Bits & Pieces (7/9/12)

  • What Kind of Hero? – In writing about the kings of Israel, Jill Carattini states “[w]e do not choose the kind of person we want to be in a vacuum, anymore than we make that decision only once. These kings made choices that were influenced by mood and politics, temptations and trials, by the kings before them, and by battles that shook their kingdoms and their pride.”


  • The Sufferings of Hell – John Piper writes “[t[wo of the passages of Scripture that express the unending nature of hell most clearly point to seemingly opposite reasons it will be terrible. One speaks of being ‘away from the presence of the Lord. The other speaks of suffering ‘in the presence of the Lamb.'” Then he goes on to explain why these statements are not contradictory.


  • Praying Work – An important reminder about redeeming our time and using the necessary but perhaps non-engaging tasks for God’s glory.


  • A Friend Like Martin Luther – Do you have a friend who would write this letter to you? Would you be the kind of friend to send it to someone else?


  • The Secular Beatitudes – Josh Harris proposes “secular beatitudes” based on cultural definitions of success.
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Bits & Pieces (7/6/12)

  • Grass on a Rooftop – One can hardly deny that communication standards have changed. Jill Carattini looks at the Christian response to some of the more negative outcomes of these shifts.


  • God Is Merciful Not to Tell Us Everything – “God is also a wise Father who knows when knowledge is too heavy for us. He is not being deceptive when he does not give us the full explanation. He is carrying our burdens (1 Peter 5:7). If we think our burdens are heavy, we should see the ones he’s carrying. The burdens he gives to us to carry are light (Matthew 11:30). “


  • Apocryphal Quotes from C.S. Lewis & Others – Justin Taylor looks at a Matt Anderson post about a saying attributed to C.S. Lewis that is not actually from him. He also gives examples of other misappropriated quotations.


  • Save a Life, Get Fired – This is a crazy story about a lifeguard who saved someone’s life and ended up getting fired because in order to do so, he had to leave his assigned area.



  • Free Download of Piper Book – You can get a copy of John Piper’s doctoral dissertation for free! It also includes his reflections on the publication forty years later.
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