons and writings, he endeared himself to me even more. Today, as a minister, I find in his work and life a wonderful example of what it means to be a preacher of the gospel.”
  • Why Should Churches Prioritize Racial Harmony? In this three-minute video, Matt Chandler, pastor of the Village Church, discusses the importance of racial harmony as an implication of the gospel.
  • We’re Not Called to Contextualize the Gospel – but to Proclaim It! Steve Camp writes “At its most base level, contextualization is about proclaiming the gospel to a specific audience group without violating the truth claims of Scripture. To some, it is the attempt to make Jesus relatable by making the gospel germane; to others it is about more effectively making those truth claims lucid and salient.”
  • Do You Love the Church?  R.C. Sproul writes “Do we love the church? I doubt if there have been many times in our history when there has been as much anger, hostility, disappointment, and disillusionment with the institutional church as there is today. It’s hard not to be critical of the church because in many ways the church has failed us. But if the church has failed, that means we have failed. We are called to serve the church in the power of God the Holy Spirit.”

Doug Michael’s Cartoon of the Week

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THIS & THAT and Favorite Quotes of the Week

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Courtesy of World Magazine

Courtesy of World Magazine

CURRENT EVENTS:

  • Last week I had a great time in Atlanta with team members located there. We enjoyed the Escape Room as a team building exercise. Tammy and I worshipped at Passion City Church where Crowder led worship. We enjoyed the city and the people we met there, but definitely not the traffic.
  • Why Tim Keller, Max Lucado, and Hundreds of Evangelical Leaders Oppose Trump’s Refugee Ban. Jeremy Weber writes “More than 500 conservative evangelical pastors and leaders representing all 50 states are urging President Donald Trump to reverse his temporary ban on refugee resettlement.”
  • Most Refugees Who Enter the U.S. as Religious Minorities are Christians. Katayoun Kishi writes “A little over a third of the refugees who were admitted into the United States in fiscal 2016 (37%) were religious minorities in their home countries. Of those, 61% were Christians, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of data from the State Department’s Refugee Processing Center.”
  • The Boy Scouts Succumb to Radical Gender Ideology. Denny Burk writes “I can’t help but grieve that the Boy Scouts are going along with this radical redefinition of what it means to be a boy. They are making a big mistake in this, and it will be one that hurts not only their organization but also the very boys they wish to serve.”
  • 7 Ways to Do Political Punditry Wrong in a Polarized World. Kevin DeYoung writes “Perhaps a look at the negative will point us in a positive direction. Let’s briefly consider seven ways to do political punditry wrong in a polarized world.”

CHRISTIAN AUTHORS & FILM:

  • Henri Nouwen’s Weakness Was His Strength. Wesley Hill writes “Before Brené Brown appeared on the TED stage, before spiritual counseling and small group ministry in evangelical parachurch ministries had encouraged believers to disclose more of their doubts and insecurities, before movements like the charismatic Cursillo and the contemplative Taizé and Renovaré had gone mainstream, Nouwen was already advocating a spirituality that took its cue from Christ’s nail-scarred risen body.”
  • C.S. Lewis’s View of Women, and How He’s Impacted My Thinking. Randy Alcorn writes “The following questions and answers are from my contribution to Women and C. S. Lewis: What His Life and Literature Reveal for Today’s Culture, edited by Carolyn Curtis and Mary Pomroy Key. I highly recommend this unique and well-reviewed book, which has excellent contributions by 26 others, including Alister McGrath and Kathy Keller.”
  • Trapped: A Short Film on Teen Unplanned Pregnancy. Randy Alcorn writes “Most prolife films are short clips or movie length, and unfortunately, the short ones don’t allow viewers much time to experience the emotions or to ponder. This one, on the other hand, has a large amount of silence, allowing for contemplation. The fact that the air doesn’t get filled with words helps listeners draw their own conclusions based on the obvious facts.” Watch the 20-minute film.
  • silenceOn Silence and More. Steven Garber writes “The best stories always tell the truth of the human condition, the truth about who we are, so the heart of a good story is that we can see ourselves, both the glory and the ruin of the human heart. And that is the main reason Silence is a story for all of us, if we have ears to hear.”

DOCTRINE AND CHURCH LIFE:

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THIS & THAT and Favorite Quotes of the Week

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CHRISTIAN LIVING:anxiety

  • Some Things You Should Know About Christians Who Struggle With Anxiety. Adam Ford, who makes us laugh at The Babylon Bee, writes “For 7 years I have lived with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, and Social Anxiety. It has completely changed my life.”
  • Recovering the Lost Art of Encouragement. Scott Sauls writes “Sometimes love calls us to be courageous, because it takes courage to offer a redemptive critique.”
  • What Would What God Say to Your Anxiety? Dave Radford writes “Look back to your life now. See your current set of troubles through past and future lenses, and add these other promises to the mix. This is what Scripture says is true of you now. “
  • Lay Aside the Weight of Moodiness. Jon Bloom writes “The quickest way to lay aside the weight of manipulative moodiness is to wield our mood in the way God designed it: as a gauge of our belief. We must query our mood. What is fueling it?”
  • He Came to Save Sinners. Richard Phillips writes “Do you realize that this is what the world truly needs—to have its sins taken away and to be reconciled to God? Do you realize that this is your great need?”
  • The Exhausting Task of Finding Yourself and Your Best Life Now. Trevin Wax writes “Christianity has a fresh message for an exhausted generation pursuing happiness: salvation doesn’t come from mustering up your willpower and making your mark on the world, but in recognizing your dependence on God and receiving the mark He made on the world in the person of Jesus Christ.”
  • Five Natural Ways to Get to the Gospel. Jimmy Needham writes “Consider these common categories or starting places for the next time you’re in conversation with a not-yet-believing friend or stranger.”
  • Secret Wisdom in the Wake of Suffering. Marshall Segal writes “In the face of devastating news, our gut reaction and temptation might be to doubt God or run from him. But heart-wrenching wisdom and understanding are not found anywhere deep inside ourselves or somewhere far from God, but woven into his wise and sovereign love for us.”
  • Plan Now to Die Well. John Piper writes “As a minister of the word of God, I have always thought that part of my calling is to help people die well.”
  • Your First Breath After Death.  Marshall Segal writes “The best thing about that first breath will be that we are finally breathing face to face with our God.”
  • Vanity Fair and Worldliness. In this less than five-minute video exercept from his excellent series The Pilgrim’s Progress: A Guided Tour, Derek Thomas explains worldliness and the temptations of Vanity Fair.
  • Time to Refuel. St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainright writes “When we find ourselves in a dry spell in our relationship with Jesus Christ, we need to persevere and train ourselves to get back into the swing of things.”
  • Knowing When It’s Time for a Personal Retreat with Jesus. Scotty Smith prays “Lord Jesus, fortunately I’m not totally “toast,” yet; but it’s definitely time for me to spend some unrushed, uncluttered time away with you.”
  • John MacArthur’s Tips on Self-Discipline. Jordan Standridge writes “Even though we may not be as busy as John Macarthur we should all strive to live disciplined lives. I believe these 8 tips will help us in our mission to please Christ with our time.”
  • 10 Practical Ways to Boost Your Energy Level. Michael Hyatt writes “Your energy level doesn’t have to remain low. You have more control than you think. But you have to be deliberate in managing it.”
  • If You Don’t Fight Lust. John Piper writes “Jesus said, if you don’t fight lust, you won’t go to heaven. Not that saints always succeed. The issue is that we resolve to fight, not that we succeed flawlessly.”
  • Blessed are the Peacemakers. R.C. Sproul writes “The making of peace is one of the most important motifs of all of Scripture.”

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THIS & THAT and Favorite Quotes of the Week

 

this.n.that-small                   lebron james

 IN THE NEWS:

  • LeBron James closed his eyes and began vocalizing various imprecatory Psalms Friday night during the postgame interview, appealing to God directly into the microphone, asking him to utterly destroy the Golden State Warriors and their leader, Stephen Curry. http://babylonbee.com/news/lebron-james-invokes-imprecatory-psalms-curry-warriors-postgame-interview/ From The Babylon Bee ~ Your Trusted Source For Christian News Satire.
  • The Toxic Lie of Me Before You. In discussing the new film Me Before You, based on a popular book, Samuel James writes “Moyes, the novel’s author, acknowledges that she was motivated at least in part by her sympathy for patients who desire assisted suicide. “There are no right answers. It’s a completely individual thing,” she explained. “I hope what the story does, whether it’s the book or film, is make people think twice before judging other people’s choices.”
  • Mel Gibson Planning The Passion of the Christ Braveheart screenwriter Randall Wallace says he is writing a follow-up to the biblical blockbuster that will focus on the resurrection of Jesus.
  • Can We Talk? Why I Think a Trump Presidency is Intolerable Even Though You Might Not Agree. Thabiti Anyabwile writes “This post is for that larger percentage of the Christian public that actually feels little threat from differing opinion, even benefits from it. This post is for folks who can affirm a brother as a brother while pushing back—even pushing back hard.”
Courtesy of World Magazine

Courtesy of World Magazine

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