Justin Taylor has a good roundup of the options available to you: Bible Reading Plans
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How to BOAST in the Cross
But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Galatians 6:14 (ESV)
How to BOAST in the Cross.
Bow before the Cross – this is a physical visual reminder of how it is through the Cross of Christ, we have life and all other good things
Obey the Cross calling – to take up our cross if we are to follow Christ
Adore the Cross – to praise and worship with life and song our Lord and Savior who went to the cross
Serve the cause of the Cross – the mission of the cross is to glorify God and this should be our primary cause in life
Tell about the Cross – the desire of others wanting to know about the cross as well should be evident
When we live this way, Christians will be encouraged and challenged, and non-Christians will be invited and curious. May we BOAST well.
Self-righteousness vs. Christ-righteousness Living
A good list of questions to see if you are living a self-righteous or Christ-righteous life. I encourage you to be brutally honest in your answers.
- Do you tend to live by a list of do’s and don’ts?
- Is it difficult for you to respect those whose standards aren’t as high as yours?
- Do you assume that practicing spiritual disciplines should result in God’s blessing?
- Do you feel you’re better than most other people?
- Has it been a long time since you identified a sin and repented of it?
- Do you resent it when others point out your “spiritual blind spots”?
- Do you readily recognize the sins of others but not your own?
- Do you have the sense that God owes you a good life?
- Do you get angry when difficulties and suffering come into your life?
- Do you seldom think of the cross?
If you found yourself answering yes to at least half these questions, it’s likely you’re living under a stronghold of self-righteousness toward God.
from The Bookends of the Christian Life (Bridges and Bevington)
Ten Questions to Ask at the Start of a New Year
Don Whitney writes a great article about questions to ask at the start of a new year.
Once, when the people of God had become careless in their relationship with Him, the Lord rebuked them through the prophet Haggai. “Consider your ways!” (Haggai 1:5) he declared, urging them to reflect on some of the things happening to them, and to evaluate their slipshod spirituality in light of what God had told them.
Even those most faithful to God occasionally need to pause and think about the direction of their lives. It’s so easy to bump along from one busy week to another without ever stopping to ponder where we’re going and where we should be going.
The beginning of a new year is an ideal time to stop, look up, and get our bearings. To that end, here are some questions to ask prayerfully in the presence of God.
1. What’s one thing you could do this year to increase your enjoyment of God?
2. What’s the most humanly impossible thing you will ask God to do this year?
3. What’s the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your family life this year?
4. In which spiritual discipline do you most want to make progress this year, and what will you do about it?
5. What is the single biggest time-waster in your life, and what will you do about it this year?
6. What is the most helpful new way you could strengthen your church?
7. For whose salvation will you pray most fervently this year?
8. What’s the most important way you will, by God’s grace, try to make this year different from last year?
9. What one thing could you do to improve your prayer life this year?
10. What single thing that you plan to do this year will matter most in ten years? In eternity?
Read the whole article here.
(HT: Justin Taylor)
Consider a Bible Reading Plan
As 2010 approaches, I am sure many of you are thinking already about resolutions you would like to make. Well, with all the other, please consider a bible reading plan. I personally like the simple “Daily Reading Bible.”
The reasons for a bible reading plan is simple.
- You are being intentional about getting into the Word.
- You are opening your heart daily to what God is saying to you.
- You are taking in the whole counsel of God. Not just your favorite parts.
- If you wish to, you can bless a friend, family, or spouse by asking them to join you in the journey.
Can you think of other reasons why bible reading plan is a good idea?
iPhones and iPod Touches
I noticed that there are more and more people who are getting these great devices in our church. We can either fill these things with games and useless apps that waste our time, or we can use these technological tools to grow in our understanding of God and his Word.
So, without further ado, here is my list of top apps for the Christian:
1. ESV Study Bible (Olive Tree, $30.99 CAN)
Yes, it might be expensive for most… but how much did you pay for your apple device? The ESV Study Bible is a great book regardless of the format you get it in. And though I love flipping through pages and experiencing a good hard copy, the functionality found in this electronic copy is hard to ignore.
The coolest feature is the split window. This app allows you to read the ESV unencumbered by notes. But let’s say a passage intrigues you and you want to know more, just tap on the bottom right corner of the screen and presto! The interface shifts into a split window that shows both the main text and the study notes. This is just one of the features that you can use.
Regardless of the functions, I think the ESVSB is the best tool that could help you in reading the bible. The hard copy is huge! That’s why it’s great to have a portable version of this on your apple device.
2. BibleReader (Olive Tree, $0.99)
Have you ever had a moment when you desperately needed to reference to a John Piper sermon? Or perhaps you suddenly feel like reading Calvin’s Institutes? Maybe I’m the only one that has these moments. But just in case you do too, I highly suggest this app!
This is like other eReader apps, but it only publishes Christian books. Even better is the fact that there are free books that are authored by Charles Spurgeon, John Piper and E.M. Bounds. These aren’t crappy books that take up space, they are excellent books that will edify your soul.
Other pluses: John Piper’s entire sermon manuscript is available for free; you can buy Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology, but it will cost you.
3. Mars Hill Church (Mars Hill Church, FREE)
Mark Driscoll’s sermons are easily accessible thanks to this app. You can also listen to the “emo-ish” music that Mars Hill Church is accustomed to. And if you like the blog articles from theresurgence.com, then this app makes its easy to read them. All of these functions require an internet connection.
4. Logos Bible (Logos Bible Software, FREE)
The makers of Logos Bible Software have created an app that gives you access to many different references that can help you in studying the bible. Through this app you can read Pilgrim’s Progress, or browse Greek lexicons. I believe an internet connection is required for this one too.
Others worth mentioning: Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening Devotional; Torah; Greek-English Lexicon; Holy Bible.
