Barnabas Piper's Blog, page 7
September 17, 2024
Kindle Deals for September 17
Some Kindle deals worth your mind and money today:
Christianity and Science by Herman Bavinck – $2.99
Slave of Christ: A New Testament Metaphor for Total Devotion to Christ by Murray J. Harris – $2.99
The Method of Christian Theology: A Basic Introduction by Rhyne Putman – $4.99
Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman – $2.99
The Things We Make: The Unknown History of Invention from Cathedrals to Soda Cans by Bill Hammack – $2.99
Facing the Mountain: An Inspiring Story of Japanese American Patriots in World War II by Daniel James Brown – $2.99
Robin by David Itzkoff – $1.99
An Ordinary Man: The Surprising Life and Historic Presidency of Gerald R. Ford by Richard Norton Smith – $1.99
The Pastor’s Kid: What it’s Like and How to Help – $8.99
Help My Unbelief: Why doubt is not the enemy of faith – $8.99
The Curious Christian: How Discovering Wonder Enriches Every Part of Life – $4.99
Hoping for Happiness: Turning Life’s most elusive Feeling into Lasting Reality – $8.99
Belong: Loving Your Church by Reflecting Christ to One Another – $8.99
These links are Amazon affiliate links.
September 16, 2024
Kindle Deals for September 16
Some Kindle deals worth your mind and money today:
Bullies and Saints: An Honest Look at the Good and Evil of Christian History by John Dickson – $2.99
Know How We Got Our Bible by Ryan Reeves & Charles Hill – $1.99
God with Us: 365 Devotions on the Person and Work of Christ by Justin Holcomb – $3.99
U-Turns: Reversing the Consequences in Your Life by Tony Evans – $4.27
Becoming Worldly Saints: Can You Serve Jesus and Still Enjoy Your Life? by Michael Wittmer – $.99
Say It Loud!: Great Speeches on Civil Rights and African American Identity edited by Catherine Ellis & Stephen Drury – $3.99
Riot and Remembrance: The Tulsa Race War and Its Legacy by James Hirsch – $1.99
The Wise Men: Six Friends and the World They Made by Walter Isaacson & Evan Thomas – $3.99
Their Eyes Were Watching God: A Novel by Zora Neale Hurston – $2.99
East of Eden by John Steinbeck – $1.99
The Pastor’s Kid: What it’s Like and How to Help – $8.99
Help My Unbelief: Why doubt is not the enemy of faith – $8.99
The Curious Christian: How Discovering Wonder Enriches Every Part of Life – $4.99
Hoping for Happiness: Turning Life’s most elusive Feeling into Lasting Reality – $8.99
Belong: Loving Your Church by Reflecting Christ to One Another – $8.99
These links are Amazon affiliate links.
An Uncomfortable Command
One of the most uncomfortable verses in the Bible is Matthew 5:44 where Jesus says “Love your enemies.” If we are totally honest, we either wish it didn’t exist or we work hard to convince ourselves that Jesus couldn’t really have meant what he very clearly said.
But there are no qualifications, and that’s why it is so uncomfortable. It doesn’t say “love your enemies once they stop acting stupid” or “love your enemies when they apologize.” It doesn’t offer gradations of enemy so we can love the lesser ones but still harbor bitterness toward the really bad ones. It just says “love your enemies,” period. And that is hard. To love our enemies is to go against our very nature. This command is about as possible as making yourself taller or changing your gene pool. So this is impossible . . . outside of God’s transforming work through Christ.
“God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)
God loved us to the degree that he sent his beloved Son to die for us even while we were yet sinners, or rather enemies. Christ called us friends even as he prepared to give his life. Because of this great love we are no longer enemies, but children of God. That is the power of his love for His enemies, and he has shared it with us.
We struggle to believe we could love our enemies at all, because we look into our own hearts for the capacity and desire. But when we look to Christ we see that He has given us enough to not only love them, but to love to such a degree that they too may become children of God. The love of God in Christ is not just for comfort and healing (though it is that). It is a miraculous, transforming power in us and through us.
I originally wrote this post for my church, Immanuel Nashville, in our Daily Pulse email. If you want encouragement from God’s word delivered Monday thru Friday to your inbox, I encourage you to subscribe.
September 13, 2024
3 Things I Like This Week – September 13
Each week (give or take one or two here and there) I share three things I like – It could be a book, a movie, a podcast, an album, a photo, an article, a restaurant, a food item, a beverage, or anything else I simply enjoy and think you might too. You can find a whole pile of things, especially books, I like and recommend HERE.
1. City Alight Music
There was a time not so many years or decades ago when finding good worship music for the church was nearly impossible. There were classic hymns, which are wonderful, but there wasn’t much in the way of lyrically faithful, poetically beautiful, musically singable and pleasant contemporary worship music. Then, over the past couple decades there has been an explosion of contemporary worship music with so many offerings from so many sources that the problem actually remained the same, but now we’re forced to sort through piles and piles of mediocrity to find songs of biblical substance and beauty. So to find a music ministry like CityAlight is so refreshing. They are based out of a local church and it shows because the songs they write and produce are for congregational singing. They consistently offer songs of biblical depth and the sort of musicality that is pleasant and memorable. On top of that, they are the kinds of songs that can be adapted to use for churches of different styles or musical capability. If your church is small and has a single musician or two CityAlight songs can work for you. And the same goes if you have a large, highly skilled band. I have found such refreshment and encouragement in their music, and I’m so grateful to have found a reliable, consistent source of good (in every sense of that word) worship music.
2. Inconceivable by Cary Elwes
I saw a ranking recently of the top 10 most quotable movies, and sure enough, The Princess Bride was at the top of the list. If you haven’t seen this classic, I don’t know what to tell you other than that I am disappointed in you, it shows a real lack of discernment, but don’t worry because you can easily remedy this minor failing through any streaming service. Few movies have been enjoyed across generations, gender lines, and by viewers of so many different genres. But I am not here to flog the merits of a movie you all should have seen and loved. I am here to laud a book about the making of said movie by one of its stars, Cary Elwes who played Westley. I normally eschew celebrity memoirs because of their tendency toward self-aggrandizement, name dropping, and generally rubbish writing. This is not that. It is more like a celebration of Elwes’s fellow cast members and movie makers in which they revel in the sheer delight of this film. It feels like sitting at a table with them after the official cast reunion ended while they share a few drinks and swap stories. If you love The Princess Bride, you will enjoy this book. In that vein, the audiobook is even more fun than the print version because it is in the voice we can all hear say such lines as, “There are a shortage of perfect breasts in the world, t’would be a pity to damage yours,” “R.O.U.S.s? I don’t believe they exist,” and of course, “As You Wish.”
3. The Athletic
I have been a massive sports fan since I was a small child. Once upon a time I had the leisure and margin to browse multiple sites and read many articles daily about my favorite teams and the various happenings around various leagues. Now I’m older, busier, and more tired. And my tolerance fro bad writing and reporting is low. So The Athletic is my go-to as a sports fan. It is the best collection of sports journalists and analysts available. They offer great coverage of local teams as well as league-wide coverage for major sports. It’s everything ESPN.com or SI.com should be but have given up on. As those former behemoths cast off good reporters and analysts, The Athletic continues to build a staff of good writers and reporters who make following sports both more enjoyable and easier. (As a bonus they generally offer great deals for first-time subscribers, including free guest passes from subscribers like me.)
Kindle Deals for September 13
Some Kindle deals worth your mind and money today:
Amazing Grace: The Life of John Newton and the Surprising Story Behind His Song by Bruce Hindmarsh & Craig Borlase – $1.99
Martin Luther: Renegade and Prophet by Lyndal Roper – $4.99
No Compromise: The Life Story of Keith Green by Melody Green – $2.99
Seek First: How the Kindgom of God Changes Everything by Jeremy Treat – $1.99
Holy Ground: Walking with Jesus as a Former Catholic by Chris Costaldo – $.99
Original Sin: A Cultural History by Alan Jacobs – $2.99
A Spectacle of Glory: God’s Light Shining through Me Every Day by Joni Eareckson Tada – $1.99
You Are Not Forgotten: Discovering the God Who Sees the Overlooked and Disregarded by Christine Hoover – $4.99
The Case for Civility: And Why Our Future Depends on It by Os Guinness – $1.99
The Road to Character by David Brooks – $4.99
The Pastor’s Kid: What it’s Like and How to Help – $8.99
Help My Unbelief: Why doubt is not the enemy of faith – $8.99
The Curious Christian: How Discovering Wonder Enriches Every Part of Life – $4.99
Hoping for Happiness: Turning Life’s most elusive Feeling into Lasting Reality – $8.99
Belong: Loving Your Church by Reflecting Christ to One Another – $8.99
These links are Amazon affiliate links.
September 12, 2024
Kindle Deals for September 12
Some Kindle deals worth your mind and money today:
How to Get Unstuck: Breaking Free from Barriers to Your Productivity by Matt Perman – $1.99
Designed to Lead: The Church and Leadership Development by Eric Geiger & Kevin Peck – $4.99
Center Church: Doing Balanced, Gospel-Centered Ministry in Your City by Tim Keller – $1.99
The Christian Imagination: The Practice of Faith in Literature and Writing by Leland Ryken – $4.99
A Fellowship of Differents: Showing the World God’s Design for Life Together by Scot McKnight – $1.99
The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming by Henri Nouwen – $4.99
5 Things to Pray for Your Spouse: Prayers That Change and Strengthen Your Marriage by Melissa Kruger – $3.99
Mama Bear Apologetics
: Empowering Your Kids to Challenge Cultural Lies by Hillary Morgan Ferrer – $6.55
Women of the Word: How to Study the Bible with Both Our Hearts and Our Minds by Jen Wilkin – $6.51
Redeeming Heartache: How Past Suffering Reveals Our True Calling by Dan Allender – $1.99
The Pastor’s Kid: What it’s Like and How to Help – $8.99
Help My Unbelief: Why doubt is not the enemy of faith – $8.99
The Curious Christian: How Discovering Wonder Enriches Every Part of Life – $4.99
Hoping for Happiness: Turning Life’s most elusive Feeling into Lasting Reality – $8.99
Belong: Loving Your Church by Reflecting Christ to One Another – $8.99
These links are Amazon affiliate links.
September 11, 2024
Kindle Deals for September 11
Some Kindle deals worth your mind and money today:
The Pastor as Apologist: Restoring Apologetics to the Local Church by Dayton Hartman – $4.99
Humilitas: A Lost Key to Life, Love, and Leadership by John Dickson – $1.99
Mobilizing Church-Based Counseling: Models for Sustainable Church-Based Care by Brad Hambrick – $4.99
Build on Jesus: A Comprehensive Guide to Gospel-Based Children’s Ministry by Deepak Reju & Marty Majowski – $3.99
Jesus on Every Page: 10 Simple Ways to Seek and Find Christ in the Old Testament by David P. Murray – $1.99
A Short Guide to Reading the Bible Better by George Guthrie – $4.99
Believing God by Beth Moore – $4.99
A Night to Remember: The Sinking of the Titanic by Walter Lord – $2.99
The Time Traveler’s Guide to Medieval England: A Handbook for Visitors to the Fourteenth Century by Ian Mortimer – $1.99
Dangerous Rhythms: Jazz and the Underworld by T.J. English – $2.99
Isaac’s Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History by Erik Larson – $4.99
Gunfighter Nation: The Myth of the Frontier in Twentieth-Century America by Richard Slotkin – $1.99
The Pastor’s Kid: What it’s Like and How to Help – $8.99
Help My Unbelief: Why doubt is not the enemy of faith – $8.99
The Curious Christian: How Discovering Wonder Enriches Every Part of Life – $4.99
Hoping for Happiness: Turning Life’s most elusive Feeling into Lasting Reality – $8.99
Belong: Loving Your Church by Reflecting Christ to One Another – $8.99
These links are Amazon affiliate links.
September 10, 2024
Kindle Deal for September 10
Some Kindle deals worth your mind and money today:
Identity: Who You Are in Christ by Eric Geiger – $4.99
Ordinary: Sustainable Faith in a Radical, Restless World by Michael Horton – $1.99
Friend-ish: Reclaiming Real Friendship in a Culture of Confusion by Kelly Needham – $1.99
Jesus, Continued…: Why the Spirit Inside You Is Better than Jesus Beside You by J.D. Greear – $1.99
Hope for God’s Creation: Stewardship in an Age of Futility by Andrew Spencer – $4.99
The Pastor Theologian: Resurrecting an Ancient Vision by Todd Wilson & Gerald Hiestand – $1.99
Rembrandt Is in the Wind: Learning to Love Art through the Eyes of Faith by Russ Ramsey – $4.99
The Attributes of God Volume 1: A Journey into the Father’s Heart by A.W. Tozer – $2.99
Mere Sexuality: Rediscovering the Christian Vision of Sexuality by Todd WIlson – $5.99
Unapologetic: Why, Despite Everything, Christianity Can Still Make Surprising Emotional Sense by Francis Spufford – $4.99
The Pastor’s Kid: What it’s Like and How to Help – $8.99
Help My Unbelief: Why doubt is not the enemy of faith – $8.99
The Curious Christian: How Discovering Wonder Enriches Every Part of Life – $4.99
Hoping for Happiness: Turning Life’s most elusive Feeling into Lasting Reality – $8.99
Belong: Loving Your Church by Reflecting Christ to One Another – $8.99
These links are Amazon affiliate links.
September 9, 2024
Kindle Deals for September 9
Some Kindle deals worth your mind and money today:
Preaching Christ in All of Scripture by Edmund P. Clowney – $5.99
Expositional Preaching: How We Speak God’s Word Today by David Helm – $3.99
Using Illustrations to Preach with Power by Bryan Chappell – $5.99
Preaching for God’s Glory by Alistair Begg- $2.99
Gospel-Centered Hermeneutics: Foundations and Principles of Evangelical Biblical Interpretation by Graeme Goldsworthy – $2.99
The Pastor as Leader: Principles and Practices for Connecting Preaching and Leadership by John Currie – $3.99
Gather God’s People: Understand, Plan, and Lead Worship in Your Local Church by Brian Croft & Jason Adkins – $1.99
Simple Church: Returning to God’s Process for Making Disciples by Thom Rainer & Eric Geiger – $4.99
What’s Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done by Matt Perman – $1.99
Psalms in 30 Days: CSB – $4.99
How to Be a Christian: Reflections and Essays by C.S. Lewis – $2.99
Know the Creeds and Councils by Justin Holcomb – $1.99
The Courage to Stand: Facing Your Fear without Losing Your Soul by Russell Moore – $4.99
The Story of God’s Love for You by Sally Lloyd-Jones – $1.99
When Is It Right to Die?: A Comforting and Surprising Look at Death and Dying by Joni Eareckson Tada – $1.99
Turning Everyday Conversations into Gospel Conversations by Jimmy Scroggins & Steve Wright – $4.99
The Pastor’s Kid: What it’s Like and How to Help – $8.99
Help My Unbelief: Why doubt is not the enemy of faith – $8.99
The Curious Christian: How Discovering Wonder Enriches Every Part of Life – $4.99
Hoping for Happiness: Turning Life’s most elusive Feeling into Lasting Reality – $8.99
Belong: Loving Your Church by Reflecting Christ to One Another – $8.99
These links are Amazon affiliate links.
But Some Doubted
If you saw Jesus in the flesh, do you think that would make it easier to believe and follow Him? It’s easy to think so. How could we not believe and trust in him if we saw him?
But many didn’t. Many saw him in life and rejected him. Many saw him on the cross and refused to believe. And even some of his disciples struggled to believe even after his resurrection! Matthew 28 tells of Jesus gathering the eleven living disciples to himself just before he ascended into heaven. Verse 17 says, “When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.” But some doubted. They were looking at the risen Jesus, in all his resurrected glory and still they doubted. And I don;t think we would be any better than they.
What is even more remarkable than the disciples’ lack of faith, though, is Jesus’s assurance to them. He knows their hearts. He knows their doubts and he does three things.
First, he declares his power by saying “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” So they can put all their trust in him. Second, he commissions them when he says “go, therefore, and make disciples.” So he has not given up on them despite their doubts. And third, he comforts and encourages them when he says “and surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” So they can be certain that they are never alone or abandoned or forgotten.All these assurances are for us too. They are for all those who are in Christ. We can put all our trust in him and work for him and be close to him, even if we do fight against doubts.
I originally wrote this post for my church, Immanuel Nashville, in our Daily Pulse email. If you want encouragement from God’s word delivered Monday thru Friday to your inbox, I encourage you to subscribe.
