Reading List! (June 30, 2015)

Finished this month:

Captivated: Beholding the Mystery of Jesus’ Death and Resurrection by Thabiti Anyabwile

This is a short book (95 pages) so a quick read and yet really great thoughts and meditations on the death and resurrection of Christ. Great reminders and very encouraging to me as I seek to fix my eyes on Christ and walk in Him – it’s all because of what He’s done! His death means the death of death, and His resurrection means victory and life for all who believe. What hope, what joy we have!

Get it here. 

 

“To be turned face-to-face with God the Father is the Bible’s idea of the highest possible blessing and happiness.” (p. 36)

“Life lived in light of the resurrection realizes that knowing Jesus and being with Jesus is the greatest possible future.” (p. 66)

Trusting God - even when life hurts by Jerry Bridges

“God will never allow any action against you that is not in accord with His will for you. And His will is always directed to our good.” (p. 71)

It’s really hard to believe that sometimes. This is one of those books, that when you’re actually going through what it’s talking about (ie. your life really does hurt) that it’s really hard to read. But this book is just so packed with so much truth and in the end I was so very encouraged! God CAN be trusted. This book will remind you of that. 

Get it here. 

“I knew the truth regarding God’s sovereignty. What I had to do was decide if I would trust Him, even when my heart ached. I realized anew that, just as we must learn to obey God one choice at a time, we must also learn to trust God one circumstance at a time. Trusting God is not a matter of my feelings but of my will. I never feel like trusting God… but I can choose to do so even when I don’t feel like it. That act of belief of the will, though, must be based on belief, and belief must be based on truth.” (p. 52)

“The good that He brings about is often different from the good we envision.” (p. 120)

Faith on Trial: Psalm 73 by Martyn Lloyd-Jones

This books is based on a sermon series by Martyn Lloyd-Jones, who is one a preacher/writter that I really like. We all have them… those times when everyone else seems to be doing better, and even those who reject God are prospering and loving life yet here we are suffering. We struggle with life’s seemingly unfairness and are tempted to question God’s love and goodness.  Come along the psalmists as he shares his journey of questioning God to trusting and praising Him. 

Get it here. 

 “All our troubles are ultimately due to the fact that we are governed by our feelings and our hearts and sensibilities instead of by clear thinking and the honest facing of things before God.” (p. 103)

“The greatest of all blessings is just to know God and to be in His presence.” (p. 158)

Infant Baptism & the Covenant of Grace by Paul Jewett

Great book! Super interesting! Paul Jewett writes from a Covenantal perspective against infant baptism (which is rather rare). I came away better understanding the paedobaptist view of baptism and being better equipped to argue against it. He is very balanced in his view of Scripture and correctly sees that it is progressing. “Paedobaptists tend to be insensitive to the movement of revelation from the broader dimension of Old Testament externalism to the deeper dimension of New Testament inwardness.” (p. 228) The types in the OT are fulfilled spiritually in the NT, it’s a spiritual kingdom and a spiritual family we are apart of now. Baptism belongs to those who have themselves professed faith in Christ, and to those only. To baptize infants takes away its meaning – it’s symbolism of what God has already done inwardly. 

Get it here. 

“But in the New Testament, the only way to become a member of the church is not by natural birth [or baptism] but by a new birth.” (p. 223)

 “Since there are no longer covenant blessings in an external sense [i.e. land], there is no justification in giving the covenant sign to those who are our children in an external sense, that is, our children according to the flesh.” (p. 235)

Free Indeed by Dr. Richard Ganz

This was a very thought-provoking book. How easily we can become slaves of our own hearts, slaves of other people’s convictions or opinions. What does it mean that Christ has set us free? How is this freedom to be attained? How is it to be lived out? The truth is that we have been set free from many things and this is a GLORIOUS truth! At the same time though we are set free from sin/self/the world to be under the authority of Christ. True freedom is found in surrender to the One for whom we were made. Only then will we experience the freedom and joy we seek.  It is for freedom that Christ has made us free!

(Note: there were a few minor things I’m not sure I totally agreed with [just because sometimes I’m super picky theologically], but I would still recommend you reading it. It gave me a LOT to think about in regards to my own life.) Get it here.

“The knowledge of God presupposes our ability to be excellent. When we aren’t excellent, we are lying about God. That is why disobedience and sin in general is so serious… The call to perfection is not meant to break us, but to move us into the realm where the knowledge of God is continually infused into our lives.” (p. 95)

“The joy and freedom of the Christian life is always available, but it is only available as we live in obedience to Him.” (p. 97)

The Believer’s Sabbath by John G. Reisinger

This is just a short booklet on what the Sabbath means to us as New Covenant believers. The 7^th day of creation shows God resting from His work. Sin however interrupted this rest and humanity lost its ability to have eternal rest. The Sabbath law was instituted in Exodus as a pre-Gospel of sin the rest that was to come through the Messiah. And when Christ did come and complete the work of salvation He restored unto His people this eternal rest. What joy!

Get it here.

                                                                                                  

Currently Reading:

Draw the Circle by Mark Batterson

The Law of Christ by Charles Leiter

Additional books I want to read this next month:

A Praying Life by Paul Miller

He Heals the BrokenHearted

Sometimes life breaks our heart. Maybe a person let us down, maybe hopes and dreams were dashed, maybe sickness ruined our plans, maybe death took away our loved one, whatever it might be life sometimes leaves us with wounds that can’t be fixed with a band aid. I know what it’s like to hurt, to lose, to wish that life could just be over so the pain would stop. It was amidst this deep darkness and emotional pain that someone told me, “Amelia, I know it’s hard to believe this right now, but the pain will leave. Be patient, keep holding on, God will heal you.” It was hard to believe. When you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel life is very, very discouraging. But in the midst of the storm going on inside of me, I had a rock, and His name was Jesus. Even though I didn’t understand, even though I struggled, I held on to that fragment of faith I had left.

And then God did heal me. It took over a year and a half, but God healed me. One day I suddenly realized there was no underlying sense of sadness and grief anymore. Gone was the weight that had so long pulled me down to despair. And while I still sometimes wonder “why”, I don’t doubt His goodness anymore. I cried then, but these were no longer tears of sadness, rather, tears of happiness. How faithful God had been to me! He had restored me, healed my heart even though I knew I didn’t deserve it. Surely I didn’t. I wish I could say I responded to my trial better, I wish I could say I had a joyful heart and accepted whatever God brought into my life, but I didn’t. I was angry and bitter, and there were times where I was practically pushing Him away. But you know what? He wouldn’t let me go. I was honest with God and vented my anger and bitterness, but then He would gently remind me that He was God, He was my Creator and being angry with Him was not OK. He convicted me ever so gently of my unbelief and doubt and I had to admit that I was actually sinning in my response and cry out to Him to rescue and restore me. Deep down God had placed in me a faith that would never fail and through His grace, even in my darkest times when I felt like I was at the end of my “faith” rope, even then I was given strength to hang on. I am so thankful that God’s grace is sovereign enough to keep me even when I fail and strong enough to heal us when we are broken. I love this quote from Charles Spurgeon: "God is too good to be unkind, too wise to be mistaken; and when you cannot trace His hand, you can trust His heart."  

Perhaps you are in a waiting time right now… perhaps you wonder if the healing will ever come, if you will ever “get over it”, if you will ever really feel happy again. While there are some things that God may see fit to leave us with for the rest of our lives, God does promise to heal our hearts, to strengthen our faith, to equip us to stand in the midst of difficulty. Friend, let my story encourage you – God heals the brokenhearted. He does! Let the song below encourage you…. I would often put it on repeat and listen to it over and over again. He is faithful. Hold on. He will come and He will heal your heart.  

Reading List! (May 31, 2015)

Finished this month:

Spurgeon’s Sorrows by Zack Eswine

This book was so, SO encouraging! If you struggle with depression or if you have never struggled with it you need to read this book! For those suffering it gives some great comfort and encouragement and for those who want to help it will give you great insight and ways you can understand and truly help those struggling.

 

The Set Apart Woman by Leslie Ludy

Such a wonderful book! Written for women single or married this will be a great encouragement to you in your walk with Christ. I was greatly encouraged and reminded of so many things that help us in our walk with Christ. Filled with thoughtful advice on how to build godly habits and thoughts on how to view your “self”, your time and your interests and what you should be focusing on. Also counsel on how to train your mind to say no to/put off negative, ungodly or unhelpful thoughts and learn to set your mind on the things of God and on the truth of His Word. And over all, how the Gospel needs to be the foundation of everything in our lives.

“We ask God to give us the desires of our hearts, all the while forgetting that He should always be the chief desire of our hearts.” (p. 141, emphasis hers)

“Far too many of us spend the majority of our prayer and quiet times meditating upon ow we feel rather than upon who God is.” (p. 60)

“We’ve been conditioned to believe that self-promotion is right and good, but as set-apart women, we are called by God to forget ourselves and let all our own interests become swallowed up in Him. We are not to see the highest place, but the lowest one.” (p. 119)

I also finished reading Psychology & Christianity: Five Views (edited by Eric L. Johnson) which I was reading for a class. Very interesting and I understand the different perspectives better now. But “Biblical Counseling” by far gives us the view with the highest view of God and Scripture and I think also helps to see man’s sufferings the clearest. 

Currently Reading:

Trusting God (even when life hurts) by Jerry Bridges (re-reading this one because sometimes, trusting God is really, really hard).

Additional books I want to read this next month:

Captivated: Beholding the Mystery of Jesus’ Death and Resurrection by Thabiti Anyabwile

Faith on Trial: Psalm 73 by Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Infant Baptism & the Covenant of Grace by Paul Jewett (This is written by a Covenant-theologian [CT], but he is anti-infant baptism and most CT believe in infant baptism. I don’t agree with CT or infant baptism but going to a Presbyterian seminary this fall I’m reading it to better understand it.)

Compassion, Justice, and the Death Penalty

 I value life…. and I support the death penalty. To many this may seem like an oxymoron. How can you value life and support someone being put to death?

I find it ironic in our society how the very people who are strongly against the death penalty are often the same people who are in support of abortion. Talk about an oxymoron. They value life (they say) but if it’s an unborn baby it doesn’t count. They want the guilty murderer to live and let the innocent child die. Show a little humanity, they argue. But what about the humanity that was thoughtlessly killed? No, if you truly value life you will value the life that is taken, you will value innocence and condemn the guilty. This is how the death penalty actually values life and takes it seriously… it values the life that was murderously taken. Someone might argue should we not value all life regardless of what they’ve done? Certainly, that is why we do need to have compassion and love for the murderer. But what about justice for the one murdered? For their family who lost a loved one? Should not true and just punishment be given? For justice to be true justice, the punishment must fit the crime.

The death penalty is a principle that pre-dates even the Mosaic law. Genesis 9:6 says, "Whoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God He made man.” (Gen 9:6). The fact that man is made in the image of God makes murder a crime worthy of equal punishment. You take the life of an image-bearer, you forfeit your own life. In the Mosaic law itself it is written, “Moreover you shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death, but he shall surely be put to death.” (Num 35:31) In other words, when it comes to murder there should be no parole, no second chance, no opportunity for you to “make it up” some other way. And before the current century when people were sentenced to death they were taken straight outside and executed immediately. Today that punishment is delayed and sometimes doesn’t end up happening at all. But delayed punishment is not true justice. We need to accept the fact that for crime there is punishment, and that the punishment ought to 1) fit the crime, and 2) be immediate.

Certainly there are exceptions. Moses murdered. David murdered. Neither of them were put to death. But then, God is also a God of grace and the fact that He chose to give these two murders grace is something to praise Him for. He gives grace when we don’t deserve it! In the case of Moses and David, they both suffered as a result of their sin. Both came to realize the depths of what they had done and repented of it. David wrote a whole poem about how God convicted him of his sin (see Psalm 51). The Gospel sets us free from the spiritual consequence of sin, but the physical/temporal consequences we will still experience to some degree. Because God granted some exceptions does that mean that the death penalty should no longer be given? No. We are not under God’s direct rule. For the sake of morality and for the good of our society just punishment needs to be given out to those who do wrong. Now, I certainly agree that the justice system in our country is greatly flawed in many ways. But where the justice department is seeking to uphold justice than we ought to support it.

I love people, even those who murder. I have compassion on those whose circumstances, genetics, families have helped to mold them into a criminal. But they still made choices. Pray for them I will, but because I value the lives they wrongly took I will uphold the death penalty. I take life seriously, and so should you. 

Reading List! (April 30, 2015)

Finished this month:
 

Lord, I Just Want to Be Happy by Leslie Vernick

This was a great book with some good encouragement and advice for those struggling with depression or who are just not feeling too happy about life (I can so relate!). Life can be really hard, there are disappointments; things disrupt our plans and dreams. So many things can discourage us, failure, unfulfilled expectations, health problems, etc. Especially for those who are more naturally pessimistic it can be hard to see the good in suffering. But often we are just looking at life all wrong and not viewing circumstances, people, ourselves and God in their proper place. What it comes down to most of the time is that we “need to trust that God is good and he knows best” (p. 111).

Note: There were a few spots in this book where theologically I disagreed just a tiny bit, but in general it was a fine book and you will be encouraged through it. 

“Disappointment can lead us out of illusion and into truth and reality. Sorrow teaches us to let go of our attachments to false or lesser things and to seek after God.” (p. 35)

“Sometimes we don’t know why, but we can still choose to thank God for who he is, even if we don’t understand him.” (p. 223)

Secure in the Everlasting Arms by Elisabeth Elliot

I love Elisabeth Elliot! Through all she suffered and went through she has such confidence and faith in the Lord that just inspires me. No matter what happens we are secure in God’s loving, sovereign arms.

“It is tempting to imagine that, given a different lot in life, circumstances other than those in which we find ourselves, we would make much greater strides in holiness. The truth is that the place where we are is God’s schoolroom, not somewhere else. Here we may be conformed to the likeness of Christ.” (p. 131, emphasis hers)

“…one’s commitment to God – a total self-abandonment – is perquisite to hearing. When we wonder how God will do a thing this may spring from spiritual lust: I must have an explanation! We demand an answer when we ought to pray for a deeper confidence in Him who is the answer.” (p. 101)

Men Who Met God by A.W. Tozer

It’s by Tozer, what other explanation for this book do you need? Seriously though, great short book on some men in the Bible who had personal encounters with God and it totally changed them. We today need personal encounters with God. Likely it won’t be a physical appearance or anything but nevertheless we need to have a spiritual encounter with the living God in order to be changed, to truly know Him and follow Him. 

“Being lonely in this world will only drive you to a closer communion with God who has promised never to leave you or forsake you. He is altogether good and He is faithful.” (p. 34-35)

“God the Creator made us for Himself. Our hearts and beings will never be satisfied until we find out satisfaction in God Himself. Long before Elijah stood in Ahab’s presence, Elijah met God. That was what made is salutation to Ahab so significant: ‘I stand before God. God is here with me, I stand really in His presence, not yours’.” (p.95)

“I confess that [in the church] I found much theology but little saintliness! I confess also, at this latter date, that I do not care what denomination or group my brothers and sisters in Christ come from if the saintliness of God by the presence of the His Holy Spirit is upon them.” (p. 76)

Currently Reading:

I’m reading through Streams In The Desert by L.B. Cowman, it’s actually a daily devotional, but I’m reading through it.

Psychology & Christianity: Five Views edited by Eric L. Johnson

Spurgeon’s Sorrows by Zack Eswine

Additional books I want to read this next month:

The Set Apart Woman by Leslie Ludy

And 1 or 2 more, just not sure which ones yet. Thanks for reading! Let me know what your reading!!!!

Crocus-Minded

Poem by Jo Sorley

It takes courage to be crocus-minded.
God, I’d rather wait until June,
Like wise roses,
When the hazards of winter are safely behind,
and I’m expected, and everything’s ready for roses.
But crocuses?

Highly irregular.
Knifing through hard-frozen ground and snow,
and sticking their necks out,
because they believe in spring
and have something personal
and emphatic to say about it.

God, I am by nature rose-minded.
Even when I have studied the situation here
and know there are wrongs that need righting,
affirmations that need stating,
and know also that my speaking out may offend . . .

for it rocks the boat . . .

Well, I’d rather wait until June.
Maybe later things will work themselves out,
and we won’t have to make an issue of it.

God, forgive, wrongs don’t work themselves out.
Injustices and inequities and hurts don’t just dissolve.
Somebody has to stick her neck out,
Somebody who cares enough to think through
and work through hard ground,
because she believes and has something personal
and emphatic to say about it.

Me God?  Crocus-minded?
Could it be that there are things that need to be said,
and you want me to say them?  

      

I pray for courage.