Good morning from lovely Rybnik, Poland, where I’m hard at work filming an episode of Worship Round the World.

Today’s Kindle deals include a pretty good selection off books.
5 Things You Should Know about the Doctrine of the Trinity
Ligonier has a helpful little “5 Things” series that can serve as a refresher on key doctrines of the Christian faith.
Looking Back On Right Now
This is a reflection on looking back and looking forward.
Register Now For TRC23
The Radius Conference will dive deeply into the joys of the clear true gospel finding fertile soil in foreign lands, but also provide warnings for churches and potential missionaries about short-cuts and “common ground” methods that abound in missions today. June 28-29, 2023, with John MacArthur, Costi Hinn & others. (Sponsored Link)
Is It God’s Will to Always Heal Us?
Is it always God’s will to heal us? Randy Alcorn answers a surprisingly contentious question.
Good Shame, Bad Shame, and Ugly Shame
“Shame is not our sworn enemy. Sometimes shame is useful. Some sins should cause us to have reactions of disgust! The Scriptures often appeal to shame at various points. Much of the time, shame is an indication of a conscience that still functions properly. It is often the rightful corresponding emotion to shameful acts.”
3 Elements of Biblical Spirituality
J.A. Medders: “A biblical spirituality sings in harmony. It’s theological, doxological, and practical. A faithful spirituality works in concert, revealing a whole life walking with Christ.”
9 Things You Should Know About Revivals in America
Since everyone is talking about revival, Joe Carter offers nine things you should know about them.
Flashback: Thy Word Is Not a MagLite
God illumines our way, but not our whole way all at once. He shines a light along our path, but not our whole path.

Death! How shall they die who have already died in Christ? —F.B. Meyer

This week the blog is sponsored by Children’s Hunger Fund (CHF), a nonprofit seeking to “deliver hope to suffering children by equipping local churches for gospel-centered mercy ministry.” Serving in the United States and 31 other countries, CHF seeks to help the local church reach suffering children and families in their communities with both physical help and spiritual hope found only in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

One of the questions I get regularly starts something like, “I’m just a… college student… high schooler… teacher with student debts… how should I think about giving?” This question is similar for those who are elderly, those who are facing some sort of personal financial strain, those who are wealthy with a California mortgage, or those who are comfortably middle class.
One thing that has always been true about God’s people is that God commends those who give generously, regardless of their circumstances. Remember Jesus sitting at the temple in Mark 12 watching the givers? The wealthy and the poor widow both gave, but the widow was commended for her generosity.
How should we think about our own giving? I don’t have a formula or a clear target percentage for you, but Scripture does speak to the motives and purposes of our giving.
Giving is expected of God’s people.
The Old Testament consistently reports that God’s people dedicated gifts and tithes to Him. The annual festivals, harvests, and even the births of children were celebrated with offerings to the service of the Lord. Within the Gospels, Jesus recognized the gifts of people at the temple and clarified that the heart motivation behind the giving is vitally important. (Lev. 22, 2 Cor. 9:7)
Giving demonstrates our dependence on God as both a reflection of stewardship and an act of worship.
Everything that any believer has belongs to God. He has entrusted His people with possessions so that they might honor Him. Whether in large or small amounts, the believer who gives with thankfulness (Psalm 50) demonstrates the greatness of God by declaring His care and provision. (Matt. 6:19-21) How you handle your money will reveal where your treasure is.
Giving provides for the work of the church and the care of those in need.
The benevolence of God’s people has been expected to supply for the needs of the church as well as the foreigners, widows, and those impacted by poverty. Giving forces our eyes off our own needs to see God provide through us to others. (Deut. 26:12, 1 Tim. 6:17-19, James 1:27)
The simple act of regular giving can bring remembrance of God’s provision—spiritual and physical. The generous stewardship of what He has provided truly brings joy as we worship Him through cheerful giving.
Please know, there is great joy in giving God’s money back to His work. You won’t regret giving well!
You can put these principles into practice right now by donating to Children’s Hunger Fund for Giving Tuesday! When you give to CHF, each dollar can provide 4 meals for children in need, and thanks to a generous gift match, on Giving Tuesday, your donation can be matched for twice the impact. Make a difference here.

This week the blog is sponsored by The Missionary Conference (October 2024, Jacksonville, FL). Plan to attend it to hear from John Piper, Sinclair Ferguson, Kevin DeYoung, Conrad Mbewe, and many others. 

There are many, many Christian conferences, all with varying values. Why another conference? And why put missions front and center? Here are four reasons why the Missionary Conference is worth attending:
1. This conference celebrates the 500-year anniversary of William Tyndale translating the Scriptures into English.
In 1524, William Tyndale began the task of bringing the word of God into his native tongue, and in the process changed the world. Good missions have always been rooted in the Scriptures no matter the day and age. For English speakers, this achievement is worth remembering, pondering, and celebrating.
2. It is united by missions and speaks pointedly and practically.
While we remember and celebrate the work of Tyndale, the burning question remains, what of those who still have no gospel, no church, and no translation in their language? Sponsors like Desiring God, Crossway, Radius International, Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, and many more are united by the spread of the gospel to tongues that still live in darkness. This conference will speak to that task and how churches and individuals can be tangibly involved inthe Commission that still is binding on the church today.
3. It has a strong group of speakers who are passionate about biblical missions.
Hear from renowned preachers and teachers including John Piper, Sinclair Ferguson, Steven Lawson, Kevin DeYoung, Conrad Mbewe, Brooks Buser, Harshit Singh, and many others.
4. It features the premiere of the documentary film Missionary: Obeying the Great Commission.
The Missionary Project is a 5-year in-the-making film that focuses on six pioneer missionaries and a timeless theme exemplified in each of their lives. Each lesson is 35-45 minutes and will feature a study guide for Sunday Schools, Small Groups, and any group interested in diving deeper into missions. Each clip is shot on location where they grew up, went to church, where they served overseas, and many where their bodies were laid to rest.
The six missionaries are:

William Tyndale—The Primacy of Scripture
William Carey—Perseverance
Amy Carmichael—Singleness and the Sufficiency of God
Adoniram Judson—Suffering and the Sufficiency of God
Hudson Taylor—Culture and Language Fluency
John Paton—The Primacy of the Church

Join us for this remarkable one-time conference that will bring together hearts of thankfulness for what our God has done, and if He tarries, hopefulness in what He will do—even to the ends of the earth.
Register for the conference today: https://missionary.net/conference
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