Behold Wonderous Things
This sponsored post was provided by Burke Care, and written by Jim Burke, which invites you to schedule care today with a certified biblical counselor.
Open my eyes, that I might behold wonderous things out of your law. Psalm 119:18
Today, it is so easy for me to read this verse and conclude, “Oh, Father! You know how I want so badly to see the abundance of wonderous things in Your law. Please, continue to reveal Yourself to me!”
But…
In my twenties, I was not a Christian and I would have processed this verse completely in the flesh so I would be reading something like, “Make wonderous things known to me for my benefit and my glory; my kingdom come, my will be done!”
In my thirties, at the apex of sin being played out in my life, I would have looked at this same verse thinking I was reading, “Open my eyes so that I can get out of this dreadful situation I find myself in. Take away the consequences of my sin and make my life abundant according to the desires of my heart!”
In my forties, I would have had a more sobering response but still arrogant in my understanding. I would have interpreted this verse to say something like, “Now that you have rescued me, show me wonderous things that I can share with others so that they can be like me. You were so good to have saved me!”
In my fifties, humility would have begun to creep in, but I would have still been struggling not to hold onto my own efforts to work out God’s law. My thinking would be something like, “You have opened my eyes, I have seen wonderous things in your law that I do regularly. Thank you that I am not like that other guy!”
The Pharisee and the Tax Collector
He (Jesus) also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you; this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”— Luke 18: 9-14 ESV
Now my prayer each morning sounds more like, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” I am saved by grace, but I still sin. My identity is secure as a redeemed child of the Creator God. Yet, each day I sense my sin in new ways. With that I urgently cry out like a needy child “Abba, Father!”
God open my eyes today to see wonderous things in your law.
Burke Care would love to hear about where you are in your own sanctification journey. Let us see if we can “behold wonderous things” together!
Schedule Care Today | [email protected] | 512.522.2580
-
Free Stuff Fridays (Children’s Hunger Fund)
This week’s Free Stuff Friday is sponsored by Children’s Hunger Fund (CHF). They have three book bundles for giveaway, featuring titles that have both influenced CHF’s ministry and will hopefully encourage you and your family. Each giveaway package will also include hand-selected items from the Children’s Hunger Fund store. The giveaway will close on April 16th at noon EST.
Good News to the Poor by Tim Chester
Help them or tell them?
Be like Jesus or talk about Jesus?
Social action or gospel proclamation?
Quite often we find ourselves gravitating toward one of those modes over the other—at times going so far as to pit word against deed, as if the two were mutually exclusive. Yet Good News to the Poor shows us how both are integrated in the biblical vision of missions so we may become both evangelists and activists—Christians who talk the talk and who walk the walk.
Author Tim Chester (PhD, University of Wales) is a faculty member of Crosslands and a pastor with Grace Church, Boroughbridge, North Yorkshire.Church in Hard Places by Mez McConnell and Mike McKinley
It is impossible to alleviate poverty, spiritual or physical, apart from the local church.
In recent years, Christians have shown an increased commitment to helping the poor. But this renewed interest in poverty alleviation is doomed to fail if it is not rooted in the local church—God’s established means of drawing downtrodden people into a transformative relationship with Himself. Emphasizing the priority of the gospel, Mez McConnell and Mike McKinley, both pastors with fruitful ministries among the poor, offer biblical guidelines and practical strategies for planting, revitalizing, and growing faithful churches in hard places—in our own communities and around the world.
Mez McConnell is the senior pastor of Niddrie Community Church in Edinburgh, Scotland. He has been involved in pastoral ministry since 1999 and is the founder of 20schemes, a ministry dedicated to planting gospel-centered churches among the poorest of the poor throughout Scotland. Mike McKinley is the senior pastor of Sterling Park Baptist Church in Sterling, Virginia.The Sower by Scott James, illustrated by Stephen Crotts
From creation to final restoration, Scripture paints a vivid picture of God as a gardener—sowing seeds, planting gardens, and bringing life through the power of His word. The Sower introduces this biblical imagery to young readers to help them understand the story of redemptive history and look forward to future reconciliation.
Vibrant illustrations complement the book’s lyrical style to engage a child’s imagination and display God’s cultivating work in creation and in the hearts of His people.Ideal for Children Ages 5-10: Introduces the grand story of redemption in an artistic, imaginative way
Introduction to Biblical Theology: Traces the theme of God as a gardener, cultivator, and vinedresser throughout the Bible
Engaging and Elegant: Vivid illustrations by Stephen Crotts inspire wonder at God’s creative work in our hearts and in the worldAll you need to do to enter the drawing is drop your name and email address in the form below.
Giveaway Rules
You may enter one time. When you enter, you permit Children’s Hunger Fund to send you marketing emails. The winners will be notified via email. The giveaway closes on Friday, April 16th at noon EST.#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width:600px;}/* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block. We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */
-
A La Carte (February 18)
The Lord be with you and bless you today.
Westminster Books has a deal on the new book by Mark Jones, Knowing Sin.
(Yesterday on the blog: A Family Update and a Some Thoughts on Those Canadian Truckers)
The Necessity and Danger of Mercy Ministry
Mez McConnell: “While a church may do a lot of different things in the service of [its] mission, everything that it does should be aimed at those final goals: proclaiming the gospel and helping people to grow in their obedience to God. Starbucks sells coffee, Listerine makes mouthwash, and the church holds out the gospel and trains people to obey by doing the work of ministry. If we don’t do it, no one will. If we do anything else, we are getting off track.”
The Remedy for the Church’s Post-COVID Malaise
Trevin Wax offers some thoughts about remedying the church’s post-COVID malaise. “It’s been almost two years since COVID altered our lives. I hear pastors and church leaders talk about surviving the pandemic spiritually and emotionally, and then enduring the fallout in their congregations. Many harbor grave concerns about ministry right now and about the long-term sustainability of those who have been tasked with leading the church.”
Why We Need the Local Church
Speaking of the local church, “the culture continues to be hostile to the Christian worldview. Social media outlets are becoming more aggressive towards us, and cancelations by the culture of confusion continue to increase. Where do we turn? The answer isn’t clever or new. We turn to the local church. Here’s why.”
The Necessity of Sound Doctrine
“Sound doctrine is fundamental ‘so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes’ (Eph. 4:14). Paul isn’t mincing words here but distinctly points out that without sound doctrine, the church is susceptible to being carried away by cultural ideologies, false teaching, and deceptive methodologies.”
The Nearness of God is Not Always Good News
“A good portion of modern Christian praise songs emphasize nearness to God.” Well and good, but God’s nearness isn’t always good news…
Should I or Shouldn’t I?
Here’s a bit of a guide to determining whether or not to engage in a conversation.He never began to love us for anything in ourselves, nor will he cease to love us because of what he discovers us to be. The love of God, which is in Jesus Christ our Lord, is unassailable by change or shock. —F.B. Meyer
-
Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2021 Deals for Christians
While there are many places you can go today to find deals on electronics and other big-ticket items, I like to provide a place for Christian retailers to make their deals known to Christians who are trying to kick-start their Christmas shopping (or to just buy great resources at significant discounts). I will update this list regularly throughout the weekend, so you may want to return to a few times. Be sure to check back on Monday for Cyber Monday deals.
Amazon
There is, of course, a massive sale at Amazon that spans pretty well every category. I was hoping for some significant Kindle deals; while there are quite a number of general market deals, there are not a lot of Christian books discounted today.
Westminster Books
Westminster Books is offering up to 83% off some books and a free ESV Scripture Journal with any purchase. You’ll find the Preaching the Word Commentary NT set at 60% off, the ESV Gospel Transformation Study Bible at 58% off, Ligonier’s A Field Guide to False Teaching half off, etc.
10ofThose
10ofThose is offering up to 77% discounts on a curated list of titles which encompasses resources on the Christian life, illustrated children’s books, Bible studies, devotionals, and more. My newest book, Knowing and Enjoying God, is 60% off. Anyone who spends over $50 will also receive a pair of ESV Scripture Journals (James and Hebrews) for free.
Answers in Genesis
Answers in Genesis has everything discounted by 25% with coupon code BFR21. Select items are up to 80% off. They also have certain other items you can add to your cart and receive for free with any qualifying order.
Banner of Truth
Banner of Truth has quite a number of deals on their always-excellent books and sets. See also their Christmas sale.
Christian Book Distributors
Christian Book Distributors has tons of stuff on sale today—books, Bibles, study Bibles, and so on. The ESV Study Bible is 64% off in hardcover or leather; the ESV Reader’s Bible in softcover is all of $5.49; Dane Ortlund’s Gentle and Lowly is half off; the single-volume of edition of C.S. Lewis’s Space Trilogy is all the way down to $7.99; etc.
Christian Focus
Christian Focus has quite a number of items discounted in that 40% range.
Compass Classroom
Compass Classroom has their material (video-based curriculum) discounted by up to 50%.
Crossway+
Crossway+ members can get 40% off the amazing Heirloom ESV Bibles.
Getty Music
Getty Music is offering 20% off all physical goods and 40% off all downloadable goods.
Ligonier Ministries
Ligonier Ministries is having a special $5 Friday with a lot of great products set at $5 (and many others heavily discounted).
Logos
Logos is offering lots of good deals, including significant discounts on commentaries, collections, and other resources. The Focus on the Bible commentary series is 70% off; the NIGTC is 58% off; Boice’s commentaries are up to 73% off. Additionally, they are offering 15% off Logos 6 Legacy Libraries (or 25% off if you own Logos 9).
Media Gratiae
Media Gratiae has deals on some of their videos: Puritan, The Church, Behold Your God, and so on.
Missional Wear
Missional Wear has select products at up to 50% off, plus all items marked as in-stock and shipping now at 15% off using code CHALLIES15. That includes Shirt Deals, Stocking Stuffers, Drinkware, etc.
New Growth Press
New Growth Press has select titles at 40% off with coupon code BLACK40. They include titles by Ed Welch, Marty Machowski, and others.
Reformation Heritage Books
Reformation Heritage Books has a pretty good-sized collection of books discounted by 50% or even more. A number of them are commentaries or other reference works.
