Bits & Pieces (7/16/12)

  • The Risk of Obedience – ” The Christian is invited to seize God’s promises knowing that she won’t know the outcome of her days, but that God himself is more certain than anything else” and thus while it may seem risky to obey without knowing what will happen next, the Christian can do so confidently.


  • Forgetting the Outdoors – This is an archived article from Al Mohler, Jr. about how increasingly children are more familiar with the indoors than with nature, and looks at some of the potential ramifications of this trend.


  • Prepared for Another Week – “Sleep is a parable that God is God and we are mere men. God handles the world quite nicely while a hemisphere sleeps. Sleep is like a broken record that comes around with the same message every day: Man is not sovereign. Man is not sovereign. Man is not sovereign. Don’t let the lesson be lost on you. God wants to be trusted as the great worker who never tires and never sleeps. He is not nearly so impressed with our late nights and early mornings as he is with the peaceful trust that casts all anxieties on him and sleeps.”


  • Cross-Cultural Ministry – This powerful posts looks at two obstacles to a person going overseas long-term, and two motivations, and includes this jarring statement – “Hopefully, many pastors and church leaders will encourage you to go. But many people want you to stay. We are called to go where we are not welcome and not to expect or demand a pat on the back (Col. 3:23-24).”


  • Surprising Trend – Randy Alcorn looks at two polls that show an increasing number of young Americans are pro-life.


  • Why Are You Cast Down? – “Why are you cast down O my soul?  Why are you anxious? Here’s why – because you’ve taken your eyes off God. You’ve quit hoping in God. You’ve taken God out of the equation.  When we quit hoping in God and believing we shall yet praise him, there’s nowhere else to go but down.”
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Bits & Pieces (Weekend Edition)

  • The Most Precious Treasures – Jon Bloom reminds us of an important insight from Hebrews 11 regarding how God redeems the most difficult times to bring out the most precious treasures. 
  • Already, and Not Yet -“The gospel bids us look back to what God has done in Christ on the cross and out of the tomb for his own glory and for us. “I have loved you” this says to troubled, sinful souls. And he bids us in the gospel to look forward to the blessed hope of Christ’s glorious return, our gathering together to him, our resurrection, our placement in an eternal wonderland where there are no more problems and we are delivered out of sin for good.”
  • Should Christians Pay Taxes – If taxes are going to be used to fund immoral activities (in this case, abortion in particular) should Christians refuse to pay them? R.C. Sproul, Jr. takes a look at this question and reminds us that because the state (or anyone else) fails to do what God has called them to do, doesn’t obliterate my call to do what God requires of me.
  • Asking Jesus into Your Heart – This is a very informative article regarding the history of the phrase “asking Jesus into your heart” and the possible dangers of its overuse. (H/T)
  • Being My Husband’s Helper – I loved this post about the often-maligned idea of being my husband’s helper, and the reminder that “once a woman marries, she has a great opportunity and responsibility to bring all of her experience, education, skills, personality traits and giftings to the table for the benefit of her husband and family — and by extension, many others.” (H/T)
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