Starting today, we’ve dropped prices on almost everything at our store. For the month of February, you’ll find these ridiculously low prices:
Music:
- $5 – all downloadable albums from Sovereign Grace Music
- $6 – all CDs from Sovereign Grace Music
Books:
International shipping is 50% off. And as always, U.S. shipping is free for all orders over $15.Load up at www.SovereignGraceStore.com, and tell your friends.
The Goldsworthy Trilogy is an outstanding collection of three books on Biblical Theology by Graeme Goldsworthy. Each book looks at a specific genre of Biblical literature in order to see its place within the whole of Scripture by seeing Jesus throughout each one.The Gospel & Kingdom examines the Old Testament history of Israel, The Gospel & Wisdom examines Job, Solomon’s writings, and some other wisdom writings sprinkled throughout Scripture, and The Gospel & Revelation looks at Scripture’s final letter.I heartily commend the Goldsworthy Trilogy for a deeper study of seeing Jesus throughout the various parts of Scripture. (I also recommend God’s Big Picture for a basic introduction on this topic and The Big Picture Story Bible for an excellent treatment of this at the most basic level.)
Matthew and I recently traded office spaces and quite honestly the biggest task involved for me was packing and reorganizing my library (thanks Mike Parrish for moving all the boxes and furniture!) This gave me the opportunity to again leaf through and hit highlights from some of my favorites (which considerably slowed the packing process!)
Fortunately I’m not limited to one author, but if I had to pick the one that I think I have benefited the most consistently from Jerry Bridges would almost instantly rise to the top of the list. He writes about rich eternal truths that impact practical realities but always does so in a down to earth and easily accessible manner (which is what enables me to benefit!)
Three of his books that I have been most helpful over the years:
Transforming Grace - This one was initially lent to me by a friend 13 years ago and really opened up my understanding of grace. The chapter on the generous landowner in particular turned me inside out and is still one I revisit from time to time.
The Discipline of Grace - I read this one for the first time while at the Pastors College in 1998. Combined with Mr. Bridges teaching of that PC class this book gave me a framework for God’s part and my part in both my standing before Him and my growth in being like Him. The first 3 chapters alone are life altering - I’ve reread (and highlighted!) this book more than any other.
Trusting God - I think this was also a Pastors College read, but whenever it was I’m not sure that there has been a more influential book for me regarding God’s sovereignty and His care for His people in suffering than this one. The reality of God’s character in 1) Sovereignty, 2) Goodness, and 3) Wisdom has provided me a structure that has served me in many difficult circumstances (both my own and caring for others) and I’m simply not sure I would have the same clarity and handles apart from this resource.
I have certainly benefited from other of his works, but these stand out from my vantage point. I have another small one, “The Bookends of the Christian Life”, sitting on my “next books” pile that I may be telling you about soon as well…
Written by Gene Emerson
I’ve been enjoying Bryan Chapell’s book, Holiness by Grace. Chapell is an engaging writer, presenting biblical issues in an accessible way. The heart of the book is to help us to understand 
sanctification as a work of grace through the Holy Spirit in our lives. He begins with the concern that “What robs many believers of joy is…an endless pursuit of trying to satisfy God with good works that will keep Him loving them. This belief…makes the Christian life a perpetual race on a performance treadmill to keep winning God’s affection.”
If you identify with this concern, I’d happily recommend Mr. Chapell’s book to you! Available in our Bookshoppe also.
Can you relate with the disciple who asked Jesus, “Lord, teach us to pray”? I know I can. I am currently reading A Praying Life by Paul E. Miller, which is helping me to better understand prayer and how vital it is in my relationship with God. I am becoming freshly aware of how very precious prayer is, and with that awareness, how vast God’s grace is. Here are a few tidbits from the book:
- “…prayer is all about relationship. It’s intimate and hints at eternity.”
- “Oddly enough, many people struggle to learn how to pray because they are focusing on praying, not on God.”
- “The only way to come to God is by taking off any spiritual mask. The real you has to meet the real God.”
- “We know we don’t need to clean up our act in order to become a Christian, but when it comes to praying, we forget that. We, like adults, try to fix ourselves up. In contrast, Jesus wants us to come to him like little children, just as we are.”
- “Many Christians haven’t stopped believing in God; we have just become functional deists, living with God at a distance… But as we learn to pray well, we’ll discover that this is my Father’s world. Because my Father controls everything, I can ask, and he will listen and act. Since I am his child, change is possible - and hope is born.”
I trust that these words are an encouragement to you. Let me know if you begin reading this book. I would love to talk of how we are learning to pray as we grow in our knowledge of grace.
Like many of you Aliza and I are getting ready for some time at the beach this summer. When discussing that time away the talk inevitably turns to what I’ll be reading. So I thought I’d let you all in on what this year will look like.
This year, one of the works I’ll be returning to is a favorite of mine, “Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott. I would be of the understanding that fine literature shouldn’t be left for just the ladies to enjoy.
I will make the disclaimer that I find the books of this genre (Jane Austen, et al) far more engaging and delightful than the numerous films they have spawned, but reading them makes clear why they are still popular after so many years. Jo (the protagonist in “Little Women”) was someone I readily identified with during my teen years and I still find her sense of perspective and grit to be inspiring today.
While the guys on staff kid me about my reading preferences and say the only thing they would read remotely related to this genre would be “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” you can count me firmly in the classics camp.
Please pray for your pastors this week as we take Tuesday through Thursday for a retreat. We’ll be using the time to pray for the church and evaluate various aspects of our life together.
In addition to studying and discussing Charles Bridges “The Christian Ministry” and our overarching goals and calling as pastors, we will be assessing and evaluating specific ministries that we have been charged with and seeking to discern better ways to serve all of you.
We’ll also be examining and game planning various responsibilities in light of our recent changes in staffing. In all of this, we are very aware of our need of wisdom and discernment and ask you to join us in praying for this strategic time away.
This post was written by Aaron Campbell.
Conduct this quick experiment - think of a song that those close by would know and have them guess what it is while you tap it out (no singing, no humming, just tapping it.) Did they guess it? Now try switching roles with them tapping and you guessing…
What you most likely experienced while tapping was the “curse of knowledge”. The frustration of knowing something that is obvious to you (the song you were tapping) while the person you were trying to communicate it to had no idea of the actual tune. Taking the “listener” turn can give new insight into how un-obvious that role really is.
I just finished “Made to Stick” by Chip and Dan Heath, where they seek to help undo the curse of knowledge by giving basic counsel to help get ideas across. Most of their advice is in the range of what could be termed “uncommon-common sense” - it isn’t difficult to understand or see the value of, but that doesn’t mean we regularly put it into practice.
The illustrations skew toward a business and academic audience but the principles can be useful for any setting/relationship. Though not a book I expect to be on everyone’s short list, it’s interesting and engaging enough to make it worthwhile for those that are interested.
Deliver Us from the Evil One
by Max Lucado
The next-to-last phrase in the Lord’s prayer is a petition for protection from Satan: “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
Is such a prayer necessary? Would God ever lead us into temptation? James 1:13 says, “When people are tempted they should not say, ‘God is tempting me.’ Evil cannot tempt God, and God himself does not tempt anyone.” If God does not tempt us, then why pray, “Lead us not into temptation”? These words trouble the most sophisticated theologian.
But they don’t trouble a child. And this is a prayer for the child-like heart. This is a prayer for those who look upon God as their Abba. This is a prayer for those who have already talked to their Father about provision for today (”Give us our daily bread.”) and pardon for yesterday (”Forgive us our debts.”). Now the child needs assurance about protection for tomorrow.
The phrase is best understood with a simple illustration. Imagine a father and son walking down an icy street. The father cautions the boy to be careful, but the boy is too excited to slow down. He hits the first patch of ice. Up go the feet and down plops the bottom. Dad comes along and helps him to his feet. The boy apologizes for disregarding the warning and then, tightly holding his father’s big hand, he asks, “Keep me from the slippery spots. Don’t let me fall again.”
The Father is so willing to comply. “The steps of the godly are directed by the Lord. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will not fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand” (Ps. 37:23–24 TLB). Such is the heart of this petition. It’s a tender request of a child to a father. The last few slips have taught us–the walk is too treacherous to make alone. So we place our small hand in his large one and say, “Please, Abba, keep me from evil.”
From
The Great House of God
© (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2001) Max Lucado
This post was written by: Sandy Wilda
It was a joy having Carolyn McCulley join all the women of KingsWay for the Radical Womanhood Conference last weekend! Carolyn is the author of Radical Womanhood: Feminine Faith in a Feminist World.
Throughout the weekend, Carolyn presented a historical overview of feminism as it relates to the Church and to biblical truth. She wove in her own personal journey from feminism to faith and offered practical encouragement to women making the same journey.
This workshop equipped the ladies in understanding how to graciously and effectively apply the gospel to the prevailing worldview in our culture. Knowing the history of feminism and its absorption into our culture is helpful for realizing how radical it is to living today according to God’s Word!
But the weekend was not “all work and no play”! The ladies enjoyed a “Construct Your Own Dessert” following the meeting on Friday night, and they kicked off Saturday morning with a pancake breakfast! Delilah - AKA Prize Girl - joined the ladies at different points throughout the weekend, spreading joy through her gift of giving! All in all, it was a memorable weekend.
Carolyn’s messages are now available online
Friday Evening: Men Are Not the Problem
Saturday Morning Part 1: Home Sweet Home
Saturday Morning Part 2: The Mommy Wars
