July… August… September Winners!

September 9, 2010

Sorry everyone! As you can see I am behind with the 2010 Crossway Book Giveawy here at the blog. Lots of things going on in life and ministry but it’s no excuse to not getting you the best in books from Crossway!

So, without further adieu, here are the winners for July, August, and September.

July’s winner is Austin Hoffman. He wins a copy of D. A. Carson’s Collected Writings on Scripture.

August’s winner is Jason at PastoralMusings.com. He wins a copy of Fred Sanders’ The Deep Things of God.

September’s winner is Jenna Kim. She win’s a copy of John Piper’s Think.

Austin, Jason, and Jenna, e-mail me your mailing addresses so I can have Crossway send you copies. Please e-mail me at allen [dot] mickle [dot] jr [at] gmail [dot] com.

Look forward to our October giveaway! For the next month you can look forward to receiving a copy of Entrusted with the Gospel edited by D. A. Carson.

Still not entered in the contest? There’s still time! Enter at the link below!

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Is Green Godly?

August 9, 2010

Whether it be the three R’s of reduce, reuse, recycle, questions about man-made climate change, questions about things farther away like the BP oil spill, or things closer to home like the use of the Marcellus Shale, we all have opinions on the environment. Some say that we should do everything in our power, and at any cost, to be as “green” as possible and protect the earth from the unfortunate influence of man. Others see the earth as being solely for the unfettered use of mankind with no cause to consider any harmful effects we might be having. But for Christians, the question arises, “is green godly” or simply, does the Bible have anything to say about how we should treat the environment?

While the Bible states that when God created man He gave him the mandate to have dominion over the creation (Genesis 1:28), it does not mean we have the authority to destroy what God had created. Al Mohler, President of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary recently said in Christianity Today that “A proper understanding of dominion includes stewardship.” God created the earth to magnify His glory and we are entrusted with it to use it and care for it so that it continues to magnify the glory of God. It does not mean that humanity is a blight on the earth as some would argue but if God demonstrated His love and care for the universe in His creation of it, we too should care for it in the same way.

In fact there are a number of reasons why Christians should care about the earth. Psalm 24 teaches us that the earth is the Lord’s. If it is the Lord’s, it is not ours to destroy! Psalm 19 teaches us that it reveals to us the power and glory of God. If we destroy it, we mar the opportunity we have been given to magnify God! God Himself has asked us to care for it in Genesis 2:15. And, God’s plan for the earth includes its restoration to full glory in eternity (Romans 8, Revelation 21).

Like so many things, creation care takes balance. We are to use the resources available to us as God has provided for our benefit. But that must be balanced with a desire to preserve and care for the earth as well, not to pillage it and leave it stripped of all that is good. Ultimately, God called the earth good when He created it. He called people to care for it and use it. Christians understand that we must care for the creation because God Himself cares for it! So is green godly? Well, for those who love God and call Christ their Lord, to care for what God cares for certainly is pleasing to Him!

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Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness

August 8, 2010

We sang this hymn recently to close off our service sung to the tune NETTLETON and I just absolutely loved it. Read the words. Great overview of the life and work of Christ! The words are by Rusty Edwards

Praise the one who breaks the darkness
with a liberating light.
Praise the one who frees the prisoners,
turning blindness into sight.
Praise the one who preached the Gospel,
healing every dread disease,
calming storms and feeding thousands
with the very bread of peace.

Praise the one who blessed the children
with a strong yet gentle word.
Praise the one who drove out demons
with a piercing two-edged sword.
Praise the one who brings cool water
to the desert’s burning sand.
From this well comes living water,
quenching thirst in every land.

Praise the one true love incarnate:
Christ who suffered in our place.
Jesus died and rose for many
that we may know God by grace.
Let us sing for joy and gladness,
seeing what our God has done.
Praise the one redeeming glory,
praise the One who makes us one.

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Does God Care About How You Come to Heaven?

July 10, 2010

Each week I pick up the copy of our local newspaper, the Wyoming County Press Examiner. In the most recent issue there was an article about a new pastor, Margie McCarty, at three local Methodist churches. There has been a lot of pastoral transition in our area over the last months (yours truly included!) so there is not much new regarding that. But a statement that she made brought some strong feelings. She says her American Baptist training does not conflict with being a Methodist pastor. She says, “For me, the theological differences are not a personal concern… God doesn’t care how people get into the Kingdom.” Now, knowing the liberal nature of both the American Baptist denomination and the United Methodist denomination, I do not think I have to guess too much by what she said. Many liberal denominations truly mean by this that there are more than one ways to heaven. Yet, the problem I have with this is a key verse.

You see, God DOES care about how you come to Him. He has ordained that the only way to come to Him and thus enjoy eternal happiness with Him is through Jesus Christ and Him ALONE. Not through any other way. Someone must actually trust and believe in Jesus Christ, the God-man who came and died as our substitute to pay the penalty of our sins and rose again to defeat death and provide for us the promise of eternal life. There is only ONE way to Heaven. Jesus Christ. God DOES care about how you come to Him and He has provided for you a way to come. Won’t you come to Him today?

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The Maple Leaf Forever

July 1, 2010

Today, July 1, is Canada Day (or as it used to be known, Dominion Day). And as a Canadian living in America it is hard to maintain some Canadian-ness, especially so close to the 4th of July. And me here without a copy of Strange Brew to watch!

As many of you know, Canada’s national anthem is O Canada. But many of you might not know that previous to O Canada there was a song that was considered a national anthem. Written by Alexander Muir (1830–1906) in 1867, the year of Canada’s Confederation, The Maple Leaf Forever highlights historical moments in the early life of Canada including James Wolfe capturing Quebec in 1759 during the Seven Years War and the Battle of Queenston Heights and Battle of Lundy’s Lane during the War of 1812. So for your Canadian pleasure this day, here are the lyrics to The Maple Leaf Forever.

In days of yore, from Britain’s shore,
Wolfe, the dauntless hero, came
And planted firm Britannia’s flag
On Canada’s fair domain.
Here may it wave, our boast and pride
And, joined in love together,
The thistle, shamrock, rose entwine
The Maple Leaf forever!

Chorus:
The Maple Leaf, our emblem dear,
The Maple Leaf forever!
God save our Queen and Heaven bless
The Maple Leaf forever!

At Queenston Heights and Lundy’s Lane,
Our brave fathers, side by side,
For freedom, homes and loved ones dear,
Firmly stood and nobly died;
And those dear rights which they maintained,
We swear to yield them never!
Our watchword evermore shall be
“The Maple Leaf forever!”

Chorus

Our fair Dominion now extends
From Cape Race to Nootka Sound;
May peace forever be our lot,
And plenteous store abound:
And may those ties of love be ours
Which discord cannot sever,
And flourish green o’er freedom’s home
The Maple Leaf forever!

Chorus

On merry England’s far famed land
May kind heaven sweetly smile,
God bless old Scotland evermore
and Ireland’s Em’rald Isle!
And swell the song both loud and long
Till rocks and forest quiver!
God save our Queen and Heaven bless
The Maple Leaf forever!

Chorus

You can hear it sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir here.

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And June’s Winner is…

June 30, 2010

Ben Terry! Ben wins a copy of Grant Horner’s Meaning at the Movies: Becoming a Discerning Viewer.

July’s winner will receive a copy of D. A. Carson’s, Collected Writings on Scripture.

Want to get in on the book giveaway action? Just click below!

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Winner of Tullian Tchividjian’s Surprised by Grace

June 2, 2010

Congratulations to Dan Brubacher who won a copy of Tullian Tchividjian’s Surprised by Grace. If you would like opportunities to win other Crossway titles this year be sure to sign up for the 2010 Crossway Book Giveaway right here at this blog! The next book to be given away here in June is

Sign up now here!

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Repentance

May 26, 2010

Bible teachers often distinguish between two kinds of repentance. The first kind is what they call attrition. It isn’t heartfelt sorrow for wrongdoing but a  selfishly motivated response to potential punishment. This could well be Jonah’s response. His willingness to go to Ninevah now in order to avoid further discipline can be seen as an act of attrition–external, self-preserving, and even self-centered.

The second kind of repentance Bible teachers talk about is contrition. Contrition is true repentance. It entails heartfelt sorrow for offending God and others. It involves not just turning away from disobedience, but also turning toward obedience. it’s an external change motivated by an internal change. It’s self-sacrificial. It’s God-centered.

False repentance, or no repentance, leads to bitterness, anger, and unwillingness to acknowledge wrongdoing. Until we can recognize our own wrongdoing, we’ll continue to be mastered by this self-centered bondage. Our relationships will continue to be strained and frayed. Freedom comes only with true repentance (p. 106).

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Blog Tour – Surprised by Grace by Tullian Tchividjian

May 13, 2010

Readers of this blog will know how much I love books. I love collecting, I love reading, and I love learning, especially about the Word of God and the Christian life. I have been given the privilege of being a part of Crossway Books’ May Blog tour of Tullian Tchividjian’s Surprised by Grace: God’s Relentless Pursuit of Rebels.

Tullian Tchividjian is pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and the author of Unfashionable: Making a Difference in the World by Being Different and Do I Know God? Finding Certainty in Life’s Most Important Relationship. He also blogs at On Earth as it is in Heaven.

Here’s the press release from Crossway,

Most Christians assume that the gospel is something non-Christians must believe in order to be saved, but after we believe it, we advance to deeper theological waters. In Surprised by Grace, Tullian Tchividjian shows how when God rescues sinners, his plan isn’t to move them beyond the gospel, but to move them more deeply into it. The only antidote to sin is the gospel—and since Christians remain sinners even after they’re converted, the daily preaching of the gospel is essential for all Christians.

For Tchividjian, it was through the story of Jonah that he came face-to-face with the fact that the gospel is not only for non-Christians.

Surprised by Grace is a storied presentation of the gospel from the book of Jonah. It’s a story of sin and grace, of desperation and deliverance. It reveals that while we are great sinners, God is a great Savior. While our sin reaches far, his grace reaches farther. This story shows that God is in the business of relentlessly pursuing rebels—a label that ultimately applies to us all. He comes after us not to angrily strip away our freedom, but to affectionately strip away our slavery so we might become truly free.

This book is for anyone who is tempted, struggles, or continues to battle against sin. “I wrote Surprised by Grace (Crossway, May 2010) because we all need to be,” explains Tchividjian.

Over the next little while I will be reading and reviewing the book and including excerpts from the book for our enjoyment and edification. But here’s the exciting part.

YOU CAN WIN A COPY!

Here’s how you can win. Leave a comment below about how the sovereignty of God helped you make it through a calamitous situation in life. When the world seemed ready to end and everything was blowing up all around you, how was it that knowing that God was sovereign helped you make it through? I’ll randomly pick one of the answers to award a free copy of this book. And stick around as we interact with the book in the near future!

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May Contest Winner

May 13, 2010

The winner of the 2010 Crossway Book Giveaway for May is Matt and Ruth Stiles of the blog http://thestilesfamily.net! You’ve won a copy of Surprised by Grace: God’s Relentless Pursuit of Rebels by Tullian Tchividjian. From the Crossway website:

“As today’s Christians struggle to grasp the gospel’s true power, Surprised by Grace unfolds a liberating story that helps us come to grips with the shocking extent of God’s compassion..”

June’s winner will receive a copy of  Meaning at the Movies: Becoming a Discerning Reviewer by Grant Horner

Not yet entered in the contest? You can find out how to enter by clicking on the contest logo below.

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