A few months ago, I said that I was going to start highlighting some helpful resources that you might be interested in. I managed to recommend one resource, and then never continued. I want to try to start again – this time recommending an online bookstore called Westminster Bookstore. I found out about them from some other blogs. Westminster features Reformed books and resources, including a lot of historical books from the Puritans. They also have Bibles, commentaries, church ministry books, curriculum, children’s books, and more. It is a fun site to explore. Plus they often have incredible specials on new books coming out – you can sign up to get their weekly newsletter. John Piper’s Desiring God ministry recently closed their online store and you can find all of Desiring God’s books and curriculum now at Westminster. They also offer free shipping on orders over $49. You can follow the link below, or the link I just added to the side bar. Disclaimer: I am a Westminster blog partner and get referral credit if you follow these links – think of it as supporting this blog.
Author: Brian
Follower of Jesus, Husband, Dad, Grandpa, and Pastor
The Human Heart
The human heart will be filled. If God is not the primary occupant, someone or something else will be…
To live as children of God and not as cultural clones, we need to nourish the heart with the presence of God…
An empty prayer life reflects an emptiness in life, which is to say a cluttered and distracted heart…
When the heart is given to God, mammon becomes a servant. We can then place it among other things to be enjoyed and used in a way that honors the God to whom everything belongs…
– Arthur Simon in How Much Is Enough?
Sandcastles
My family found an incredible sand castle on the beach this past summer. By the time we had left, we had added on to it, making it even bigger. Making sandcastles can be a fun activity on the beach, but eventually the waves or rain will wash them away. What is fun on the beach is tragic in life. Too many people build their lives on things that won’t stand the test of time. They waste their life building sandcastles that won’t last.
Many people build their lives on their own feelings or desires. Rather than build their lives on what God says has eternal value, they build their lives on what they want to do in the moment. They waste their lives building sandcastles that won’t last.
Other people build their lives on things. They live to get more – as much stuff as they can. They lay up for themselves treasures on earth that will rust or rot or break instead of laying up treasures in heaven. They waste their lives building sandcastles that won’t last.
Still others build their lives around fame or popularity. Perhaps it lasts for awhile, but then it’s gone. It is fleeting. And it has no eternal value. They waste their lives building sandcastles that won’t last.
There are many ways to build our lives around things that won’t last, to waste our lives building sandcastles. But Jesus calls us to lay up treasures in heaven. He bids us seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. He calls us to love God with all of our being, and to love the people around us. He bids us to live our lives for his glory instead of our own.
What sandcastles are you building? Isn’t it time you started building something with more substance, something that will stand the test of time?
Quotes To Ponder: Hope
Whatever a man’s past life may have been, there is hope and a remedy for him in Christ.
If he is only willing to hear Christ’s voice and follow Him, Christ is willing to receive him at once as a friend, and to bestow on him the fullest measure of mercy and grace.
– J. C. Ryle
What gives me the most hope every day is God’s grace; knowing that his grace is going
to give me the strength for whatever I face, knowing that nothing is a surprise to God.
– Rick Warren
The joy and peace of believers arise chiefly from their hopes.
What is laid out upon them is but little, compared with what is laid up for them;
therefore the more hope they have the more joy and peace they have.
– Matthew Henry
Confident hope breeds inward joy.
– Charles Spurgeon
Declaring the Glory
Waterfalls in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
– Psalm 19:1
For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature,
have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world,
in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
– Romans 1:20
Passion Points
Here are some good posts for your weekend reading:
The Benefit of Storms – J. C. Ryle (via J. C. Ryle Quotes)Your trials may be many and great. Your cross may be very heavy. But the business of your soul is all conducted according to an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure…
10 Reasons Why God Allows Suffering – Jared Wilson (via Justin Taylor)While we may not be satisfied with what God has revealed about his purposes in suffering, we cannot justifiably say he has not revealed anything about his purposes in suffering…
9 Lessons From God Concerning Sickness – J. C. Ryle (via J. C. Ryle Quotes)6. To make us pray. Too many, I fear, never pray at all, or they only rattle over a few hurried words morning and evening without thinking what they do. But prayer often becomes a reality when the valley of the shadow of death is in sight...
I Give You Glory, O Christ – Ephraim of Syria (via Trevin Wax)Glory to You for Your love.
Glory to You for Your mercy.
Glory to You for Your patience.
Glory to You for forgiving us all our sins...
Hope you have a great Lord’s Day trusting your Savior and giving him glory!
Not I, But Christ
Not I, but Christ, be honoured, loved, exalted;
Not I, but Christ, be seen, be known, be heard;
Not I, but Christ, in every look and action;
Not I, but Christ, in every thought and word.
– A. A. Whiddington
How We Give Glory To God
In an earlier post, we looked at four reasons to give glory to God from Psalm 115. Today, we want to consider four ways we give glory to God from the same psalm. How do we give glory to God?
- We give glory to God as we serve him (v2-8). Followers of idols serve their idol, giving their obedience and allegiance. As followers of the one true God, we should serve him, giving him our full obedience and allegiance. Does he have your complete allegiance? As we show that he alone is worthy of our total service, obedience, and allegiance, faithfully serve him each day, we give him glory.
- We give glory to God as we trust him (v8-11). Those who follow idols, trust in their idols. But we trust in the Lord as our help and shield. Are you trusting him in your current circumstances? As we show that he alone is worthy of our complete trust, and we trust him in each situation, we give him glory.
- We give God glory as we seek to be good stewards of his blessings (v12-17). God has blessed us with countless blessings. He has given us the resources of the earth. He has given us whatever time we have here on earth. How are you using his blessings? His resources? The time he has given you? Are you using his blessings for selfish pursuits for your glory? Or are you using his resources for the kingdom for his glory? As we show that he is worthy of our stewardship, and we daily live as good stewards, we give him glory.
- We give glory to God as we praise him (v12-18). In response to his many blessings, we ought to praise him. We ought to be grateful. In our limited time here on earth, we should praise God. We should give ourselves to singing his praises as we gather together as his people. We should give ourselves to praising him all week longs as we talk about the great things he has done for us. Are you giving yourself to praising God? As we show that he is worthy of our praises, and we praise him each day, we give him glory.
God is worthy. Will you give him the glory he deserves today?
Not To Us, O Lord
Here is a good old song based on Psalm 115:1 – “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory!”
Quotes To Ponder
Wherever I go, I can spread splashes of glory or showers of sin.
What do I want to leave behind?
– Gary Thomas
The primary purpose of having hands and feet
that reach out to others is to display God’s glory.
– Gary Thomas
The greatest ethical challenge is so to live
that men don’t glorify you for living that way, but God.
– John Piper
Brian J. Mikul 