Great Audiobook for Free

This month at ChristianAudio.com they are offering Russell Moore's Adopted for Life for free! This is a great book that tells Moore's own experience of adopting two boys from Russia. Moore sets forth a solid biblical and theological foundation for understanding adoption through the lens of the Gospel. Hope you take advantage of this opportunity.

J

A Thought for Worship

Clement of Rome wrote the following in a conclusion to one of his works (Paidagogos). A wonderful thought as we go to worship our risen and soon returning Lord:

King of Saints, almighty Word
of the Father, highest Lord;
Wisdom's head and chief;
Assuagement of all grief;
Lord of all time and space,
Jesus, Saviour of our race.

Similarly, Paul writes, "To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen" (1 Tim 1:17).

May His name be praised and honored in us both today and forever.

J

A Throne and a Cross

In recent reading I came across a helpful illustration of the self-centeredness of sin:

William Whiting (Bill) Borden (1887–1913), the young missionary preparing to work among Muslims in China who died en route in Cairo of cerebral meningitis, had written in his notebook while a freshman at Yale University: "In every man's heart there is a throne and a cross. If Christ is on the throne, self is on the cross; and if self, even a little bit, is on the throne, Jesus is on the cross in that man's heart." (Garrett, Systematic Theology, 1:602)

I struggle daily with putting myself on Christ's throne. My way, my wants, my desires are given first place. I crucify the will of Christ and enthrone my own. What a tragic reversal. The way to which Jesus calls is much different than the one I want to (and often) walk:

"And [Jesus] said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23; cf. Mk 8:34).

I pray that Christ will be exalted in our lives as Lord and that we, by His grace, will take up our crosses daily and follow Him.

Grace & Peace,

J