Here are some good posts on doctrine:
Doctrine Matters: Eternal Life Depends Upon It – Kevin DeYoung
Christianity is much more than getting your doctrine right. But it is not less.
Take a Quiz on Christ – Tim Challies
How well do you know what the Bible teaches us about Jesus?
Your Highest Privilege – Tim Challies
Of all the privileges that are ours through the gospel, which is the greatest? According to many theologians, there is no privilege higher than adoption.
This is the holy reasoning of love; it draws no license from grace, but rather feels the strong constraints of gratitude leading it to holiness.
– Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Father, you have opened our blinded eyes that we might see you and know you, but too often our eyes are sleepy when it comes to your spiritual blessings. So open our eyes that we might grasp the ramifications of your great salvation for us. Open our eyes that we might live out the blessings that we have in Christ. May your Spirit enlighten the eyes of our hearts with wisdom to understand and live out the revelation of the gospel that you have given to us.
Open our eyes to know you in an intimate, experiential, life-impacting way. To grow in our personal relationship with you. To commune with you more and more – listening to you as you speak to us in your Word, and responding to you in prayer. Open our eyes to know you better.
Open our eyes to know in an intimate, experiential, life-impacting way the hope of your calling to us. To grasp the incredible inheritance that you have for your children. To cling to the hope of our own resurrection that we might dwell with you forever and ever. And to live in response to this hope in the midst of the struggles of life. Open our eyes to this great hope.
Open our eyes to know in an intimate, experiential, life-impacting way the riches of your inheritance in us. To grasp the wonder of being your own people, your own inheritance. To cling to the reality of your delight in us, desire for us, love for us, care for us – not because we are so great, but because of your incredible love. And to live each day in response to your amazing love for us no matter what others may think of us. Open our eyes to your great love.
Open our eyes to know in an intimate, experiential, life-impacting way the greatness of your power toward us. To grasp the immeasurable greatness of your power, your great might working in us. To cling to this same power toward us that raised Jesus from the dead and placed him above every other power. And to live each day in response to your mighty power toward us which is greater than anything that can come against us. Open our eyes to your great power.
Open our eyes to know you, to know this hope, to know this love, to know this power in an intimate, experiential, life-impacting way. Open our eyes, O God, open our eyes.
(Inspired by Ephesians 1:16-20)
The Christian who walks with the Lord and keeps constant communion with Him will see many reason for rejoicing and thanksgiving all day long.
– Warren Wiersbe
Here are some good posts for your Thanksgiving:
But Where Are The Nine? – Kevin DeYoung
Six Ways to Cultivate Thankfulness and Joy – Mark Altrogge (TBC)
Thank You, Father – John Piper (DG)
An Ancient Prayer of Thanksgiving – Kevin DeYoung
It must be an odd feeling to be thankful to nobody in particular. Christians in public institutions often see this odd thing happening on Thanksgiving Day. Everyone in the institution seems to be thankful ‘in general.’ It’s very strange. It’s a little like being married in general.
– Cornelius Plantinga, Jr.
Give thanks to God for each other
For our faith in Jesus
For our love for one another
Give thanks and praise Jesus
(To the tune of “O For A Thousand Tongues to Sing”)
Here are some good posts for pastors:
Duties of the Ministers of the Gospel – Geoffrey R. Kirkland
Bits and Pieces for Young Ministers: Discipleship, Rest and Reading – Thabiti Anyabwile
Overcoming Discouragement in Ministry – Nicholas T. Batzig
Would you know who is the greatest saint in the world:
It is not he who prays most or fasts most,
it is not he who gives most alms
or is most eminent for temperance, chastity or justice;
but it is he who is always thankful to God,
who wills everything that God wills,
who receives everything as an instance of God’s goodness
and has a heart always ready to praise God for it.
– William Law
Here are some helpful posts to help the church think through the Syrian refugees issue. If you only have time to read a few, read the last two – and dream about the possibilities.
What You Should Know About The Syrian Refugee Controversy – Joe Carter (TGC)
Should we really close the border to refugees? Here’s why fear drives out compassion. – Trevin Wax (WP)
Immigration Policy Must be Based on More than an Appeal to Compassion – Kevin DeYoung
Refugee resettlement process leaves Syrian Christians in the cold – Cody Derespina (FN)
Why evangelicals are torn about admitting refugees to the US – Trevin Wax (RNS)
Syrian refugee screening process reveals progress and pitfalls – Cody Derespina (FN)
We Opened Our Church to Muslim Refugees and Something Unexpected Happened! – Caleb Suko
Building His Church in a Refugee Crisis– David Crabb (DG)
Brian J. Mikul 