Fatherlessness

I recently heard of John Sowers book "Fatherless Generation" and began to snoop around. Here is his website devoted to the topic. Great info.

The Prayers of Paul

I found this great document that compiles a number of Paul's prayers in the NT under a topical arrangement. Great tool for a prayer meeting.

PRAYERS OF THE APOSTLE PAUL, TOPICALLY ARRANGED

Here is another arrangement from the Navigators

Jonathan Edwards on the Poor

Of the obligation of Christians to perform the duty of charity to the poor.



THIS duty is absolutely commanded, and much insisted on, in the Word of God. Where have we any command in the Bible laid down in stronger terms, and in a more peremptory urgent manner, than the command of giving to the poor? We have the same law in a positive manner laid down in Lev. 25:35, etc. "And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee, then thou shalt relieve him; yea, though he be a stranger or a sojourner, that he may live with thee." And at the conclusion of verse 38, God enforces it with saying, I am the Lord thy God.

It is mentioned in Scripture, not only as a duty, but a great duty. Indeed it is generally acknowledged to be a duty, to be kind to the needy. But by many it seems not to be looked upon as a duty of great importance. However, it is mentioned in Scripture as one of the greater and more essential duties of religion. Mic. 6:8, "He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" Here to love mercy is mentioned as one of the three great things that are the sum of all religion. So it is mentioned by the apostle James, as one of the two things wherein pure and undefiled religion consists. Jam. 1:27, "Pure religion, and undefiled, before God and the Father, is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world."

So Christ tells us, it is one of the weightier matters of the law. Mat. 23:23, "Ye have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith." The Scriptures again and again teach us that it is a more weighty and essential thing than the attendance on the outward ordinances of worship. Hos. 6:6, "I desired mercy, and not sacrifice;" Mat. 9:13 and 12:7. I know of scarce any duty which is so much insisted on, so pressed and urged upon us, both in the Old Testament and New, as this duty of charity to the poor.

Jonathan Edwards From The Duty of Charity to the Poor, Explained and Enforced

What is the Bible All About?

I just came across this great book, which was previously a series of lectures by DA Carson called "The God Who is There." I am not sure if this is a title connection between Francis Schaeffer's famous book. Anyway, the idea is to take a jet tour of the big story of the Bible in 14 lectures. Carson is a very learned, clear, and informed communicator and these talks are good! I have been challenged and refreshed. Best of all the talks are intended to be accessible to people who do not have a lot of previous bible knowledge.

You can visit the Gospel Coalition page to see the whole series and links to the book.

Here is the first talk:

The God Who Is There - Part 1. The God Who Made Everything from The Gospel Coalition on Vimeo.

How does divorce affect children?

In doing some research to preach on marriage and divorce recently I have been simply overwhelmed by the mountain of evidence that shows that divorce is one of the worst things that can happen to a child. In many ways we are destroying our own future through the selfishness of divorce.

Check out the statistics here

And Here

Medical Terminology Pronunciation File

Hello, here is an MP3 for any of you who are interested in listening to the pronunciation of the words for your pronunciation quiz.

The Ministry of Listening

The Ministry of Listening

"The first service that one owes to others in the fellowship consists in listening to them. Just as love to God begins with listening to His Word, so the beginning of love for the brethren is learning to listen to them. It is God’s love for us that He not only gives us His Word but also lends us His ear. So it is His work that we do for our brother when we learn to listen to him. Christians, especially ministers, so often think they must always contribute something when they are in the company of others, that this is the one service they have to render. They forget that listening can be a greater service than speaking. Many people are looking for an ear that will listen. They do not find it among Christians, because these Christians are talking where they should be listening. But he who can no longer listen to his brother will soon be no longer listening to God either; he will be doing nothing but prattle in the presence of God too. This is the beginning of the death of the spiritual life, and in the end there is nothing left but spiritual chatter and clerical condescension arrayed in pious words. One who cannot listen long and patiently will presently be talking beside the point and be never really speaking to others, albeit he be not conscious of it. Anyone who thinks his time is too valuable to spend keeping quiet will eventually have no time for God and his brother, but only for himself and for his own follies."

“Life Together” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer