The Earliest Prayer Ever Prayed
Here is a question worth asking: Outside of the Bible, what is the earliest prayer we know? Of all the Christians who lived after Christ, who was the first to have a prayer recorded that has endured through the ages? The answer, it seems, may well be Clement of Rome. In the new book Fount of Heaven which shares prayers from the earliest Christians, you’ll find this sweet prayer which dates from late in the first century. Yet, like any good prayer, it could as easily be prayed by any of us today.
Help us to set our hope on your name, Lord. You are the origin and source of all creation. You open the eyes of our hearts so we can know you.
You alone abide highest in the lofty place. You are holy in the holy. You lay low the insolence of the proud, set the lowly on high, and bring down the lofty. You make rich and poor, give life and death. You alone are the benefactor of spirits and the God of all flesh.
You look into the deepest places and see all our works. You help and relieve those who are in peril, and you are the savior of those in despair. You are the creator and overseer of every spirit.
You multiply the nations and have chosen out all who love you through Jesus Christ, your beloved Son, through whom you taught us, honored us, and set us apart. Amen.
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Let the Sunlight In
It is one of the great paradoxes of the Christian life—we have been saved, but we still sin. We have committed ourselves to the Lord, but are sometimes still so committed to rebelling against him. We have been forgiven, yet still at times spurn his grace. I expect thoughts like these were in the mind and heart of a poet named M.A.B. Kelly when she wrote “Without and Within” and pleaded with the Lord to “let the sunlight in.”
The sun shines in my outer world,But darkness reigns within,A fearful gloom enshrouds my soul,The nebula of sin.Dear Savior, smile away this gloom,And let the sunlight in.
Sweet bird-songs cheer my outer world,But anguish wails within.Ambition, pride, and gross deceitHave bound my soul in sin;Then, O my Savior, break these bonds,And let the sunlight in!
Temptations throng my way without,Remorse broods dark within;The chains that bind my tortured soulAre festered o’er with sin;Dear Savior, send thy healing balm,And let the sunlight in.
While pleasure gayly smiles without,What torment reigns within!And still, poor weakling that I am,I tread the paths of sin,My Savior, I am lost if thouLet not the sunlight in. -
A La Carte (July 13)
This week you can find 50% off on the ESV Journaling Bibles at Westminster Books. They are a great resource for better understanding and applying the Bible.
There are not a lot of Christian Kindle deals today, so I added a few general market options that caught my eye.
(Yesterday on the blog: Breathe a Sigh of Relief or Recoil in Terror)
How Evangelicals Lose Will Make All the Difference
That’s an intriguing headline, isn’t it? And it’s got a good article behind it.
The Gray Havens – I’ll Fly Away (Live from The Zion Caravan Tour)
I enjoyed this new rendition of “I’ll Fly Away” by the Gray Havens.
What is our greatest need?
Compelled by a desire for men to know God’s love, Washer draws from the church’s greatest theologians to herald Christ’s centrality in revelation, salvation, sanctification, study, proclamation, and glory. The Preeminent Christ will stimulate you to zealously seek Christ and His gospel over all worldly “needs.” (Sponsored Link)
Use Your Comfort Zone to the Glory of God
“‘Get out of your comfort zone.’ We hear it all the time, from friends, family, business leaders, church leaders, and actually, the whole rest of the world, it seems. But I’m going to encourage you here to do just the opposite: to find your comfort zone and stay in it.”
Shooting For The Earth
This article seems to me to nicely complement the previous one. “Shoot for the moon, they say, and even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars. I‘m not so sure.”
Your preaching is primarily for believers
This is so important to consider. “In certain circles, seeking to get unbelievers into church is seen as the highest possible goal. There is nothing better, according to some, when unbelievers come into the church and under the sound of the gospel. That, they aver, is what we ought to be about. At the risk of being deemed a contrarian, I just don’t think that is true.”
LORD, My Heart Is Not Haughty
What a great reflection/meditation/prayer.
In Dependence
Here’s one for those especially independent people. “Not long ago, I was talking to a 25+ year friend and former colleague, and, in a teary moment, said to him, ‘I need you to hear this.’ As I paused, he said, ‘Lisa, I have never thought of you as needing anything.’ His honesty set me back on my heels.”
Flashback: What a Wonder Is a Human Being!
A mighty oak from the smallest acorn, the greatest mustard tree from the tiniest seed, and a great and noble life from the littlest child. So much potential bound up in so tiny a person, so many possibilities lying latent, so many opportunities to serve simply waiting for time, for growth, for maturity.The nearness of God, secured by the gospel, is a source of all kinds of comforts and wisdom. —Ed Welch
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Free Stuff Fridays (BJU Seminary)
This week Free Stuff Friday is sponsored by BJU Seminary. They are giving away a bundle of books on biblical theology and exposition that their faculty authored. BJU Seminary equips Christian leaders through an educational and ministry experience that is biblically shaped, theologically rich, historically significant, and evangelistically robust.
Beyond Suffering: Discovering the Message of Job by Layton Talbert
In Beyond Suffering, Layton Talbert uncovers the often-missed message of Job, tracing it sequentially and applying it to Christian living. Suffering becomes, rather than the theme itself, a catalyst for discussing the relationship between God and man. Does God really deserve unconditional service? Does He really care for His children? Writing for all readers but addressing the many difficult interpretational issues, Talbert brings the message of Job to life. “More than a commentary . . . You will see God’s story in its pages.”
Beyond Chapter and Verse: The Theology and Practice of Biblical Application by Ken Casillas
Do you struggle to connect the dots between the Bible and your life? While Christians instinctively want to apply Scripture, we encounter difficulties that can discourage us and diminish our engagement with God’s Word. Indeed, biblical application has suffered in various ways in the church—everything from neglect to abuse to contempt. Responding to such challenges, Beyond Chapter and Verse provides a biblically based rationale for the practice of application and then proposes a biblically consistent method for application. The book is substantive but accessible, relevant for believers generally as well as preachers. It begins by sketching the broad theological context of Bible application, relating it to the gospel generally and to sanctification specifically. The heart of the study then synthesizes key Old and New Testament passages relative to the process of application. Building on this foundation, the book sets forth a sensible approach for arriving at legitimate applications of Scripture. A rich assortment of positive and negative case studies illustrates the method, motivating believers to apply the Scriptures for themselves.
The Trustworthiness of God’s Words: Why the Reliability of Every Word from God Matters by Layton Talbert
This is a book about God’s jealousy for His integrity, His passion to be believed, on the basis of His words alone. Throughout Scripture God expresses His determination to be known as the God who keeps His words. He has resolved that every person and nation will see and confess that all His words are reliable down to every last syllable, jot, and tittle. Learning to trust a God who is sovereign and in control, especially in the ache and throb of life, means hanging on to the conviction that everything he says is utterly dependable.
Knowing that God’s words are trustworthy and living it out can be two different things though, so as well as laying out the theological foundations, Layton MacDonald Talbert explores the practical applications. What does trusting God’s words look like in real life, and how has it played out in the experience of God’s people? Let Talbert show you how in tracing the reliability of God through history we can learn to trust Him with the future.
Theological Themes of Psalms: The Theology of the Book of Psalms by Robert Bell
The pastor who seeks to preach expositionally through Psalms faces a daunting task, for the sermon series would take several years to complete and many of the sermons would seem repetitious because of similar psalms. To respond to this challenge, the author has used the book theology method to analyze the Book of Psalms into twenty-eight theological themes, providing the preacher with material for approximately a one-year series on the book. Each chapter includes a list of applicable theological propositions that can be preached or taught to contemporary audiences. Then the chapter concludes by linking the topic to New Testament passages. This monograph contains over seventy tables, mainly charting the Hebrew terms used for a particular theme. Careful textual and exegetical notes provide guidance for translation and interpretation of many verses. Furthermore, relevant Hebrew word studies inform theological understanding. Backing up the analysis are numerous references to Psalm commentaries, both classical and contemporary.
Giveaway Rules: You may enter one time. The winners will be notified via email. The giveaway closes on Sunday, July 2nd, at noon ET.