An Array Of Emotions
We've seen a plethora of responses to COVID-19 and the worldwide fallout over the past several weeks. We've all been impacted and may even feel like we're on a roller coaster, shifting up and down with each new and seemingly contradictory piece of information thrown at us. While there is a lot to be joyful about in times of trial, sometimes we just don't feel the way we should. 

Thankfully, God knows that intimately. Jesus took on flesh and felt more suffering than we could ever imagine. He is a brother (Hebrews 2:11) who sympathizes with our weakness and suffering, though He never fell into sin (Hebrews 4:15). The Holy Spirit is in His people and intercedes for us when we are too weak and unable to pray as we ought (Romans 8:26).

Are you angry? You may be angry at the governor or with the church leaders for how the worship service will look this week. Maybe you’re angry at God that He allowed this virus get out of hand. Maybe you’re angry because you feel that we’re being duped in a global conspiracy. Perhaps you're angry because you lost your job or the economy is being crushed. You might even feel angry because we're opening sooner than you think is wise.

Are you fearful? Perhaps you're anxious about your health. Maybe you have an immunocompromised loved one. Maybe you have a newborn or young baby and you fear what this virus could do to them. Perhaps you're nervous because others aren't wearing masks or don't seem to be taking this as seriously as we have been advised.

​Are you overwhelmed? You might be caring for several young children. You could be the parent of older children who want to break free from the government restrictions. Perhaps you have an elderly parent or family member to care for. Maybe your job has drastically changed and you're doing difficult and confusing work. Maybe life was already overwhelming and this virus has thrown it completely off kilter.

Whatever the case, let the glory of God minster to your soul today.

​God is Worthy of Our Worship
Pray earnestly right now that God would reorient your heart toward Him. Ask Him to open your eyes to His glory in the midst of this frustration. Psalm 33 is a call for His people to worship and praise Him—even in the midst of suffering. Praise "befits" those who have trusted in Christ for righteousness (v. 1-2). For this reason we can "sing to Him a new song" as we take a fresh look at glorious, ancient truths that have blessed us through the years and continue to bring us great joy (v.3).

God Word is upright and faithful (v. 4-5), powerful to create the universe (v. 6-9), powerful to restrain sinners (v. 10), and forever beneficial to those who are His (v.11-12). God's Word is worthy of our adoration and we need to let it draw us to a place of deep worship in our hearts and in our churches.

God is Still Here, Hope in Him
God doesn't stand far off as a distant watchmaker who set things in motion and just let it go. He "looks down from heaven" as He sits on His heavenly throne (v. 13-14). He sees the wicked and their vain trust in themselves and their inventions (v. 15-17). They technology and weaponry won't save them in last day. His caring and watchful eye is "on those who fear Him" and He delivers our souls from death (v. 18-19).

If you're struggling today, tell it to God and wait for Him. Long for the day that He returns and fixes all of this mess. It's coming! Remember, too, that right now "He is our help and our shield" (v. 20). He can help you repent of unrighteous emotions and use your righteous emotions in ways that will do good and not evil. Pray that your heart can be glad in Him because you trust in Him (v. 21). 

Ultimately, pray that God's steadfast love could be upon all of His people as we hope in Him (v.22). God is bigger than COVID-19, corrupt governments, potential vaccines, media outlets, social media opinions, and anything else we can find. If we set our minds and souls on Christ and remember that in Him we are righteous and upright (v. 1-2), He will be our help and our hope (v. 20-22).

We all need the gospel right now. We must not take our eyes off Jesus, especially in the most challenging and stressful moments. How are you feeling? Where are you looking?

A Stroll Through the Neighborhood

​As I walk down the street this morning, I see an empty neighborhood. There aren't a lot of cars out driving, and there aren’t a lot of people out having fun together. No cookouts, no yard sales, no birthday parties, and not much of anything else. Spring doesn’t normally feel like this, but the COVID-19 lockdown has us all stuck at home and waiting for some relief. It seems that many states are opening things back up, which has many people jumping for joy.

​As I think personally about this whole situation, the thing I miss most is fellowship with other Christians. I miss the corporate gatherings each Sunday. I also miss the impromptu get-togethers with brothers and sisters in Christ. Right now I can’t have a bonfire and invite my friends over for scripture reading and discussion. Kim and I can’t invite another family over for dinner after Sunday morning worship. I can't meet with Jeremy on Tuesday at the Hub or pray with Joe on Wednesday morning.

Some have been quick to remind me that, technically, I can do all of these things. They're right. But out of love for others, respect for the government, and our own health, my family has decided to stay in. 

Loving My Neighbors

While many people allow their Christian faith to be Sunday and Wednesday only, I hope this lockdown gives us a greater longing to spend time with people. Humans are not meant to be isolated. I think about God speaking that Adam was not meant to be alone (Genesis 2:18). While many of us have a spouse or children, several do not. I feel for our single Christian brothers and sisters out there who have lost many of the avenues of social connection in this tough season.

I've been thinking a lot about the command to love my neighbor, and how radically different that looks right now (Mark 12:31). I guess I could still go visit my neighbors and bring them food, but I could also be introducing them to a virus that I don’t even know if I have. Our church could set up a block party, give away food, hand out tracts, and preach the gospel, but that size gathering could spread the virus without proper social distancing. And who knows when the government will say it is wise to host such a gathering.

The reality is, I haven't visited my neighbors enough in the past few years, and it took being locked down to realize that. It took being locked down to get me to recognize the numerous families in my neighborhood who need to see the love of God. It took a global pandemic to open my eyes to the people I've been ignoring for the past five years while praying for God to send me somewhere with the gospel.

The Bitter

It may sound crazy, but coming out of this Coronavirus in the coming weeks is going to be a bitter time for many. Did I just say that? What could possibly be bitter about local businesses and restaurants opening back up? What could be bitter about getting back to grilling out and watching the kids play in the backyard? What could be bitter about our local churches and small groups gathering again?

Some people will face great anxiety. It is clear from the protests and social media clamor that many people are ready to get back to life as usual. Along with these people, there are plenty of others who feel the need to be cautious about opening things back up. And no, they haven't "bought in" on some government or media conspiracy to keep everyone afraid until the mark of the beast comes in the form of vaccinations. They simply see the nature of a deadly disease that has continued to spread even in the face of global lockdowns.

To think about life as normal in the midst of this pandemic can be terrifying for some people, setting their anxiety on edge. They may not be ready to get back to church as much as they deeply miss it. The immunocompromised and at-risk Christians get to watch everyone else get back to life while they continue to shelter in place. Pray for them. Pray that they wouldn't be overcome with anxious thoughts and fears of contracting the virus. Pray that they don't become angry or bitter about their circumstances. Instead of mocking them for being illogical or speaking as though they don't matter in the grand scheme of things, pray that they would cast their anxieties on the Lord who cares for them (1 Peter 5:7).

Some people will act recklessly. From skepticism to outright anger, some will refuse to wear masks or keep social distance. Others will go out of their way to reject anything that government recommends regarding social distancing. By law, they are totally free to do so in stores and in churches. We are a free nation governed by a constitution for a reason. However, as Christians, we need to remember the principle of Paul's teaching in 1 Corinthians 10:23-24:

While we may think it's silly to wear a mask to Walmart or to church, we must be cognizant of the needs and desires of our neighbor. It may sound stupid to stand 6 feet away from people or not shake hands at church, but it could be what is good for our neighbor. It might be annoying to not sip that cup of coffee before corporate worship on Sunday, but it could be beneficial to others.

People don't wear signs saying, "cancer patient", "immunocompromised", or "lung issues". Also, seasonal allergies and asthma make some people more prone to coughing, sneezing, and getting respiratory issues during the next 5 months or so. We need to focus less on what's lawful and more on what builds up. In these days, it is especially important to live out Philippians 2 as we seek to live like Christ and count others as more significant than ourselves. Let us pray that Christians would reflect the love and kindness of Christ in the coming days.

The Sweet
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In light of the bitter, however, there is so much sweetness.

We get to gather on Sunday mornings again. We will soon get to see many of our beloved brothers and sisters in Christ as we gather to worship with one another. No more Zoom burnout—we hope! No more preaching sermons to an empty room. No more watching the sermon from home and being distracted by the million things going on around us. No more singing into a camera with everyone muted so that we can only hear our own voices at home. No more internet connection issues making us look and sound like pixelated Super Mario using autotune. And no more blacked out screens with silent mics! (We know you're hiding!) Even if behind masks, we get the joys of being physically present.

I hope we don't ever take gathering together for granted again. It has been almost 8 weeks since we last did this, and I hope it has created a longing for more than just mere social interaction. I hope we are excited about more than just getting out of the house. I hope that we are overjoyed about the fact that the we get to be back together doing what the church does—gathering and going. While the going has never stopped, the gathering won't be paused (or Zoomed) anymore!

We get to gather in small groups again. We get to start having meals and get-togethers in our homes again. We get to send up prayers of worship, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication together. We can sip coffee—iced, whipped, or hot—while discussing work, parenting, marriage, and every other aspect of life from a Christian perspective. We get to open our Bible and start dwelling again on how we can reach our communities with the gospel that Jesus has commissioned us to share with the world. We get to be together.

Whether your local church has formal small groups or not, I hope you've missed being among other believers. I hope that you've grown a hunger for more than just consuming a Sunday sermon and a Wednesday night Bible study. I hope we've all developed a zeal to reach the lost in ways that have always been simple but often taken for granted. I hope you're ready to get back to living out the numerous "one another" passages with a renewed joy and vigor.

I know I am.

Are you ready to reopen? What are you most excited about? Are you nervous or fearful about anything? How are you praying in these times?​

Image Credit: Photo by fauxels from Pexels

God's Glory Revealed in Christ: Essays on Biblical Theology in Honor of Thomas R. Schreiner is not for the faint of heart. I say that jokingly because there is plenty of Greek and Hebrew in this book. However, if you are a pastor or a student of biblical theology, this will be a great addition to your library. The contributors include scholars and pastors like Albert Mohler, Jr., D.A. Carson, James Hamilton, John Piper, Robert Plummer, and more. To say this volume is meaty is an understatement.

God's Glory Revealed in Christ is divided into 4 helpful categories:

1. Whole Bible approaches to biblical theology: This section is packed with helpful information, especially for those considering the various approaches to biblical theology and how they interpret the scripture to form their theology. These chapters provide overviews of the various forms of and systems of biblical theology such progressive dispensationalism, new covenant theology, etc.

2. Major themes and issues in biblical theology: These chapters help understand some of the broader themes in Schreiner’s work. The essays also expand on some of the issues and qualms facing biblical theology today. It was helpful to see how biblical theology helps interpretive challenges in the Bible, especially in the New Testament as it relates to the Old Testament and complex doctrines such as the Trinity. The chapter on pastoral ministry was golden. It definitely changed my perspective on pastoral visitation and the importance of ministering the word beyond just the pulpit.

3. Background issues and biblical theology: This was probably the most technical section of the book. It Is valuable in teaching the importance of background information with regard to biblical theology and New Testament interpretation. For most lay level readers, much of this will be outside of our scope at first. However, it is beneficial to be acquainted with these issues as we read and study theology. Jarvis William’s chapter on second temple Judaism was brilliant (though jam-packed with Greek!). It was great to see some of the connections he made, I certainly look forward to reading that chapter again!

4. Applications: Of course, this section is very practical and accessible even to those who don’t have a strong grasp of previous technical material. This section addressed transgenderism , the great commission, pastors as theologians, academic ministry, and the kingdom in today’s public square. I was further reminded that pastors and church leaders need to be well-equipped to teach the Word in season and out. We must never fail to see how our biblical theology will shape the preaching and practical ministry of our churches.

While all of this valuable information lies in the first 268 pages, my favorite chapter was on Schreiner as a father. His son's word echo those stated by his students and colleagues in previous chapters. Throughout the book, it is made clear that he is a scholar of scholars, and yet he is often described as humble, approachable, loving, and pastoral. Tom Schreiner is a family man who is sinner who has flaws just like everyone else, but he has an admirable life worthy of his work as a pastor theologian.

If biblical theology is your niche (like it is mine!), I heartily recommend this book. I especially recommend it to pastors who are seeking to grow theologically and become pastor theologians. God's Glory Revealed in Christ has given me a strong desire to check out more of Tom Schreiner's writings, especially on biblical theology.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to leave a positive review.

When you hear the word theologian what comes to mind? When you think about doctrine do you picture scholars in suits and ties studying 2000 page books full of 15-letter -isms and -ologies? Do you picture them solving problems and writing page after page on issues that have no little to no practical bearing on the lives of everyday, average people like us? As much as I hate to admit it, I have often felt that way as I've waded into depths of theological conundrums caused by the translation (or mis-translation) of a single Greek word.

I used to think John Calvin was one of these ivory tower theologians with all head and no heart. However, the more I read what he wrote and not what people say he wrote, I see that he had the heart of a lover of God and pastor. He was a man of strong devotion and zeal for God, and he puts this on display with the numerous prayers and references to seeking God in writings. Contrary to popular belief, he wrote more on other topics than did on election or predestination.

Everyday Prayer with John Calvin is one such example of his passion for God. It isn't a book that Calvin wrote, but it's jam-packed with quotes and excerpts of his writings on dwelling with Christ through prayer. Donald McKim has done an excellent job of pulling excerpts from Calvin's magnum opus, Institutes of the Christian Religion, as well as his numerous commentaries on the Old and New Testaments. 

McKim suggests four steps to using this book in your prayer life:
1. Read the passage of Scripture at the top of each page. (Yes, this book is about the Word and the God Calvin wrote about, not Calvin himself!)
2. Meditate on the teaching and instruction from the passage and devotional writings of Calvin.
3. Pray in reflection on the Scripture and the devotional..
4. Act in light of what you've read and prayed about.

In the strange and scary days we are walking in right now, here is an excerpt of how Everyday Prayer with John Calvin and helps us pray in light of God's Word. In his writing on Psalm 18:1-6, Calvin said:

"It was a very evident proof of uncommon faith in David, when, being almost plunged into the gulf of death, he lifted up his heart to heaven by prayer. Let us therefore learn, that such an example is set before our eyes, that no calamities, however great and oppressive, may hinder us from praying, or create an aversion to it." (p. 27; emphasis added)

With prayer points and reflection questions each day, Everyday Prayer with John Calvin is an excellent supplement to your devotional life. Whether you're looking for a quick and simple tool for your quiet times or you're planning to spend time with a friend, spouse, or family member, this is a great option for you! 

*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to leave a positive review.
​Image Credit: Amazon

Changes Abound
Unexpected and life-altering changes are the icy cold bucket of water that instantly jars us awake on a cozy morning. It seems that life went from normal to chaos in only a couple of days. Of course, history is full of pandemics and mass hysteria, but it is unprecedented—as the media has often said—for us in the 21st century with our advanced medical technology and interconnected systems of communication and information. 

Yet here we are. A tiny band of parasites is threatening to undo us. A microscopic organism is lurking at the grocery store or in the breath of a loved one. These evil minions are rubbing their sheisty hands together as they wait to embed their genetic material into our bodies and try to take us down. Most of the time, they don't win. But that doesn't mean they'll give up without a fight.

Back To The Old Paths
Every generation is faced with some circumstance that can seem to pull the rug right out from beneath their feet. From the Black Death of the 1300s to the Spanish flu of the 1900s to the COVID-19 outbreak of 2020, we all face circumstances that can leave us feeling undone. Yet in these challenging times, we would do well to remember the words of Jeremiah 6 when Jerusalem was facing great destruction:

While our circumstances are quite different than the Israelites Jeremiah was speaking to, the principle is still very applicable to Christians today. In the face of what appears to be a new reality for us in coming months, we have the choice to either respond in faith a follow the good path or say to God, "we will not walk in it." I hope and pray for myself as well as this generation that we will respond by going back to the ancient paths.

A Side Note
Before we go further, I'm not one of those gloomy Christians who starts every sentence off with, "the modern church has got it wrong because of...". There are many Christians around the world who are striving, with 2000 years of tradition behind them, to live out a biblical faith. It brings me great joy to see Christians around the world rallying to worship God together in these days of global lockdowns and quarantines. Praise God for technology that lets us worship and receive His Word together in these days of "social distancing".

My focus is what we do with the other 167 hours of the week. After my first seven days of social isolation, I was ready to go insane! It wasn't because I have a house full of little kids or even that I'm stuck and can't have the social interaction I desperately desire. Rather, my problem is that my devotional life was so intimately tied to the routines of my life that when things changed, so did my time with the Lord.

I've got to keep focused on the old paths or I'll be led by the media's mirage that solace is found in having more knowledge of the world around me.

What are the old paths?
What are the "ancient paths"? What is "the good way" where we can find rest for our souls? The first and most obvious answer is Christ alone. He calls us to come to Him and find rest (Matthew 11:28). But what are the means He has given us to do this? How do we seek and find Christ in the midst of all the noise and chaos that seems be closing in from all sides? 

I'll be forthright. This is not an impressive or exhaustive list. I don't have a secret path or formula that will guarantee instant devotional success. If you have it, please share it early in the COVID-19 social isolation phase so we can master it! In all seriousness, I just want to recommend 3 basic spiritual practices that can help anchor our souls during such a time as this.

Spend Time In God's Word
This may be the most boring and unoriginal tip you've read all week. But in the barrage of free books, free lectures, free courses, and a host other free resources, we can lose sight of the richness of God's Word. While starving our souls on supplements and junk food, we forget that there's an infinite supply of manna right before our eyes. We need God's Word in these times.

Jesus, quoting Deuteronomy 8:3, says "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4). Will we be like the Israelites who detested God's food (Numbers 21:5)? Will we frown at the Scriptures like children do a plate Brussels sprouts or will we heartily agree that God's Words are "sweeter than honey" (Psalm 119:103)? Whether it's your physical Bible, an audio Bible, or an app on your phone, it's important that we spend time reading and hearing God's word alone, with our families, and even with friends (get creative!). Faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17).

Meditate on Scripture
I once heard of dieters who put tasty food in their mouths, chewed it up for a few seconds, and then spit it out. This gave them the taste of the food without adding all the calories, sugar, and fat from the foods they loved. While it sounds like something for the birds, we often do this with the Bible as we plow through our reading plans or knock out our chapter for the day. 

Just as people who don't actually eat their food would wither away to almost nothing, so our souls will be desperately malnourished without meditation. The 19th century writer, Nathanael Ranew said that, "little meditating makes lean Christians, of little life, little strength, little growth, and of little usefulness to others." This doesn't mean we need to be monks or mystics, but it does mean that we need to commit to slowing down and thinking deeply about God and His Word. If Joshua and David were both men of meditation and great leaders in Israel (Joshua 1:8, Psalm 1:2), then we can "find" the time during our time away from work and social life to meditate. The blessed path of meditation is available for all of us. 

Pray
Once again, nothing new here! We know we ought to pray, but do we actually pray? Do we delight in our time with God? There used to be a slang phrase called the "Blackberry prayer" before smartphones took over. You've seen it. People have their phones in their lap, looking down in what could either be deep agonizing, solemn prayer, or simple scrolling. I wonder how many hours we will spend in "Android prayer" or "iPhone prayer" during these COVID-19 days with our live news and infinitely scrolling newsfeeds. I get easily sucked in.

It is during these days that we must remember to "continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving" (Colossians 4:2). Watchful, thankful prayer, like meditation, is a continual command, but it is especially needful as we are isolated and waiting out this storm. As valuable as it is to connect with people during these socially isolated days, it is infinitely more valuable to connect with God. We must prioritize our time with the Lord.

Spiritual Paths for Spiritual People
These old paths have been blessing believers for millennia, but it's not merely the doing that brings change. Without the Holy Spirit's help, our reading, meditating, and praying will be vain and powerless. We are needy people! Without the blood of Jesus, we can't come boldly to the throne of the gracious Father, nor can we understand the aim of all the Scriptures—Jesus. Without the love of the Father, we would be left to our sin and lost for eternity!  Never forget who and whose you are while you're doing these spiritual duties, for that will put you on the path to legalism and burnout. But also don't neglect these important duties which God has given for our good.

The COVID-19 Outbreak of 2020
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By now, COVID-19 is probably on your radar no matter where you are in the world. Rather than offer more news--the internet is full of it—I would like to share some ways to pray as we walk through some interesting and uncertain days. While some are saying there isn't much risk with this pandemic, the global economic and medical impact is staggering.

People across the globe are quarantined and major tourist areas look like ghost towns. The NBA, PGA, March Madness, and high school sports are gone indefinitely. Many churches (possibly even your local church) have canceled services or opted to meet virtually to help prevent the spread of this highly contagious coronavirus. The CDC's latest recommendation is to cancel or postpone all gatherings of 50 people or more for the next 8 weeks!

As Christians, we know and trust that God is sovereign over chaotic and scary situations like this coronavirus outbreak. We also know that uncertainty and fear can grip even the strongest of believers in times like these. Psalm 91 reminds us that God is a refuge, shelter, and fortress for those who abide in, dwell with, and trust in Him. One of the greatest ways to exercise our faith is to pray.

10 Ways To Pray During the COVID-19 Outbreak

1. Pray for the lost. There are millions (if not billions) of people around the world who don't know Jesus or the hope we have in Him. We don't lose heart in these perilous times because we know there is more to life than this flesh and blood. We know that He who raised Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Him and bring us into His presence (2 Cor. 4:14). We need to remember these truths and pray for our unsaved friends and family.

2. ​Pray for the sick. A tiny virus can speed up the process of our bodies wasting away, but God is powerful enough to heal us. We need to pray for both the bodies and souls of those who are sick because bodily health is important, but spiritual life is much more valuable. While our physical health is sure to fade, Christ gives us eternal life that will never decay. We want the sick to be healthy and righteous:

​3. Pray for the Church. Let us not forget about Christians in the places most heavily impacted by COVID-19. Christians in China, South Korea, Italy, Iran, and many other nations are being heavily impacted by this virus. Some of the churches in these nations haven't been able to gather for weeks, some church members may have been killed during this outbreak, and others will be facing tough times in the coming days and weeks. We also need to pray for Christians in our nation as well as believers in our local churches. Scripture commands us to pray for all the saints.

4. Pray for church leaders. Not only are pastors judged with greater strictness for what we teach (James 3:1), but we are also accountable to God for our leadership of the church. As we make decisions about how to navigate these challenging and scary times, pray that God would give us wisdom (James 1:5). Whether or not you agree with every decision we make, pray for us. Pray for God to give you words of gratitude and encouragement over the coming weeks and months.

5. Pray for government leaders. This COVID-19 situation is highly politicized and fraught with skepticism, conspiracy, and fake news. Rather than drawing strict party lines and spreading false reports about our government leaders, pray for them (Exodus 23:1). In general, we have become too lax with how we speak about and pray for our government leaders. Make no mistake, God is not silent on how we should regard and pray for our government leaders. We need to pray for God to graciously give them wisdom and guide their hearts (Proverbs 21:1). Read and think about Romans 13:1-7. Also heed God's command to pray for government leaders.

6. Pray for wisdom. In situations like this, we all need to exercise wisdom. If you're in isolation and practicing social distancing, perhaps you could devote some extra time to reading Proverbs and consider how to walk in wisdom. If you're healthy, pray for God to help you navigate life in a way that could prevent you from contracting or spreading COVID-19 to others (since it is often spread through people who don't have any symptoms). If you're feeling ill, pray for wisdom as to how to seek treatment or quarantine yourself until your symptoms subside.

7. Pray for first responders and healthcare workers (and their families). It can be easy to forget about the doctors, nurses, EMTs, police officers, firefighters, nursing home workers, and others who keep our healthcare infrastructure up and running. I have friends and family who work both on the front lines and behind the scenes in healthcare. These people are risking their lives and giving the best of their time and energy to help people impacted by COVID-19, as well as people facing other ongoing medical situations and issues. As you're praying, send up some gratitude for these people and all of the others who are spending and being spent on behalf of this virus. Also, don't forget to pray for their families. Spouses, children, and other family members are now having to distance themselves in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. 
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8. Pray for the elderly and people with compromised immune systems. Early on, I comforted myself with the notion that this new coronavirus really only seriously affects the elderly and the immunocomprised. Perhaps you have done so, too. Rather than comfort ourselves in others' misfortune, we should pray for them. We should empathize with them. Many of the physically vulnerable aren't afraid or worried at all, but some of them are terrified. They hear what we hear and see what we see (and say). We should pray that God would comfort them and protect them, even if it is just like a the flu or a minor case of pneumonia. Now is a great time to remember the mind of Christ.

9. Pray for humility. In situations like this COVID-19 crisis, there are at least two ways pride manifests itself. For some of us, we are so self-reliant that we think we can outsmart and out-prep the coronavirus. We put our faith in a 2:1 ratio of alcohol to aloe—hand sanitizer. We put our hope in the food we have stashed away in our root cellars or basements. Others exhibit pride in thinking that they are invincible. They think to themselves, "I'm a young, healthy American, nothing will ever happen to me!". God calls us all to cast our anxieties on Him (1 Peter 5:7). He also commands that we look humbly toward the future.

Book Snob At The Coffee Shop
For a few years now, I’ve known a guy who is a know-it-all. Every time he meets a friend in a coffee shop, he lets you know that he’s well-read. When someone needs a book recommendation or a Christmas gift, he’s always got an idea. In fact, he’s got a shelf full of them! He reads, reviews, listens to, studies, and summarizes books—and he’ll let you know that too! He considers himself to be ahead of the curve on all the best books, both old and new, so don’t even try to recommend something to him because he has already seen it, ordered it, and read the first chapter on his Kindle.

Have you ever met a guy like this? I usually see him in the coffee shop once or twice a week. In fact, he’s at my house every day. I look at him in the mirror every morning. Sadly, I’ve been faced with the realities of my snobbery as I’ve seen friendships go sour and friends get annoyed with my incessant tendency to reference and recommend the latest books I’m reading. I’m sure they have gotten sick of hearing me go on and on about how the current book I’m reading is one of the best I’ve ever read on the topic.

Don’t Read In Vain
As I write these words, it’s embarrassing to think about how many times I’ve made a fool of myself as a book snob. I’ve read a little more than 200 books, which could seem like a lot until you look at the bibliographies of your shelf. If the average American reads 12 books each year, it may seem amazing to read a lot more than that. It’s humbling to see that guys like Tim Challies read 2 books a week, and Albert Mohler reads several each week as well.

I’m not a big shot at all—though there are times that I think I am. There are times that I vainly plow through a book just so I can add it to my reading list or say that I’ve read it. The vanity in reading this way is summed in Ecclesiastes 12:12: “Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.” This isn’t saying that reading many books is sinful or even something to be avoided. But it can indeed be “vanity of vanities” (Ecclesiastes 1:2).

Learning To Read Again
After a couple of years of reading a lot (not all!) in vain, I have deliberately changed the way I read. In fact, I’ve changed the way I look at reading altogether. The Puritan writer, Richard Baxter, said, “It is not the reading of many books which is necessary to make a man wise or good, but the well-reading of a few, could he be sure to have the best.” In other words, it’s not important to simply plow through a book just to say I’ve accomplished it. Rather, reading a book well makes all the difference.

Here are some of the changes I’ve made regarding how I read:

1. . When Jesus was waging war with Satan, He said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4). It is to my shame that there have been years where I’ve read 30 or 40 books but didn’t read through the Bible. While professing to value God’s Word above every other book, my actions proclaimed that “man lives by good books and God’s Word is a supplemental add-on if I get around to it”.

2. I read good books slowly and I mark them up with copious notes. There are some books that I read to simply gather the information or to see what’s in it. Sometimes this happens when a friend asks my opinion of a book I’ve not read or asks me a question on a topic I haven’t looked into. There are other books that warrant diving deeper because they help me behold Christ or draw me to deeper devotion (2 Corinthians 3:18). Books like David Saxton’s God’s Battle Plan for the Mind or Brian Hedges’ Watchfulness have been slow and meditative deep reads for me.

3. Rather than always grabbing the most popular or eye-catching titles, I’ve shifted my reading to fit practical needs in my life. For example, I recently started co-pastoring a church, and I preach twice a month in addition to my full time teaching job. We are preaching through Galatians, so I do the bulk of my reading from commentaries on Galatians. If I’m not reading something on Galatians, I’m listening to a book on parenting, marriage, spiritual disciplines, or pastoral ministry. These are my life priorities right now, and my time is limited, so I’ve given up much of my pleasure reading until summer break. God has been gracious and shown me much through these good books in the past couple of months.

4. I ask other people to talk. Ok, I’m at least trying! I haven’t come close to mastering this, but when a friend tells me they’re reading a great book, I am learning to ask them to describe it, share relevant quotes, or summarize it for me. This not only helps me listen, but it allows me to show that I value my friends—even though I often struggle to display it! It also allows me to glean from good books when I don’t have the time to devote to reading or listening to them myself.

Learn From My Foolishness
Don’t be that know-it-all guy at the coffee shop. Don’t be the “self-professed authority on every topic” lady at Bible study. Even if you read at Mohler pace—some 300 books a year—you don’t have to let everyone know about it. Remember, “A prudent man conceals knowledge, but the heart of fools proclaims folly” (Proverbs 12:23). This doesn’t mean that you never share what you know. But it means that you share wisely and with humility, knowing when the time is right.


*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Brothers, Preach Your Heart Out — No Matter How Few People Are in the Room​
This post was a well-placed reminder to preach my heart out in my small church plant. As pastors (and members), it's easy to get caught up in the numbers game. We must never forget that "the value of preaching Christ is not dependent on the number of your listeners. The value of preaching is in Christ himself. His supremacy over all things makes all preaching valuable, whether it’s to 30 or 3,000 people."

Waiting On the Lord to Renew Our Strength: Reflections on Pastoral Burnout
Though written to pastors, we live in a burnout culture. From childhood we are taught to be go-getters and do everything we can to get to the top of whatever ladder we are climbing—whether ministry, motherhood, or corporate. Ortlund reminds us that, "when we sink into the lowest of the low, we will find God himself waiting for us down there with deeper grace 'to revive the spirit of the lowly' (Isaiah 57:15)."
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Come Away and Rest Awhile​
"As weak people, we need regular time of rest, refreshment, and relaxation. Vance Havner said it well: 'If you do not come apart and rest, you will come apart.'" Seeing myself and ministry friends on the verge of burnout has reminded me of the value of rest. God didn't create us to work endlessly, and it isn't more spiritual to burn out.

Parents, Take Note of the Spiritual Practices Common to Kids Who Flourish As Adults
Nothing we do can save our children's souls, but since parents are the primary means of discipleship for our children, we should model faithful Christianity. "The research... indicated that children who remained faithful as young adults (identifying as a Christian, sharing their faith, remaining in church, reading the Bible, and so on) grew up in homes where certain practices were present."

When Parents Feel Like We Are Mostly Failing Most of the Time
I can agree with this! "​I’m convinced the great majority of us feel like we are failing most of the time. We’ve got this deep gut feeling that our kids are spending way too much of their childhoods tapping on glowing glass rectangles. We feel a lot of guilt that our kids aren’t spending more time playing in the great outdoors or reading great books. We feel frustrated that mostly they don’t even want to."

Spurgeon and the Cholera Outbreak of 1854
The 2019 Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a serious global illness. Christians are not exempt from the deadly effects of pandemics, but we don't have to live in fear. We must be wise and trust our wise and loving Father. "As pastors and church leaders consider their response to COVID-19 in our present day, there is much to figure out practically and logistically. But the core of our ministry remains: Preach the gospel."

​Love
Boothe is correct in saying that “it is to be feared that the cultivation of love in the heart does not command as it should the earnest and constant efforts of the followers of Christ”. Paul shows that love is a “more excellent way” (1 Corinthians 12:31-13:3; Romans 12:9-10; Romans 13:8-10). Jesus even called the commandment to love as He loved a “new commandment” and followed that up by saying, “if you love me, keep my commandments” (John 13:34-35; John 14:15,21-24; John 15:9-19; Mark 12:28-34). 

Peter call us to love one another fervently above all (1 Peter 1:22-23; 1 Peter 4:8; 2 Peter 1:5-11). This love toward God and one another grow together as we become more like Christ. When we fervently love God and others, the world will be rocked by what God is doing in us! Let Boothe’s words resound in your heart as you read them:
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God’s Electing Grace
When Boothe considered the grace of God, he knew that he would have to go back before the beginning of time to the election and sovereign grace of God. Rather than stirring up feelings of hostility, “it is a wonderful thought” that God graciously elected to carry out the salvation of those who believe in Him (Ephesians 1:3-12; Romans 8:28-39). God’s election “gives no encouragement whatever for anyone to continue in sin” for His ultimate aim is to conform us to the image of His Son.

Regeneration
This grace of God comes through a statement that “startled” Nicodemus—namely that one must be “born again” to see the kingdom of God (John 3:3-8). This means that “no sinner can by any means work out a salvation for himself”. It is God who makes alive (Ephesians 2:1,4-7). The God who raised Lazarus from the dead must also raise our spiritually dead souls. Rather than be busy wondering how or why God has done all of this, we should busy ourselves with offering thanksgiving for such marvelous grace.

The Grace of Repentance
Too often in our day, repentance is thought to be the sole work of man in his free will. However, true sorrow for sin comes by the gracious conviction of the Holy Spirit. We see this sort of repentance in David when He confesses his sin in Psalm 51. True sorrow acknowledges the wrong done to others but primarily focuses on the wrong done toward the “majesty and glory of God”. True confession, according to Boothe, is saying of ourselves and our sins “exactly what God says about them” as seen in 1 John 1:9. 

The Gift of Faith
Without faith, how can we be saved? We can’t. We must call on God (Romans 10:13-14). Calling upon God means running to Jesus and confessing that He alone can save us from the sin and death which plague us. Boothe says “that earnest and honest calling on the Lord means that all dependence on anything else than what Christ Jesus has done is utterly renounced and that in Christ is all his desire, all his trust, all his hope.”

Justification
It is this gift of faith that allows a sinful person to be counted as righteous in the sight of God. Boothe reminds us that the only way a sinner can be just with God is if God provides a way Himself. The Scriptures are clear that justification can’t be mixed with our works, for “a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law” (Romans 3:27-28). If works are included it is no longer of grace, says Paul (Romans 11:6). It is hearing and believing that justify so that we may boast in God alone (John 5:24; Romans 5:1-2).

Growing In Holiness
Sanctification is the process of being made holy, and salvation is brought to its fullness as the Spirit makes us more and more Christlike. God justifies and sanctifies us by the power of the Holy Spirit (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14). Christ is also active in presenting the church as a glorious, spotless, holy bride (Ephesians 5:25-27).
Boothe reminds us that Christ prayed specifically for our sanctification and that “without holiness, there is no salvation”. Therefore, we should be earnest to pursue holiness and flee from sin (Hebrews 12:14-15; Titus 2:11-14). 

Preservation of the Saints
Boothe prefers to use “preservation of the saints” because “it draws attention directly to God, who is the Preserver of his people”. Scripture brings out the fact that God does indeed preserve His saints in His “gracious and unalterable purpose”. Romans 8:28-30 show a chain of salvation so glorious that Paul speaks of present tense saints with past tense glorification. We are kept by the power of God (1 Peter 1:2-5), confirmed until the end (1 Corinthians 1:3-9), safe sheep in the hands of God (John 10:27-30), and awaiting Jesus’ promise to come again (John 14:1-3).

Respond
Take a moment to just thank God for His active work in salvation. He didn’t leave us to ourselves. He didn’t hand us a ladder and say, “climb as high as you can, and if you make it, I’ll let you in.” He also didn’t say, “Climb as high as you can and I’ll grab you when you can’t keep going”. Rather He came to the bottom of the ladder, resurrected us, and is carrying us to the top, by His grace. Does this negate our responsibility, not at all. Trust Christ. Pursue godliness. Chase after holiness. Boast in Him alone. Never forget that the God who saved us is the God who will keep us.
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​If you're reading through, let me know what you think!

Be sure to check out the rest of the series here! I highly recommend that you purchase a copy of the book* and work through it slowly, prayerfully, and meditatively. It’s a short volume and perfect to read in small chunks throughout the month. 

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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This month, my goal is to briefly and simply walk through some of what Charles Octavius Boothe taught in A Plain Theology For Plain People. I highly recommend that you purchase a copy of the book and work through it slowly, prayerfully, and meditatively. It’s a short volume and perfect to read in small chunks throughout the month. 

The purpose of these posts is to provide some brief thoughts and insights for meditation. If you find something thought-provoking, please feel free to comment and start some dialogue. I look forward to working through A Plain Theology for Plain People with you this month.

Be sure to check out part 1 of A Plain Theology of God here!

What May Be Known of God (Continued)

6. God is all-powerful.
God displays His power:

In creation. God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1). It is impossible to fathom a mere man speaking creation into existence. God spoke and the universe was created. We need no more evidence of Almighty power!

In governing creation through His providence. The creation has been upheld and is moving as God has willed it. The seas and the skies have stayed within their limits, and so have the animals. Scripture is clear, in the case of Daniel and the Three Hebrew boys, that even “the lion’s jaws are locked, and the heated furnace cannot burn against his will.”

In control of men and evil forces to bring about His plan. One example is with Nebuchadnezzar whom God used to receive glory and yet humbled him when he grew proud (Daniel 3:28, 4:37). God uses even ungodly people for His work.

7. God is all-wise.
Boothe says that, “wisdom consists in the ability to apply the various items of our knowledge, in such a way as to accomplish a desired end…” In other words, God has both the knowledge and the ability to use that knowledge to achieve His ultimate, perfect ends. We see this especially in nature, God’s providence, and in the purposes and plans of His sovereign grace (Romans 11:33).

8. God is infinitely holy and perfectly just. 
In His Holiness (Isa. 6:1-3, Rev. 4:8, Ex. 15:11,1 Chronicles 16:29; 2 Chronicles 20:21; Psalm 29:2): Boothe is right in saying that “The perfect holiness of God is seen in the rectitude (righteousness) of the divine character; it is the sum of all supreme, moral excellence.”

In His Justice (Psalm 145:17): Boothe rightly asks, "Can perfect holiness and infinite wisdom give birth to unrighteous laws and unequal administrations?" Certainly not! God is holy and He must govern the world with perfect justice. It is thus true that “God’s judgments are always righteous.”

9. God is faithful and true.
Everything God says is true, and God Himself is truth (John 17:17, Deuteronomy 32:3-4, Jeremiah 10:10, 2 Corinthians 1:20, Joshua 23:14). From the fall of Adam and Eve to the coming of the Savior, God has been faithful to give salvation to those who trust in Christ. He spoke it, and it has come to pass. There is not a soul who repents and trusts Jesus that won't receive the eternal life promised in the gospel!

10. God never changes.
Boothe, in his simple and punchy way, says, "Change belongs to man, not to God, who is perfect." We change our minds, alter our plans, and respond in light of newly revealed knowledge, wisdom, and holiness. God isn't like us. He isn't subject to change (Psalm 102:25-27, Malachi 3:6, James 1:17, Numbers 23:19). This is clearly seen in the unchanging moral law which has been true and righteous since the days of Adam, Moses, and Daniel. God is still unchanging and so is His holy standard.

11. God is good and merciful.
God displays His mercy:
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In the works of creation. Everything God made was good (Genesis 1:31, 2:9, 2:18)

In His providence. God is good to the just and the unjust by providing all with sun and rain (Matthew 5:45). He is a God full of mercy and steadfast love, and He is good to all and merciful over all of His works (Psalm 145:8-9).

In the work of redemption. He loved the world—those who were His enemies—so much that He "made this matchless, amazing sacrifice to open to us again the gates of life!" He didn't spare His own Son, but rather showered us with love in order that we could be called His sons and daughters. What goodness and mercy we have seen!

Respond:
As we continue to mine the depths of these attributes of God, we should be drawn to humility and worship. Let these truths continue to sink in. Read and re-read some of the Scriptures from above. Most importantly, let these truths lead you to deeper faith. God, who is the self-existent, life-giving, eternal, ever-present, all-knowing Spirit loved us enough to save us. He did this through Jesus Christ, the second person of the Godhead. Knowing that we would fall into sin and death, God devised a redemption plan that is beyond understanding! This is cause for worship and thanksgiving!

Share any thoughts or comments!

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*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Image Credit: Amazon

This month, my goal is to briefly and simply walk through some of what Charles Octavius Boothe taught in A Plain Theology For Plain People. I highly recommend that you purchase a copy of the book and work through it slowly, prayerfully, and meditatively. It’s a short volume and perfect to read in small chunks throughout the month.

The purpose of these posts is to provide some brief thoughts and insights for meditation. If you find something thought-provoking, please feel free to comment and start some dialogue. I look forward to working through A Plain Theology for Plain People with you this month.

What May Be Known of God

Boothe lays out 11 attributes of God as laid out in Scripture. It is vital that we know what God says about Himself. None else truly matters when life and death are on the line. Whether we like what He reveals or not, we are called to believe and love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Deuteronomy 6:5, Matthew 22:37).

1. God Is Spirit.
He is not made of flesh and bones like men, though He appears to us in forms that can be heard and seen. Only in the Jesus is the God made manifest as flesh and blood (John 1:14). Since God is Spirit, He is to be worshiped in Spirit and truth, not figures and forms (John 4:24, Exodus 20:14, Deuteronomy 4:15-16). Boothe understood the difficulty of comprehending an invisible, spiritual God, and he offers the following encouragement:

“As the creature-life is one of matter and forms, it is hard for us to understand a higher order of life—a life that has no body and that needs no forms. However, we perceive dimly the truth that God is a spirit, and believe it, waiting for eternity to bring us more light.”

2. God Is Self-Existent.
God’s name—YHWH—means “I AM THAT I AM” (Exodus 3:14). Everything with life and power draws from God. However, He draws life and strength from no one. The God who existed before all created things needs nothing else to continue living or else His life would be derived from somewhere else. This ought to humble us because we realize that life “comes from the Living God, the Fountain of Life; it is sustained by his food, his drink, and the air round about him.”

3. God is Eternal.
Before creation, God has been God (Psalm 9:1-2). If you try to think back millions and millions of years, you’ll still end up in the “midst of the life of God”, says Boothe. It would exhaust us to go as far back as we could imagine. Then we would have to stretch our minds to fathom as far into the future as we could. After sapping our minds and imaginations completely, we would need to say, “He is, ever has been, and ever shall be.” Since life originates with God, how can He not be eternal?

4. God is Everywhere.
God is present in the deepest depth, the highest height, the brightest light, and the darkest pit—even in the place of the dead, filling heaven and earth (Psalm, 139:7-11, Jeremiah 23:23-24). We see the presence of God in nature, providence, the conscience, and every pursuit of righteousness. We know that God sees and we should tremble under the knowledge that God will judge us someday.

5. God is All-Knowing.
God knows the heart, for His eyes are in every place beholding good and evil (Proverbs 15:3,11). We can’t hide from the Lord. Everything is before Him and all things opened to Him (Jeremiah 23:24, Hebrews 4:13). God declared all things in His mind before they ever came to pass, and He is not caught off guard by anything that happens (Isaiah 49:6,10). In God’s sight, even “hell has no covering and the future has no secrets”. Our consciences feel the presence of God and His knowledge of us.

Respond:
As we ponder the depth of these attributes of God, we should be drawn to humility and worship. Let these truths sink in. Read and re-read some of the Scriptures from above. Most importantly, let these truths lead you to deeper faith. God, who is the self-existent, life-giving, eternal, ever-present, all-knowing Spirit loved us enough to save us. He did this through Jesus Christ, the second person of the Godhead. Knowing that we would fall into sin and death, God devised a redemption plan that is beyond understanding! This is cause for worship and thanksgiving!


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*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Image Credit: Amazon

Read With Me
Charles Octavius Boothe (1845-1924) was a slave who was freed by the Emancipation Proclamation of 1865. He worked tirelessly to improve the plight of black people following the Civil War. He knew that one powerful way to do this was to plant churches and promote biblical literacy among those who had once been fed false teaching at the hands of their former slave masters.

Boothe cooperated with white Christians who worshiped with him to help advance black people and fight the oppression they still faced heavily following the Civil war. Though he is described as a “reluctant teacher”, Boothe wrote A Plain Theology for Plain People* to help the average sharecropper know the Word of God and the God of the Word.

He felt that theology ought to be studied but that it should be done with as much simplicity as possible. He knew of the many deep matters and theological conundrums that come from studying Scripture, but his aim in this work was to provide a simple theological framework for the people he ministered to.
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This month, my goal is to briefly and simply walk through some of what Boothe taught. I highly recommend that you purchase a copy of the book and work through it slowly, prayerfully, and meditatively. It’s a short volume and perfect to read in small chunks throughout the month. 

The purpose of these posts is to provide some brief thoughts and questions for meditation. If you find something thought-provoking, comment and start some dialogue. I look forward to working through A Plain Theology for Plain People with you this month.

God Revealed To Mankind
Knowing theology is necessary for knowing God. However, we must be humble in our search for knowledge about God because He “is found of the lowly, but hides himself from the proud and self-sufficient man.” We don’t master God when we come to the Word, we let God master us as we grapple with His Word.

Boothe opens with God’s revelation of Himself to humanity. God shows Himself in creation, providence, and prophecy.

God Revealed In Creation And Providence
In creation, we see evidence of God in the things created (Psalm 19:1-2, Romans 1:20). Boothe says, “A human track in a desert would be to me conclusive evidence that a human foot had trodden that desert. Thus Paul argues that the things which are seen and handled are proofs of the unseen things.”

In providence, we see God orchestrating events, both grand and small, for the good of His people and for His glory (Romans 8:28). It is true that “the vulgar will call it luck, unbelievers will call it chance, but deep down in each heart there remains the feeling that in verity there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamed of in common philosophy.”

God Revealed in Scripture
In Scripture, God reveals Himself in 3 ways:

1. In harmony with His creation; We sense God in His creation and providence, and God tells us that He indeed created and upholds the world (Gen. 1:1, Jer. 10:23, John 1:1, Hebrews 1:3).

2. In the moral law; “This law demands that men shall worship God and love one another, neither of which principles have origin in the depraved nature of man. Hence the source of this law, like the works of creation, starts higher than the mind of man, and declares the presence of a heart that is pure and holy.”

3. In prophecy; When God prophesies events, they come to pass. For example, God prophesied Israel’s exile, their subsequent return home, and the devastation of Babylon. (Jer 29:10, Ezra 1:1-4, Isaiah 13:19-22). The grandest display of God's prophetic work pertains to Jesus:

“Whoever traces the development of this Christ-thought in the Bible, from Genesis 3:15, through all its forms, down to the manger at Bethlehem, and thence to the cross, through the tomb, and on to the ascension—whoever traces this idea, with humble purpose to be informed, must of necessity perceive that it is but the unfolding of an eternal purpose, involving not only all of man’s earthly history and mortal career, but having in view his interests in the world to come.”

How I’m the world can we see all of the Scriptures point to Jesus and not stand in awe of God grand design and divine mind?

That’s a lot of rich theology packed in only a few pages! However, Boothe’s logic is clear and his words are simple and biblical. We could probe the depths of Scripture and theology for the rest of our lives and never find everything. Yet, Boothe offers us a plain bit of theology to meditate on. Let it lead you to prayer and worship!

Share any thoughts or comments below!

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Image Credit: Amazon

Let the streaks begin!

2020, diet plans, gym memberships, and habit trackers are here! In just a few months, Planet Fitness will have open treadmills again, MyFitnessPal will be sending out plenty of “you have not logged your food today” notifications, and the Bible App streaks will be back in the single digits as we shrug off the guilt of failed New Year’s resolutions.

While I’ve started my fair share of failed Bible reading plans, I’m slowly learning how to spend time each day in God’s Word. Here are a few tips I’ve picked up over the years. Maybe they’ll help you.

10 Tips To Help You Keep Reading God’s Word

1. Prioritize the time you spend in God’s Word each day. Meditating on Scripture for 5 minutes is worth more than the 5 hours we spend on our phones every day. We are called to be “making the best use of the time”, and there are few better ways to spend our time than reading and meditating on Scripture (Eph. 5:16). Before you watch This Is Us or dive into Tim Challies’ 2020 reading plan, make sure you give God some of your best time to read and think about His Word. 

2. Use a Bible reading plan. The old adage continues to ring true in my life, “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail”. Each year I start with a Bible reading plan and end up saying to myself “this is too restrictive, I want the freedom to read whatever I want.” This usually backfires and I end up playing Bible roulette and landing in my favorite passages a couple of days each week. Having a Bible reading plan seems to be the most consistent and diverse way for me to keep reading and enjoying God’s word. Find a reading plan that suits you and try to stick with it!

3. Create a habit. Good habits change lives. Bad habits destroy us. In The Common Rule, Justin Whitmel Earley says that our habits are liturgy and that “we need language to emphasize the non-neutrality of our day-to-day routines.” In other words, our habits reveal our worship. If our habits lead us away from hearing from God on a regular basis, there’s an idol lurking in the shadows of our hearts. Many apps have a daily notification that reminds us to read, but the best habits are the ones that we look forward to because they bring both joy and benefit to our souls.

4. Pray for the time you spend in God’s Word. Too often, we go to the Bible aimlessly and wonder why we walk away unmoved by the glory revealed to us. We confess that the Scriptures are God-breathed (2 Tim. 3:16), but we don’t ask the Divine Author to open the eyes of our hearts and minds to hear and receive the Word. A simple, dependent prayer can help: “Lord, speak to me through your Word today”. In fact, that are several heart postures we should consider before we open our Bibles. 

5. Meditate on what you read. Whether you prefer a notebook, journaling Bible, blog, or a simple notecard, meditating on your reading is vital. The blessed man is the one who meditates on God’s Word day and night (Psalm 1:2). Delighting in God and His Word fuels meditation and meditation fuels delight in God and His Word. Meditation and delight are inseparable. If you don’t know how to meditate, the Puritans can surely help. They were skilled and wrote frequently on the topic of biblical meditation.

6. Pray during and after you read Scripture. Don’t just read the Bible, pray the Bible. The whole process of Bible reading should be done coram deo—in the presence of God. One significant way to be mindful of the presence of God is to talk to Him while you read His Word. So often Bible reading feels like an obscure homework assignment that is supposed to mystically connect us to a God we don’t think about before, during, or after. By praying as you read, you not only seek the presence and help of God, you also pray the very Words of God to Him. If you want to be sure that His Words abide in you as you “ask whatever you wish” (John 15:7), praying the Bible is sure to give you that confidence.

7. Discuss what you read. Unless you’re an extreme introvert, you talk to people every day. While it’s not sinful to talk about the news, weather, sports, or your family, you could also talk to someone about the Scriptures you’ve been reading. Not only will conversation help you with retaining and applying something you’ve read, it will benefit and encourage the people you are sharing with! This is an excellent way to evangelize and counsel people in your life!

8. Incorporate your Bible reading into family worship. Whether you’re single and living with godly roommates, a parent of preschoolers, or empty nest parents of adult children, you need to be having family worship. This doesn’t have to be elaborate, but it should include at least some Bible reading and prayer. Don Whitney offers a simple method that you can implement immediately. If you’re reading through Matthew 17 today, why not save that for family worship time? Knowing the attention span and ages in your home, select a portion or all of the chapter to read. Discuss it briefly, ask a few questions, and spend some time in prayer.

9. Obey what you read. Your Bible reading is useless if you don’t believe it. Salvation is by grace alone through faith and faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 10:17). However, faith without works is dead. We don’t look in the mirror and forget what we look like. Neither should we read God’s Word and walk away without a resolve, by grace, to obey what it says (James 1:22-25). It takes the power of the Holy Spirit and supernatural wisdom to see what God desires, but one of the chief aims of reading the Scriptures should be to become more like Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18). Both Sinclair Ferguson and J.C. Ryle have written on this important aspect of the Christian life. 

10. Your Bible won’t read itself. Years ago, I was around some brothers who visibly loved God and His Word. They were memorizing, discussing, applying, and sharing God’s Word anytime I was around. I asked one of them a simple question: “What tips do you have for reading the Bible?”. He thought for a second and said this simple but life-changing sentence, “Your Bible won’t read itself”. He’s right.

Keep On Keepin’ On
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If we want to keep reading our Bibles in 2020, we have to read our Bibles in 2020. All the tips in the world can’t replace reading or listening to God’s Word on a regular basis. In all of this, we must not forget the gospel. We are not saved by our Bible reading, nor are we keeping ourselves in God’s good graces by reading 4 chapters a day. However, as I heard so often growing up, we have to keep on keepin’ on. 

We have to read on the days we don’t feel like it, begging God to change our hearts. We have to read on the days we are too tired, too busy, or too overwhelmed, knowing that God’s Word is profitable for those times, too. We simply have to keep reading because we know that the Scriptures point us to a glorious, mighty, triune God who is worthy of our love, energy, and devotion each and every day.

What are some tips you'd offer to someone trying to keep up with daily Bible reading? Leave a comment below!

Tony Reinke shared his annual Advent Bible reading plan. Along with the reading plan, he has an ongoing Twitter discussion via #IsaiahChristmas sharing some thoughts and themes along the way. It's an awesome way to see Jesus in the Old Testament, look forward to celebrating Advent, and get some rich insights into the text along the way! Let's join him for a look at Isaiah 6:1-7.

A Life-Altering Vision

What did the 25 year-old Isaiah see? He saw a glimpse of infinite glory. His eyes beheld what few men will ever behold until Jesus returns on His second glorious Advent. Too often, we get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life and fail to sit still and ponder the glory of God. Isaiah saw God’s throne—grander and more spectacular than anything David or Solomon could dream of. The train of God’s robe was so vast that it filled the entire temple. There's no greater glory to behold than the LORD in His glory!

What else did he see? He saw a King sitting on His throne. This isn’t some earthly ruler who would take over the world by brute force only to be surpassed by a greater king a few hundred years down the road. He didn’t just see some messianic figure that would return only to get vengeance on Israel’s enemies and let life continue as usual but with a hint of Jewish clout. That isn’t enough. He saw the King of the universe. The whole earth is His. Every bit of it.

What more did Isaiah see? He saw worship. Not like the vain and God-forsaken worship of Israel and Judah (Isa. 1:12-15). His eyes beheld unfettered worship untainted by sin, sorrow and shame. “Holy, holy, holy”, they cried! Against the backdrop of utter wickedness and contemptible sinfulness, he heard an earth-shattering truth: “the whole earth is full of his glory!”. God is glorious despite Israel's sinfulness. He's glorious despite ours, too.

What else did this young man see? He saw the holiness of God. He felt the presence of God in such a powerful way that it shook the foundations of the temple's threshold. When God spoke, he felt the fear of being in the presence of a King. This wasn’t that butterfly feeling of meeting a hero or the president of the United States. No. This was fear. This was terror. This was reverence and awe. He could've died in the presence of such holiness—God's appointed priests weren't even able to enter the throne room except for once per year. He was in the presence of pure, unadulterated holiness. This thought should sent a shiver down Isaiah's spine. It should do the same for us.

How did he respond? He trembled as he spoke the words we must all acknowledge sooner or later: “Woe is me! For I am lost; For I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!” In other words, I am broken! I am sinful! I am undone! He was in the presence of the most awesome and awe-inspiring sight in the entire universe. He saw the King, the Lord of hosts! At this confession his sins were immediately atoned for by God Himself.

The Coming Messiah

Isaiah's prophecy paints some of the most vivid pictures of Jesus in the Old Testament. Here in Chapter 6 we get glimpses of the future Messiah he would prophesy about. We get to look back and see how Jesus would show up in the flesh to do the work God promised so long ago!

We see a picture of King Jesus on the throne. Though Isaiah didn’t fully grasp the Trinity, he saw the Lord of hosts. He saw the throne that is forever and ever (Psa. 45:6). He saw the throne of the Father and Son (Heb. 1:3). In speaking of Jesus, the apostle John says that “Isaiah....saw his glory and spoke of him” (John 12:41). This is amazing and should remind us that when we encounter the Son of God, we must humble ourselves, confess our sinfulness, and proclaim His holiness.

We see the glory of God in Christ. Isaiah saw the glory of God. This is undoubtedly true! How could he have seen God when John 1:18 says that no one has ever seen God? Perhaps it was because God allows us to see His glory in His Son: “No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known" (John 1:18) . Jesus makes the Father known to us. Christ enables us to see the glory of God and live. Whether Isaiah saw Jesus Himself or a glimpse of God similar to others in the Old Testament, it is clear that in Jesus we see the fullness of God’s glory in bodily form (Col. 2:9, Heb. 1:3).

We see a foreshadow of Christ’s atonement. Isaiah’s sins were forgiven and his guilt removed when he confessed his sinfulness to God. Jesus came precisely to bring forgiveness and wash sinners white as snow (Isa. 1:18, Isa. 53:5). This same prophet would proclaim the message of God’s holiness, man’s sinfulness, Christ’s suffering and atoning work, and repentant faith throughout. The gospel is on full display in Isaiah!

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As we celebrate the first coming of King Jesus, Isaiah is a wonderful portion of Scripture to dwell in. What Advent devotional are you using? What has God been showing you?



Image Credit: Photo by eberhard grossgasteiger from Pexels

Christmas is a time to celebrate the incarnation of the Son of God. One of the ways we can celebrate the generosity of God is share gifts with the people we love. Christmas is one of my favorite times of year because I get great deals on gospel-centered books and other resources for friends and family. I love being able to share a good book, study Bible, or tool to help my loved ones dwell with Christ. This year, I'm going to share some of my favorite books, publishers, and sites to find Christ-centered gifts for others.

Missions
Oakseed Ministries: Here are opportunities to help pay for trauma counseling for girls pulled out sex trafficking, purchase Bibles for kids and families of new converts, and much more! This site has some amazing opportunities to sow seeds in heaven.

Books and Reading (click each book cover for a review and where to find it!)

Christian Living and Discipleship

Theology
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​Women

Ministry

Family and Children

Accelerate Books offers several book summaries each month. It's a great value at a great price for the preacher, teachers, leaders, and nerds in your life!

The Dwell App is a wonderful tool for anyone looking to increase their Bible intake. I use it almost daily and highly recommend it!

Ligonier Connect is chock full of resources for learners. Whether you buying for an armchair theologian or a pastor in your life, Ligonier Connect has plenty of courses and to help anyone grow in their knowledge of God and the gospel. At $9/month this an excellent value!

Tabletalk Magazine is Ligonier's monthly Bible study magazine. It includes great articles from theologians, pastors, and scholars as well as daily devotional readings for subscribers. It's priced at just over a dollar per month when you subscribe for 3 years. 

Christian Audio has audiobooks at great prices. Each month, you get a free audiobook (of their choice) and 4 credits for $14. Most books are 2 or 3 credits, but they a twice yearly sale that features insanely low prices! This is great for commuters and people who love to listen to audiobooks.

Scribd is not specifically a Christian site, but it has TONS of Christian books and audiobooks. The best part is, you can try it free for 30 days before making your decision. Readers, listeners, and pastors will benefit greatly as this site even has technical and seminary level books and commentaries on it.

Black Friday Specials
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Wrath and Grace: All t-shirts are $10!.They also have books and music available!
Reformation Heritage Books: They have several titles on sale, including some listed above. There is a wonderful Advent devotional by Sinclair Ferguson on the list, too. See my review here.
Ligonier Ministries: Their $5 Black Friday sale is one of my favorites every year. They have more than 100 books and DVDs at $5 each!
Banner of Truth: Not technically a Black Friday deal, but their Christmas flier has some amazing deals.
Westminster Books: They have a pretty awesome Black Friday sale going on right now from several different publishers. Now would be a great time to look at the ESV Scripture Journal set!
P&R Publishing: They have some Christmas devotional sets at a good price.
Lifeway: There are some good deals on books and Bibles, including the CSB Study Bible at 60% off.
Crossway: They have great Bibles for up to 60% off today through Cyber Monday

There's plenty more out there, but this should be a good start! What other Christian gift ideas do you have?

Image Credit: ​Photo by Dzenina Lukac from Pexels