We love books. That is no secret to anyone who has been watched or listened to Media Gratiae over the years. And for long-time viewers, you know we take one or two episodes every year to share some book recommendations for the upcoming year.

This year we called on Jeremy Walker to join us in our book recommendation episodes. We will get to specific books next week, but we wanted to spend this week discussing the first five of six principles to keep in mind when reading books. There is a way to read books that will bring benefit to your soul, and there is a way to waste your opportunity of reading. We want to encourage good principles and warn of dangerous ones.

Check out Jeremy’s podcasts:

The Heart of Spurgeon: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-the-heart-of-spurgeon/id1546109129

A Word in Season:

YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLW0xuCgknPDN2f0LSE4JiVmtrZtB6zsib

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-word-in-season-with-jeremy-walker/id1511364782

Want to listen to The Whole Counsel on the go? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts

You can get The Whole Counsel a day early on the Media Gratiae App (along with both of Jeremy’s podcasts): https://subsplash.com/mediagratiae/app

John continues discussing the book of Hebrews with Jordan Thomas this week. Taking their cues from Hebrews 12, John and Jordan discuss how we are to live our lives looking unto Jesus.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him (Hebrews 12:1-3a).

Show Notes: https://www.mediagratiae.org/blog/looking-unto-jesus

Theodore Monod pamphlet: https://bibletruthpublishers.com/looking-unto-jesus/t-monod/lbd23749

Check our Jordan’s sermon series on Hebrews:

https://www.gracechurchmemphis.com/sermons/category/Looking+Unto+Jesus

Want to listen to The Whole Counsel on the go? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts

You can get The Whole Counsel a day early on the Media Gratiae App: https://subsplash.com/mediagratiae/app

This week John is joined by long-time friend and fellow minister Jordan Thomas. You may recognize Jordan as a contributor to the studies Behold Your God: Rethinking God Biblically and Behold Your God: The Weight of Majesty.

John and Jordan are going to spend the next few weeks discussing the descriptions of Jesus found in the book of Hebrews. This week’s discussion focuses on Hebrews 1 and the 32 (at least) descriptions of Jesus in those 14 verses.

Show Notes: www.mediagratiae.org/blog/the-jar-dropping-beauty-of-Jesus

Check our Jordan’s sermon series on Hebrews: https://www.gracechurchmemphis.com/sermons?offset=1256490000645&tag=Book%3A+Hebrews

Want to listen to The Whole Counsel on the go? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts

You can get The Whole Counsel a day early on the Media Gratiae App: https://subsplash.com/mediagratiae/app

This week, John and Chuck are back with the series on Salvation in Full Color, looking at the last sermon of Salvation in Full Color called “Final Warning” by Asahel Nettleton.

You can watch the episode here: https://youtu.be/Go1D_F57P1Y

Show Notes: www.mediagratiae.org/blog/final-warning

Purchase your copy of Salvation in Full Color: http://www.rorbooks.com/index.php/product/salvation-in-full-color-twenty-sermons-by-great-awakening-preachers/

Want to listen to The Whole Counsel on the go? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts

You can get The Whole Counsel a day early on the Media Gratiae App: https://subsplash.com/mediagratiae/app

This week, John and Chuck are back with the series on Salvation in Full Color, looking at a sermon on divine retribution by Jonathan Edwards. It’s an extraordinary kindness that, if all of humanity is heading into judgment, we are given a warning in time to turn away from this end! The One who gives us (His enemies) the warning is the only Being who fully understands what is coming and has provided a way of rescue.

Show Notes: www.mediagratiae.org/blog/divine-retribution

Purchase your copy of Salvation in Full Color: http://www.rorbooks.com/index.php/product/salvation-in-full-color-twenty-sermons-by-great-awakening-preachers/

Want to listen to The Whole Counsel on the go? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts

You can get The Whole Counsel a day early on the Media Gratiae App: https://subsplash.com/mediagratiae/app

This week John and Chuck discuss the only sermon in Salvation in Full Color preached by a Baptist pastor. We don’t know much about Isaac Chanler, but what we do know is very encouraging. At the heart of the very practical sermon, Chanler encourages believers simple to cling to Christ. This is the heart of sanctification and sanctification is the heart of this sermon.

Purchase your copy of Salvation in Full Color: http://www.rorbooks.com/index.php/product/salvation-in-full-color-twenty-sermons-by-great-awakening-preachers/

Want to listen to The Whole Counsel on the go? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts

You can get The Whole Counsel a day early on the Media Gratiae App: https://subsplash.com/mediagratiae/app

William Tennent, Jr. (1705-1777) was the son of William Tennent I, a 17th-century pastor in America and founder of the Log College. Early in life, William Tennent, Jr. was deeply impressed with a sense of divine things and soon determined to devote his life to the ministry of the gospel.

He served as the pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Freehold. For love of Christ, we persevere, walk in the way He first walked. Perseverance is more than just doing our duty. There ought to be an earnestness in our following Christ. Every other pursuit in life should pale in comparison with our seeking Christ. Ask yourself if you have grown in your Christian walk in the last six months. If you are discouraged, do not give up. But rather, look to Christ, repent, and devote yourself again to Him. Seek to honor Christ with your life. Remember that you are presenting Him to the world around you. Make sure Scripture is your guide. Every Christian will reach the finish line. It won’t be easy, but it will happen. If you want to run the race well, love Christ more. Show Notes for the full episode: www.mediagratiae.org/blog/perseverance_of_the_saints

Purchase your copy of Salvation in Full Color: http://www.rorbooks.com/index.php/product/salvation-in-full-color-twenty-sermons-by-great-awakening-preachers/

Want to listen to The Whole Counsel on the go? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts You can get

The Whole Counsel a day early on the Media Gratiae App: https://subsplash.com/mediagratiae/app

Our producer is taking some time off to be with his newborn daughter this week. Because we have family on our minds and hearts, we wanted to present to you again the episode John recorded with Ryan Bush on Family Worship.

You can find the Family Worship study here: https://www.mediagratiae.org/family-worship-study-guide

Check out Ryan’s Hymn Stories and other Media Gratiae podcasts here: www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts 

Sewall defines love to God as “a grace of the Spirit whereby we esteem and desire God above all and cleave to Him as to our chief good with holy delight from a spiritual sight of His most amiable perfections, as manifested in His word and works, and in the perfection of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

We don’t, by nature, love God or find Him desirable. It is only by a work of the Spirit who changes us to see God as desirable that we can love Him.

Let the children of God abound more and more in their love to Him. There is no danger of exceeding where the object is infinitely excellent and gloriously superior. To make the fire burn, oh, remember God has loved you with an everlasting love and with loving-kindness he has drawn you to Himself. It is this love of God to us, that precedes any love we have to Him, that makes us love Him back.

Show Notes for the full episode: www.mediagratiae.org/blog/love-to-God

Purchase your copy of Salvation in Full Color: http://www.rorbooks.com/index.php/product/salvation-in-full-color-twenty-sermons-by-great-awakening-preachers/

You can get The Whole Counsel a day early on the Media Gratiae App: https://subsplash.com/mediagratiae/app

What happens when God gives spiritual life to a rebellious sinner? What do we mean by the word conversion? John Blair helps us answer these questions, and gives us many more questions to ask regarding the rescuing of fallen people in this week’s sermon.

Show Notes for the full episode: www.mediagratiae.org/blog/conversion

Purchase your copy of Salvation in Full Color: http://www.rorbooks.com/index.php/product/salvation-in-full-color-twenty-sermons-by-great-awakening-preachers/

Want to listen to The Whole Counsel on the go? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts

You can get The Whole Counsel a day early on the Media Gratiae App: https://subsplash.com/mediagratiae/app