Darryl Dash's Blog, page 36
March 21, 2023
The Really Radical Book for Kids (and Adults)
Parenting (and grand-parenting) comes with perks: you get to play with children’s stuff. Some toys today are much better than the toys we had when we were kids; some books are better. If you need an excuse to read these books or play with these toys, children come in handy.
I’m a grandparent, but I don’t feel like I need an excuse. I’m currently reading a great children’s book The Biggest Story Bible Storybook, and it’s amazing. Not only did Kevin DeYoung do a great job in writing the material, b...
March 19, 2023
God Always Keeps His Promises (Joshua)
Big Idea: Against all odds, and despite all obstacles, God keeps his promises and gives his people rest.
Joshua Bell emerged from the Metro and positioned himself against a wall beside a trash basket. By most measures, he was nondescript — a youngish white man in jeans, a long-sleeved T-shirt, and a Washington Nationals baseball cap. From a small case, he removed a violin. Placing the open case at his feet, he shrewdly threw in a few dollars and pocket change as seed money and began to play.
For t...
March 18, 2023
Saturday Links
Curated links for your weekend reading:
Without a clear, discernible, and simple structure, your sermon will feel longer than it actually is….
Preaching from a Place of Fullness
I have preached from a place of emptiness and from a place of fullness, and the experience of the one makes me long for the other.
When a pastor or other church leader fails morally, church members often tend toward two types of responses.
Suppose...
March 14, 2023
This Is God's Holy Word
Every week, someone reads Scripture before the sermon at the church I pastor. They close the Scripture reading with these words: “This is God’s holy word.” The congregation responds, “Thanks be to God.”
Last year, someone read a passage from 1 Corinthians 11 on head coverings, including these words: “But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God…” (1 Corinthians 11:3). Sometimes what follows a verse like that de...
March 11, 2023
Saturday Links
Curated links for your weekend reading:
Pastoring in a Pandemic: Of Grey Hair and Glory
Love believes all things, and I’d like to believe that while my brothers who defied were acting in love, the same was also true of us who did not defy but did so out of love as well.
Tips for Getting Out of a Devotional Rut
We know reading God’s Word and talking with Him in prayer are precious privileges. What can we do when they seem just part of the day’s routine?
1 Percent of a Book Can Change Your Life
I do not...
March 7, 2023
No Big Deal
I’ve got to be honest: part of me wants to become a really big deal. I want the followers, the platform, the influence.
It’s why I keep returning to these words by Francis Schaeffer.
We should seek the lowest place because there it is easier to be quiet before the face of the Lord…
Quietness and peace before God are more important than any influence a position may seem to give, for we must stay in step with God to have the power of the Holy Spirit…
Take the smaller place so you have quietness before...
March 5, 2023
Moses’ Last Words (Deuteronomy 6:4-6)
Big Idea: Following God means that we know him, love him, and that this changes our entire lives.
I’m fascinated by people’s last words, the last words that come out of somebody’s mouth before they die.
For instance:
“I’m bored with it all.” (Winston Churchill)
“I’m losing it.” (Frank Sinatra)
“It is very beautiful over there.” (Thomas Edison)
“OH WOW. OH WOW. OH WOW.“ (Steve Jobs)
The Christian writer and philosopher Dallas Willard died at 6 a.m. on May 8, 2013. Before he died, he turned to his friend...
March 4, 2023
Saturday Links
Curated links for your weekend reading:
What Is Sabbath, and Does It Even Matter Anymore?
What does it mean to remember the Sabbath? Is it something important for us to observe today? What does God tell us in his Word?
How to Rest When Your Work Is Wearing You Out
The Bible’s approach to rest is unique and it offers specific strategies to help us unwind in a world that keeps tightening its grip.
Your pain is designed to produce a leader who embodies the gospel message.
February 28, 2023
The Life and Death of an Ordinary Saint
I wish you could have met my grandmother.
She was already old when I got to know her. She lived on the third floor of an apartment building in Brampton across from a cemetery. My mother would drive us and park outside her building. We’d bound up the stairs, with no time to waste in an elevator, and crash into her apartment.
Granny must have braced herself as we entered, but we never noticed. She always seemed thrilled to see us.
Even as a child, I knew that I was in the presence of someone special....
February 26, 2023
In the Wilderness (Numbers)
Big Idea: God cares for his people, but we’re prone to rebel. But God is still faithful despite our disobedience.
Have you ever read a book because of its title? I have. The first time I heard about The Four-Hour Workweek, I knew I was going to read that book. I didn’t know if I would like it or not, but I knew I would read it.
The same applies to Carolyn Weber’s book Sex and the City of God. It combines the title Sex and the City with the title of Saint Augustine’s classic The City of God. One of...
