Top 20 Books From 2019

We are what we read. Whether on the phone, computer, iPad, e-reader, or good old fashioned books (my favorite!), we are what we read. As the Puritan John Trapp once said, “Be careful what books you read, for as water tastes of the soil it runs through, so does the soul taste of the authors that a man reads.”

I’m not going to sugar coat this, I read some awesome books this year! This was a great year of reading for me. The Lord brought so many great books across my desk this year. Some are old and some are new. All of these books were very influential to me this year.

This is not a list of books that came out this year but rather a list of the best books that I read this year. Like everyone’s top 10 list, this is certainly one that is very opinionated and subjective. Nevertheless, I hope some of these books might make it to your bedside table or your bookshelf.

1. Behold Your God: Rethinking God Biblically by John Snyder
   Life-changing. I don’t just throw that out. “Truly, Truly” this book was life-changing. Few books have shown me a bigger God. Although this is more of a study (and a DVD accompanying set if you so choose), I have come across few things that showed me the God of the Bible like this. There are certain seasons of life where certain books start that new chapter. This is one of them for me. This launched me into some of the other books that I read this year (Barrett, Gladd). The Lord used this to give me such a craving to know Him more. This book will plow, plant, and nurture your heart. It’s a phenomenal resource for daily devotions, Bible studies, or for turning it into a Sunday school lesson series. Thankfully, he has come out with another book and, word on the street is that he is working on a third study!

2. None Greater: The Undomesticated Attributes of God by Matthew Barrett
   Stunning book. The cover design (a lion staring you in the face!) really does echo the content of the book. God is seen as an “undomesticated” lion in this book. This is so enjoyable to read and so easy to follow along. As one pastor has said, “It’s easy to understand but hard to swallow.” These truths about who God is will blow your mind! It has been such a refreshing book for me to read and certainly one that I will read again in later years.

3. The Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin
   This is what my Summer Adult Sunday School class went through and this meant that I needed to go through it as well. Yes, this is a big book with many words but that shouldn’t scare you away. Calvin is devotional, clear, accessible. There is a reason why this book has been around for hundreds of years. There is a reason why the Church has poured itself over this book. This is NOT a book merely for pastors and teachers. Actually, it was written for the “common” person! This is one of the original “systematic theologies” and it is still one of the standards. Pick up Calvin and read him! Even if you only need a book to reference, buy Calvin! You’d be surprised how much you could read if you read him for only 15 minutes a day. There is no substitute for this classic.

4. From Adam and Israel To the Church: A Biblical Theology of the People of God by Benjamin L. Gladd (RTS Professor!)
   I was privileged to get an early copy from the man himself! And look, I’m at the point that I’m just going to read everything he writes. He is enjoyable, clear, applicable, and writes in such fresh ways that makes the Bible seem brand new. Every time I listen to his lectures or read his books I see the Bible in a new way. To be sure, Gladd isn’t coming up with anything new but rather pointing out to us what’s been there all along. This is a great book that totally shapes our identity as a people of God and how God has devoted Himself to us. Also, he has some awesome graphics and charts in there.

5. Romans by J.V. Fesko
   This is a book that I have written recommended to many people this year. While preparing for our Youth Large Group sermon series, I picked up this book from one our newest professor at RTS Jackson. This was a great read! I used it for my daily devotions as I read one chapter each morning. Once again, this was so clear and so accessible. I came away each day thinking, “I know this section of Romans better.” It was not only intellectually stimulating but it was also devotionally warm. Fesko makes sure to apply the text to our modern-day situation and he does so in a great way. God is big. Salvation is amazing. Holiness is beautiful. Heaven is sure. These were major takeaways for me from this excellent commentary.

6. Setting Our Affections upon Glory: Nine Sermons on the Gospel and the Church by Martyn Lloyd-Jones
   I read a lot of Lloyd-Jones. Matter of fact, I read everything of Lloyd-Jones. This is, yet again, another series of sermons that are timeless and life-changing. I want to know the God that Lloyd-Jones knew. These sermons were preached when Hurricane Camille (the second most intense tropical cyclone on record to strike the United States) was heading straight towards Pensacola and McIlwain Presbyterian Church where Martyn Lloyd-Jones was to preach. As in typical Lloyd-Jones style, this didn’t alter him at all. He was going to preach and preach he did. If you like reading the sermons of Martyn Lloyd-Jones, you should grab this book. This is a bucket of cold water for our evangelical culture today.

7. The Life and Theology of Paul by Guy Waters
   No, this is not a paid endorsement for my RTS professors. This is genuinely another book from them that I read this year that was in my top 10. The strength of Dr. Waters is doctrinal clarity. I love lists. I love orderly writing. Dr. Waters’ book is full of lists (Ex: “First,…Second,….” etc.). For me, this makes it easy to follow and also easy to use. If you want a short, accessible, yet in-depth book on the life and theology of Paul then you need to pick this one up. If you’re teaching on any of the Pauline epistles then you need to use this as a guide. This is a great resource for book studies as well. Like my other RTS professors, Waters makes you come away with a better understanding of Scripture and a clearer view of God and His marvelous salvation.

8. Revelation For You (God's Word for You) by Tim Chester
   Do you want to understand the book of Revelation in a more simple way? Get this book. This will make you want to teach a Bible study through the book of Revelation. Chester is one of my favorite modern writers and commentators. This is a great resource for devotions (as is the whole series) and this will leave you with confidence that you know the book of Revelation. I loaned this out and that person came away with the same thought!

9. 2 Samuel For You: The Triumphs and Tragedies of God's King (God's Word for You) by Tim Chester
   I could say the exact same thing as #8 but in reference to the book of 2 Samuel. Great read! Great for devotions! Read Chester.

10. Love Walked Among Us by Paul Miller
    This book will help you see another side of Jesus. It’s almost like you have a documentary camera crew following Jesus so that you can see Him up close. Things that are clear in Scripture, but frequently skimmed over, are brought to light. The compassion, honesty, and dependence of Jesus were much needed for me to see. God in the flesh was seen as beautiful! This is a great book to teach me to slow down in my Bible reading (especially in the Gospels) and to notice what the writers are actually saying.

11. The Gospel-Driven Church by Jared Wilson
    I love Jared Wilson’s books. He is a page-turner! This book is a solid addition to the many gospel-centered books coming out. In my opinion, this one has been the best one that I’ve read so far. His chapter on “The Five Metrics That Matter Most” is a reduplication and application of some of what Jonathan Edwards saw in the Great Awakening. This chapter is worth the price of the book. This is a great book not only for pastors but for the average church member. It makes you want to pursue to be more of a gospel-driven church member.

12. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
    This was my first time reading The Hobbit. I know. I know. I’m sorry for the 28-year delay. This was such a great read. Books that take you on a journey are so refreshing to read. There were several times I was reading where I could see the parallel between Bilbo’s journey to The Lonely Mountain and the Christian life. The book is better than the movie (but I definitely watched the movies afterward!).

13. Insecure: Fighting our Lesser Fears with a Greater One by John Perritt
    You just need to take an afternoon or two to read this. Yes, John is writing mainly to youth but don’t let that keep you (if you’re not a youth) from buying this. This is timeless (this will also hilariously remind you of what your teenage days used to be like!). Short, clear, applicable, and biblical. There is a reason why John’s RYM elective class this Summer was one of the biggest classes at all the conferences. There is also a reason why our Youth Ministry Fall Retreat got some much feedback (because he was the speaker!). This is a great resource for those who know they struggle with insecurity and for those who don’t acknowledge it (but trust me, after reading this you’ll realize that you do to some level). I’ve passed out all my copies by now.

14. Pursuing a Heart of Wisdom: Counseling Teenagers Biblically by John Kwasny
    Doctor, Pappa, Father, Sunday School teacher, Christian Education Director, Biblical Counselor, and lover of Chicago White Sox baseball John Kwasny has written a terrific book. There is a lot of popular psychology out there but this gets to the heart. Like Dr. Waters’ book, this is so organized and filled with lists (did I mention that I love lists?). In my opinion, I think the book’s strength is in using it as a reference book. The table of contents is divided up in such a way where you can search for issues by topic. This makes it easy to use over the years.

15. The Rhetoric Companion: A Student’s Guide to Power in Persuasion by N.D. Wilson and Douglas Wilson
    I am teaching a class at CCS on Public Speaking and I was preparing for the class I looked up several books that I could use for teaching the class. This was great! This is a solid resource that shows you the basic elements of speaking but does so from a Christian worldview. The Wilsons (father and son duo) are great writers and teachers. It is a great book to use for all ages. As someone who speaks often, I found it to be one of the more helpful books on speaking that I have read.

16. Simplicity in Preaching by J.C. Ryle
    Short, to the point, and so relevant, this was such a good read for me this year. From the back cover: This is a new and updated edition by H&E Publishing with a helpful addition by Bennett W. Rogers. The early preaching ministry of J. C. Ryle, one of the most powerful preachers of the Victorian era, was an unmitigated disaster. He struggled to keep the attention of his rural congregation, and so he embarked on a series of failed "pulpit experiments." Through this process of trial and error, Ryle learned to "crucify" his style and win the attention of his parishioners. Once he found his voice, popularity soon followed. He filled his churches to suffocation and became a sought after platform speaker. He was repeatedly chosen to be the select preacher for Oxford and Cambridge, and continued to draw large crowds well into his eighties as the Bishop of Liverpool. In Simplicity in Preaching, J. C. Ryle presents the fruit of a lifelong quest to attain a simplicity in preaching for his fellow ministers.

17. Safe and Sound: Standing Firm in Spiritual Battles by David Powlison
    This was such an encouraging book to me in the season that I read it. Outside of William Gurnall’s massive treatment on the Armor of God, this is my go-to read. This is a short book but man is it packed with power! This is why people love reading everything Powlison writes. This book shows you that spiritual warfare is real and more evident than you realize. Powlison also shows you how to fight back and how to live by the power of the Holy Spirit.

18. When People Are Big and God Is Small by Ed Welch
    There is a reason why this is a modern-day classic. If you are struggling with anxious feelings, peer-pressure, codependency, pride, shame, or anything like this then you need to get this book. It took me too long until I finally read this. This was like a fire in the middle of a cold winter.

19. Meet Generation Z: Understanding and Reaching the New Post-Christian World by James Emery White
    Although I don’t agree with several of his suggested responses to the problems of Generation Z, this was a very needed book for me to read as someone working in Youth Ministry. I think the first couple of chapters of this book will benefit any parent, pastor, or youth worker. We cannot think about today’s teenagers through the lens of, “Well, when I was that age _________ .” That doesn’t work. This is a new and different generation. We need to learn what they are like and this book helps us to do so. This is filled with showing us the good things about Generation Z but also the not so good things. The Church needs to take heed of what this generation is like because they are the future elders, deacons, pastors, leaders, and members of the Church.

20. How to Grill Everything: Simple Recipes for Great Flame-Cooked Food by Mark Bittman
    I don’t apologize for putting a cookbook in here. This thing is amazing. No, I haven’t read it from cover to cover but I have looked at every recipe and tried several of them. This is awesome. Definitely a solid Christmas gift for someone you know.

Large Group Sermons on Romans

This past Wednesday the Youth Ministry completed going through the book of Romans for their Large Group sermon series. While not all the sermons were recorded, here are several of them from the series:

1. A Message More Powerful Than Dynamite (Romans 1:1-17)

2. Ignoring The Problem Only Makes It Worse (Romans 1:18-3:20)

3. News That Forever Changed The World (Romans 3:21-4:25)

4. The Struggle To Live The Christian Life (Romans 7:13-25)

5. Is It Worth It To Suffer With Christ? (Romans 8:18-27)

6. Will God’s Love Ever Let Us Go? (Romans 8:28-39)

7. The God Who Predestines (Romans 9)

8. Defending and Applying Predestination (Romans 9)

9. How Does Someone Become A Christian? (Romans 10)

10. How Big Is The God You Think About? (Romans 11:33-36)

11. Don’t Major On The Minors (Romans 14:1-15:13)

Recommended Reading During Christmas

Each year there are several books that come out dealing with the Christian theology of Christmas. While several of these are great reads there are a few that rise to the top. Here is a list of some of the most helpful books (in other words, you won’t be wasting your time if you pick one of these up):

1. Child In The Manger by Sinclair Ferguson
   See the video to the right to see what Alistair Begg says about it.
   
   ‘The best story ever told in the best possible way. Cumulatively, these chapters provide rich, rewarding and revitalizing expositions that form a perfect addition to a truly Christian, Christ-centered, Christmas.’ — DEREK W.H. THOMAS

   ‘Full of thoughtful exposition, solid theology, winsome gospel presentation, and worshipful adoration of its glorious Subject. Sinclair Ferguson just may be my very favorite pastor-theologian, and this book illustrates why. A sheer delight to read and to recommend. Read and enjoy the Christmas story as for the first time!’ — FRED G. ZASPEL

2. Hidden Christmas by Tim Keller
   From the book sleeve: Even people who are not practicing Christians think they are familiar with the story of the nativity. Every Christmas displays of Baby Jesus resting in a manger decorate lawns and churchyards, and songs about shepherds and angels fill the air. Yet despite the abundance of these Christian references in popular culture, how many of us have examined the hard edges of this biblical story? In his new book Timothy Keller takes readers on an illuminating journey into the surprising background of the nativity. By understanding the message of hope and salvation within the Bible’s account of Jesus’ birth, readers will experience the redeeming power of God’s grace in a deeper and more meaningful way.

3. Repeat the Sounding Joy by Christopher Ash

   "Simply superb. A genuine model of Christian devotional writing—warm, enriching, and exciting application drawn from insightful expository and theological reflection on the biblical text. Each of these brief chapters is an absolute delight to read. This is joyful Christmastime reading for Christians of every age and experience. Very highly recommended." — FRED ZASPEL
   "These devotionals are digestible: they will go down easily in the busy days of Advent. They are profound: they will go down deep. Most wonderfully, they are word-filled: they will feed us with the truth and beauty of the Scriptures, and of the Savior whose advent we celebrate." — KATHLEEN NIELSON

4. Come, Let Us Adore Him by Paul Tripp
   "A rare gem—great theology inspiring great devotion. This book will enrich my family’s experience of Christmas this year, and I believe it can enrich your Christmas too." — RAY ORTLUND
   “This devotional will help us remember the great love with which we have been loved. Read its pages, share it with your family. Enter into that manger scene. And breathe.” — ELYSE FITZPATRICK

Other Books Not Exclusively on Christmas but recommended reading during the Christmas season:

• Ministries of Mercy by Tim Keller
  Pastor Dean says, “Why this book? Because there’s a whole lot of suffering, depression, and other negative experiences/emotions during this time of year. This book moves us to consider how to come alongside those whom God is calling us to serve, in and outside the church.”

• A Christian’s Pocket Guide to Jesus Christ by Mark Jones
  ”This book is gold. I can't remember the last time I read such a small book that has had such an effect on me. At 76 pages I think it's worth almost memorizing! There are lots of really helpful emphases, particularly Jones's treatment of the Incarnation, Christ and the Holy Spirit, and the Threefold Office of Christ. It is Christology from above and is a very helpful introduction indeed. It could be used in a variety of contexts in church life and will leave people wanting, even craving, more. Buy and read.” — Reformation 21- The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals

5 Questions To Ask During Your Devotions

In my experience, many people don’t do daily devotions because they don’t know how to do them. Do they drop their Bible to see where it randomly opens to? Do they choose a book and simply read through it? Do they pick up a devotional book and see where it leads them?

One of the best pieces of advice that I got was when I was in college. I was told (I cannot remember who it was from) to go through a book of the Bible and ask five questions of every passage that I read. these are the five questions:

1. What is the main point of this section of Scripture?
   The first thing I need to do is to understand what God is saying rather than what I think it means. It does me no good to have my own interpretation but rather I need to seek what God’s point of this passage is. That means that I need to pray about what He is saying and ask Him to bring it to my mind.

2. What does this text say about God?
   The Bible is primarily a book about God revealing Himself to us. Salvation is primarily about us being restored to a relationship with God so that we can enjoy Him. The purpose of creation is for God to proclaim His Glory. Everything must be first and foremost about God and His glory. We are not the purpose of the Bible. The devotionals that focus only on us and applying truths to our lives are vastly off the path. The Bible is about God. So, that means that I need to ask every time what this particular passage is saying about God. Who is He? What has He done? How is this describing Him? How is He revealing Himself to these particular people in that particular time? How do I see this aspect of God in my life today? If we miss this question then we miss God and therefore the whole point of the Bible.

3. What does this text say about Man?
   The Bible is primarily about God but it is also about God’s relationship with Man. How does God relate to Man? What state is Man in? What does this text say about sin? What does this say about living out the image of God? What does this text say about us living in a community? We need to know what this text is telling us about ourselves. We need the good, the bad, and the ugly (even if the ugly is REALLY ugly).

4. What does this text say about Salvation?
   It is not enough to read the Bible to be convicting. Our devotional duty isn’t done merely when we feel bad for how we have lived. We need to run to the Cross. Whether in the Old Testament or the New Testament, what does this text tell me about how I need to be saved? What does this text tell me about how I am saved by Jesus? What really happened on the Cross? What did Jesus’ death accomplish? How does God bring me to Himself?

5. What does this text say about Sanctification?
   Jesus’ death didn’t merely purchase our conversion but it also purchased our living the Christian life. How does this text show me what godly living is? What commands are in this text? What is obedience according to this text? There is a tendency in Reformed circles today to forget that God still commands Christians. The Law does not merely lead us to the Cross but the Law also shows us how we can live a life pleasing to God. Christians are still supposed to obey the Law. God’s Law shows us what God delights in and God’s Law shows us what the good life really is. We cannot forget this last question but we also cannot seek to fulfill this on our own power. We must prayerfully ask the Holy Spirit to enable us to live this way and when we fail we must ask the Spirit to help us repent. The Cross doesn’t cancel our need to obey but rather empowers our obedience.

One Of The Most Convicting Blog Posts I've Ever Read

My wife finds great blog posts from other people that I miss throughout the week. This very well might be a gift from the Lord because she often finds articles and blogs that are spot-on for what I am looking for.

While preparing to preach from Romans 14-16 in a couple of weeks I have been looking into the topic of peacemaking in the church. As this is on the horizon, my wife sent me a blog post from Kevin DeYoung that perfectly fits the bill for what I was looking for. The title of the blog post is “Distinguishing Marks of a Quarrelsome Person”. The following are some of the marks that are included on DeYoung’s list of 12.

1. You defend every conviction with the same degree of intensity. There are no secondary or tertiary issues. Everything is primary. You’ve never met a hill you wouldn’t die on.

2. You are quick to speak and slow to listen. You rarely ask questions and when you do it is to accuse or to continue prosecuting your case. You are not looking to learn, you are looking to defend, dominate, and destroy.

4. You are incapable of seeing nuances, and you do not believe in qualifying statements. Everything in life is black and white without any gray.

7. You are unable to sympathize with your opponents. You forget that sinners are also sufferers. You lose the ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes.

8. Your first instinct is to criticize; your last instinct is to encourage. Quarrelsome people almost always see others in need of rebuke, rarely in need of refreshing.

11. You are always in the trenches with hand grenades strapped to your chest, never in the cafeteria with ice cream and ping pong. I remember years ago talking to a returning serviceman in my church who told me sheepishly that his job in Iraq was to drive an armed convoy for the ice cream truck. It was extremely dangerous, escorting the vehicle through bomb infested territory. This was brave, honorable work. And important: Even soldiers need ice cream once in a while. The amp doesn’t have to be cranked to 11 all the time. Seriousness about God is not the same as pathological seriousness about everything. Remember G. K. Chesterton: “We have to feel the universe at once as an ogre’s castle, to be stormed, and yet as our own cottage, to which we can return to at evening.”

This article is a fabulous and convicting read but certainly, one that will rightly humble us. For the full article, click here.

How To Listen To Sermons Better

George Whitefield is often called the greatest preacher of all English speaking preachers. Many of Whitefield’s sermons have been lost over time but there are a few that remain. One of which is a sermon about how to listen to sermons. In this sermon, Whitefield shows us six ways we must be faithful when we are sitting under the preached Word. Here are six ways:

1. Come to hear, not out of curiosity, but from a sincere desire to know and do your duty.

2. Give diligent heed to the things that are spoken from the Word of God.

3. Do not entertain even the least prejudice against the minister.

4. Be careful not to depend too much on a preacher, or think more highly of him than you ought to think.

5. Make particular application to your own hearts of everything that has been delivered.

6. Pray to the Lord before, during, and after every sermon.

For more explanation on these, see more of Whitefield’s notes here.

For more content on this, check out this podcast from the Behold Your God podcast channel.

The One Thing You Must Do When You're Suffering

In his masterful devotional study, John Snyder says, “Israel’s measure of God was the measure of their hope—big God equals big hope.”

The context in which he is commenting comes after reading Isaiah 40. The book of Isaiah is divided into two major sections. Chapters 1-39 are written to God’s rebellious people who crave worldly security. Because of their rebellion, God tells them that exile is soon to come. Chapters 40-66 are prophecies about the later hope they will have amidst exile. Even though they will be in exile and under the dominion of Babylon there will nevertheless be a return to the land (a second Exodus).

In other words, chapter 40 is a word of hope amidst the turmoil, trial, and temptation to doubt God. What would give them hope to persevere? What would give them hope that God would never forget them? What would give them hope of deliverance? Verse 9 says, “Go on up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, ‘Behold your God!’”

That is why Snyder says, “Israel’s measure of God was the measure of their hope—big God equals big hope.” Is this your hope as well? The one thing you must do when you’re suffering is to behold your God. The size of your hope is directly correlated to the “size” of your God.

What does it look like to “behold your God” amidst suffering?

1. Study Him
   Suffering is the time to lean into your Bible reading. Suffering is the time to pick up a Systematic Theology or a doctrinal book. Why do we think that theology is only for seminarians and those who teach seminarians? Who came up with that suggestion? Suffering is the time to read authors who teach you the most about God. We need to study who God is and what God has done so that we can better interpret our suffering.

   Now, you can choose books that aren’t always helpful at the right time. It’s not always helpful to open up Herman Bavinck’s Reformed Dogmatics (all 4 volumes!) when you're in the depths of suffering. But, sometimes it is! Different books work better at different times. The point is this: Don’t be satisfied with the shallow stuff. Don’t be satisfied with the OK stuff. Immerse yourself in the resources that saints of old have immersed themselves in.

   Much of what passes for “devotional” literature isn’t devotional at all. It is theology that truly transforms our thinking. We need to study God and seek to learn new things about God so that we can think, live, and feel differently. One of the best things I have done is read about the attributes of God during a tough period of suffering. I remember reading a book on the Trinity in a season of suffering. A God who is untameable is of great comfort. A God who I know everything about brings no hope.

   If our hope correlates to our view of God then we must strive to expand our view of God. We need help from modern and past saints. We need to read from those who have beheld God. But, we must be sure that we are not piggy-backing off their beholding. We must behold God for ourselves. Suffering is the time to make God our own. We must not rely on someone else’s words or experiences but rather we must meet the Lover of our souls for ourselves. What if God brought you into this particular suffering for you to know Him intimately.

   Suggested Reading:

   1. Confessing the Faith by Chad Van Dixhoorn

   2. Knowing God by J.I. Packer

   3. Reformed Dogmatics (in One Volume) by Herman Bavinck

   4. The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer

2. Study Suffering
   This might sound strange but it is necessary. What is your doctrine of suffering? Are you suffering more because your doctrine of suffering isn’t accurate? For instance, are you angry because you don’t feel like you should be going through this? Are you depressed because you never thought you would have to hurt this way? Are you upset because you feel entitled to have inner peace all the time? We need to have a right theology of suffering. Our Lord was a man of sorrows (Is. 53). Jesus told us that we will suffer because He suffered (Mt. 10:22, Jn. 15:21). Paul told us that we will suffer (Ph. 1:29). Suffering is a temporary tool that God uses to rid us of our earthly treasures.
   Suggested Reading:

   1. Embodied Hope by Kelly Kapic

   2. Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy by Mark Vroegop

   3. Spiritual Depression by Martyn Lloyd-Jones

3. Find Help From Others

   It is not enough to be alone and read books. The only suggestion here is to find a group of trusted people you can be vulnerable with. We are too trapped in our minds when we are only dealing with suffering by ourselves. We need other voices. We need others to speak truth to us. Who are the people who have suffered similarly and met God in their suffering? Who are the people that can show you your story in light of God’s Story? Who are the people that know when to speak and when to listen? We behold God in community. God requires us to have a personal relationship with Him but not a personal church. In other words, the church is not only you. You must be in the thick of God’s people. If God is a community in Himself (The Trinity) then you can be sure that you (made in the image of God) need community.

Dear Parent, There Is New Hope For You In This Old Song

Martin Luther wrote A Mighty Fortress Is Our God as a reflection on Psalm 46. In this psalm, the psalmist feels terror and trials breathing down his neck. In the midst of threats all around, he hears his Lord say, “Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

Can you imagine what this psalm meant to Luther amidst his trials, terrors, and threats all around? This is why the hymn A Mighty Fortress still speaks to us in mighty ways in the present day. Particularly, I think it is a great meditation for parents of teenagers in today’s world. With this thought in mind, I’d like to draw out some lessons and hopes for parents who struggle to lead their children during these dark days.

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing; Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing.
What is a fortress? It is a stronghold of defense against your enemies. It is a structure that makes you feel totally safe from the threats outside. Dear Parent, God is your Fortress. He is a bulwark (“a defensive wall”) that never crumbles or cracks. There are no weaknesses in your God. No matter what happens in your child’s life God will never fail you or your child. Though all else seems lost and though the enemy (insert whatever seems most threatening to your child’s salvation and well being) appears like a force so strong that it could bring down the Fortress, we must have faith that our God has stood the test of time.

Dear Parent, He is your Helper. It does not say that God will keep your life free from floods and mortal ills but rather this hymn assumes those things will come at you and your family. The fact is that amidst all of this God is your Helper. We learn to know the “helpfulness” of God amidst our floods of suffering. What is a flood? Picture what Hurricane Katrina did. The waters broke through the levees in New Orleans and spilled over into the whole of the city. Floods know no bounds. They overwhelm anything in its path. The floods of pornography, vaping, drinking, self-righteousness, and worldliness destroy everything in its path until it comes to the foot of our Fortress. God is your Helper. God is your Fortress. Even when it feels like you are drowning, God is the One who will carry you through.

For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe; His craft and pow'r are great, and, armed with cruel hate, On earth is not his equal.

Make no mistake about it, the same Serpent in the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3 is the same Serpent slithering around seeking to strike at our youth. Whether through cell phone, Netflix show, peer pressure, or even simply the busyness of life, Satan lurks and prowls around seeking to take someone away from the knowledge of God. Dear Parent, do not try to parent your child without remembering that you have an Enemy. The Dark Lord holds sinners in his dominion. Yes, it is God who is Sovereign over him but God Himself has given sinners over to his dominion. This is a grip that you cannot release. He is too powerful for you. Stop trying to fight his craft, power, and cruel hate with spiritual squirt guns. Imagine trying to stop a bank robber who has a loaded AR-15 assault rifle while you only have a dollar store squirt gun. Good luck. But this is what we can look like when we seek to do battle without the Holy Spirit and His weapons.

Dear Parent, his craft and power are indeed great. How great? Greater than you! Nevertheless, he is no match for the Omnipotent One. The Dark Lord is armed with cruel hate but we worship the God of Love. It is only His Love that can set your child free from whatever bondage they are in. Listen, if you try to parent in a way where you neglect the reality of Satan then you will fail. On earth is not his equal. Luther knew this and you should know it too. He is smarter than you. He is stronger than you. He is quicker than you. You are like a toddler trying to arm wrestle the strongest man in the world. He yawns when you try to defeat him in your own strength. But, he trembles when you pray. His knees are wobbling when He sees you call upon the Fortress. He flees when you resist him by the power of the Holy Spirit. Your children need your prayers more than anything.

And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us, We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us.

Satan has his army. He delegates his demons to do his bidding. Even though your eye does not see, there is a war going on. Spiritual warfare is around every corner. When you relax in war, you get shot. Dear Parent, lurking around every spiritual corner is a war. We must prepare our children for it. A war takes place every time they open social media. A war takes place every time others gossip in the hallway. A war takes place every time their friends pressure them to do something ungodly. The Dark Lord and his army will seek to undo you and your child. This is no time to play Christianity. This is time for the real thing.

Should that make us fear? It should if we didn’t have help. But here is the truth: We do have help! We have the one who has tied Satan onto a leash like a owner leashes a dog. Satan and his army can only do what our God allows them to do. Even then, everything that happens to the believer is for their eternal good! This should not make us relax though. We must reject complacency at all times. Your job, dear parent, is never over. There is no off-season. We must stay in this fight and fight we must but we can have hope. God has willed that He will triumph through us. Think about this hope. You might have a wayward child that seems carried away in sin like a tumbleweed in a tornado. Behold your God! Nothing is outside His Sovereign Power. Regardless of the result, He will triumph through us. That should cause us to pray until our last breath. Dear Parent, your child will be attacked but if they are God’s child then God’s truth will triumph through them. Do not neglect the study of God. Do not neglect the teaching of your children the ways of God. This is no time for half-hearted theology. This is no time for trendy topics. Our children need to see how big God is and how big His gospel is. His truth will triumph. The time to study theology is now. The time to show our children how theology applies to life is now!

The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him; His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure, One little word shall fell him.

Remember, the Prince of Darkness is no joke. Still, we tremble not for him. Like the wolf chasing the three pigs, eventually the wolf runs out of breath and gets tired. He couldn’t endure. We can resist the devil by the Holy Spirit’s power. The Dark Lord will not endure. God, on the other hand, never tires and never changes. God does not have to put forth energy in being God. He simply is God all the time and never tires of being God. He exercises His power and yet He is never fatigued. He is always applying His wisdom and yet His mind never grows weary. The God who promised that He would crush the head of the Serpent in Genesis 3 is still our God today. The Dark Lord may blow and blow and blow upon your house but he will eventually tire out. Like the three pigs, the question is: What is your house made of? Are you building your home on the foundation of Christ? Are you seeking above all else to show your children Christ? Are you striving to know God and overflow with the knowledge of God onto your children?

There will spiritual assaults upon you and your children. We must teach and train them to endure. We must show them how to fight when anxiety overwhelms them in the middle of the night. We must show them how to fight against lust when someone sends them something inappropriate. We must show them how to fight when the world seeks to change the way they think about sexual ethics. The Prince of Darkness is fighting against them and we must teach our children how to fight back. Are we more concerned with raising up our children to be worldly successful? They must learn to treasure up God’s Word in order to use it.

That word above all earthly pow'rs, no thanks to them, abideth; The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth.

Dear Parent, the Word of God never fails. It is above all earthly authorities. When the world sought to destroy the Bible the underground printing press was formed. When the world sought to kill preachers, more were sent out into the world. All men are like grass and their glory is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flower fades but the Word of our God stands forever. Dear Parent, trust this Word! This Word is what your child needs. They need the Word more than they need a good resume. They need the Word more than they need popularity. They need the Word more than they need a good education and a good job. Do you believe this? It is the Word that reaches the heart by the Spirit’s hand. The Spirit transforms us by using the Word in our lives. This is the spiritual power and the heavenly dynamite that will topple our idols and destroy sinful desires.

Not only do you have the Word at your disposal but you also have the Spirit. God Almighty dwells with you! The Spirit and the gifts are yours in Christ. He is on your side! Parenting in a postmodern culture might look impossible. It should. It is impossible. You need the Spirit but do not fear because you have the Spirit if you have Christ. It is He that will guide you. It is He who is stronger than the peer pressures of youth culture. It is He who can give you better guidance than the worldly wisdom floating around. He has sided with you.

Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also; The body they may kill: God's truth abideth still, His kingdom is forever.

Because we have the Spirit we can let goods and kindred go. Dear Parent, do you believe that if your child gained the whole they could still lose their soul? What good would that be? Are we teaching our children to value the world and the things of the world or are we teaching them to lose all for the sake of Christ? Is your parenting motto like Paul’s life motto: To live is Christ and to die is gain?

The culture is constantly tempting you to think that it can satisfy our eternal desires. The new iPhone, the subscription to Netflix, the next post on Instagram, the cool group of kids at school, making that sports team, getting that grade, having that relationship, or developing that success. All these things tempt us and our children to think that the world can satisfy us. We must teach our children that there is One who surpasses it all! There is One of such great worth and value that all the riches of the world are worth throwing out in order that we might know Him.

Dear Parent, do our children see in us such a desire to know God that we wouldn’t be ashamed to die for Him? Do our children see our confidence in God in the face of opposition? Does our faith in our Fortress make our children fearless? It is His kingdom that will forever stand. Dear Parent, do not fear. God will never be conquered nor caught in the hand of the Enemy. His kingdom is undefeated and unstoppable. No matter what threatens your family, you can be sure that nothing will defeat God’s kingdom. This is your hope. This is your God.

How Big Is Your God?

Have you ever gotten frustrated trying to explain a movie to someone who had no clue what you were talking about? What about that time when someone did that unbelievable thing at school and you tried with all your intellect to explain what happened and how it happened so that your audience could understand a glimpse of what you saw? Doesn’t it make it worse when the person across from you starts to get bored with your story?

There are many times when we just can’t find the words to express what we saw. How much more so with God? Have you ever felt the mental and emotional frustration when trying to express the infinite glory of God with finite words?

The Incomprehensibility of God

God is incomprehensible. Do you know what incomprehensibility means? It means that you’re not able to fully understand it. Just like the ocean, it drowns your intellect. When we talk about God being incomprehensible we mean that even though we can know true things about God we still don’t know all that there is about God. Just when you start to think you have a grasp of who God is, He is like the undertow at the beach that sweeps you out into the depths.

Our minds are like a glass of water. If you take that glass of water and put it at the bottom of the ocean we can make a true statement by saying that the glass is full of water. But, we cannot say that the glass contains the fullness of the ocean. In the same way, we can say that we know God and yet simultaneously admit that God is far beyond our greatest intellect. If we know everything about God then that is not God because God is infinite and we are finite. Anything less than an infinite God is useless and no God.

There should be a holy frustration at times with our words (even the words that God gives us). How can a four-letter word (“love”) truly encapsulate the loving affection of the King of Kings? How can a word like “wisdom” really grasp the fullness of what God is doing in this world? How can a word like “eternity” truly gives us a full picture of what it means for God to exist outside of time? There should be times when we are like a young child who gets frustrated because others don’t understand us. 

If we have a God who makes total sense to us then we have no clue who God really is. If we have a God who bores us then we have no clue who God really is. If we have a God who we think we don’t need to study and pursue more then we have no clue who God really is. Those who pursue God further never come away regretting it. 

In C.S. Lewis’ famous book The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, we see a see where one of the children is about to meet Aslan. “Aslan is a lion—the Lion, the great Lion.” “Ooh!” said Susan. “I’d thought he was a man. Is he—quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.” “Safe?” said Mr. Beaver…. “Who said anything about safe? ‘Course He isn’t safe. But He’s good. He’s the King I tell you.” I wonder, is your God safe like a house cat or is He the King like a Lion? Is He theologically tamed for you? Is He a doctrine that is dormant?

Two Books That Helped Me Fear God

When I was a new believer, I came across the attributes of God pretty early on. Thankfully, I had heard of these guys named J.I. Packer and A.W. Tozer. I decided to get their books Knowing God and The Attributes of God. I am pretty sure that more sentences in Knowing God are underlined than there are sentences that are not underlined. 

In arguably the most important book in the past fifty years, J.I. Packer begins his book Knowing God with someone else’s words. He only gives the introduction.

On January 7, 1855, the minister of New Park Street Chapel, Southwark, England, opened his morning sermon as follows: “It has been said by someone that ‘the proper study of mankind is man.’ I will not oppose the idea, but I believe it is equally true that the proper study of God’s elect is God; the proper study of a Christian is the Godhead. The highest science, the loftiest speculation, the mightiest philosophy, which can ever engage the attention of a child of God, is the name, the nature, the person, the work, the doings, and the existence of the great God whom he calls his Father.” Packer goes on to say, “These words, spoken over a century ago by Charles Spurgeon (who at that time was only 20 years old) were true then and they are true now.” 

Look, I was twenty years old when I was reading that. I felt like I was drowning in the words of Spurgeon.

I also remember reading Tozer’s The Attributes of God. Specifically, I remember his chapters on the Infinitude of God and the Immensity of God. I remember sitting outside just looking up in the night sky of Alabama thinking about how puny and small I was. That’s a pretty good spot for a boastful college football player to be in. I have underlined in that book the following:

“Infinite” means so much that nobody can grasp it, but reason nevertheless kneels and acknowledges that God is infinite. We mean by infinite that God knows no limit, no bounds and no end. What God is, He is without boundaries. All that God is, He is without bounds or limits.

The Wonder of the Gospel of God

Dear reader, do you understand the God of the Bible? Do you understand that He is far beyond your wildest imagination? Do you believe that angels long to look into the things of God? Do you marvel at the fact that the great business of heaven will be pursuing a greater and more intimate knowledge of God for eternity? How is this a God we can be bored of?

This is what makes the gospel so startling. This infinite, immense, incomprehensible God became flesh. The infinite became finite. The immense and transcendent One became a man located in time and space. The incomprehensible One adopted our language. Jesus Christ, the God-Man, died a cursed death on a tree. The very God who created wood, forests, and all different kinds of trees is the same God who died a splintery death upon the Cross. Are you not astounded by this?

There is a wild unknown in our oceans. Do you know that 80% of the ocean is left to be explored? Think about all the footage and studies that Marine Biologists have done and yet after all this time only 20% has been explored! Now, think about how much we’ve explored outer space. Even in our scientific research, we are drowning in the depths of our lack of knowledge. How much more so with God?

Aren’t we creatures who love adventure? Aren’t we a people who dare to dream big? How much bigger and adventurous does it get for us to draw near the Holy One? How foolish are we who think that studying theology irrelevant! We try to satisfy ourselves on the cheapest of sermons, podcasts, and books. We barely prioritize the worship of the infinite God. We are like those who come face to face with a buffet of the riches food at free cost and yet decide to go eat the scraps we can find in the dumpster.

What marvelous grace God has given us to keep pursuing us! What astounding mercy He has given us to make Himself known to us! We live in an age where celebrities often try to hide from the paparazzi and yet we pursue them as if we stumbled upon a unicorn. At the same time, we have the God of infinite majesty and beauty who pursues us and we are more enamored with Netflix and Social Media. How blind we are to His greatness!

When will we feast our eyes upon the Lion? When will we bow down to the King? May He grant us to truly fear Him and follow Him. That’s what the Holy Spirit empowers us to do. Do you sense Him calling you to pursue Him further? Follow the Spirit and immerse yourself in His Word. Don’t be satisfied until you feel overwhelmed with your lack of words to describe His greatness. 

Last year I heard Kevin DeYoung give a story about Sinclair Ferguson. After a sermon that Ferguson preached, DeYoung came up to him immediately after to talk about how much that word meant to him. He had told him how beautiful of a sermon it was when all of a sudden Dr. Ferguson gave an interesting response. He responded with, “Oh Kevin, that was only a dog’s breakfast.” Isn’t that what our best often feels like? It feels like it is something that is so small. This is more so a declaration of God’s greatness more so than a pity party of our weakness.

The Dangers of Messy Christianity

The following is a brief excerpt from a helpful article that my wife sent me earlier today.

There’s a recent trend in American Christianity to speak of spiritual life as messy.

We’re sinful, broken people, this view argues, and even in our redeemed and reconciled condition we make mistakes that affect our and others’ lives. The messiness is pervasive, constant, and unrelenting. There’s no hope for the eradication of sin this side of Christ’s return, so the best we can do is embrace the mess and encourage one another to keep wading through the mire. The Christian life is a series of messes with a few mountaintops in between.

No doubt, this description is often used with honorable motives. We want to express humility and provide solidarity and support for our struggling brothers and sisters or new Christians—as we should. But there’s something about describing the process of sanctification only as “messy” that seems a little off. It’s certainly true that believers struggle with sin, pain, failure, and turmoil. I continue to wrestle with those things and more, so there’s a sense in which sanctification is messy. I definitely feel that myself.

Yet I also realize that Jesus didn’t die so we could live a merely messy Christian life. His desire isn’t for us to simply hop from crisis to crisis, doomed to failure, discouragement, and depression this side of glory. The gospel is more about joyful transformation than messy complacency.

If we’re not careful, a merely messy Christianity fails to do justice to a biblical view of the Christian life in at least three ways.

For the full article, click here.

How Can I Know The Will Of God?

One of the most frequent questions a Christian can ask themselves is: What is the will of God in this situation?

We have all been there many times. Over the years, I have read several books and talked with numerous mentors about finding the answer to this question in many particular situations. Whether you are thinking about going to a certain school, taking a job, dating/marrying someone, moving to a certain city, or whatever else, this topic is for you. As I write this, I will most likely write as if I am counseling someone who is choosing a certain job or school since that is what I find myself doing most in this area. Nevertheless, you can insert yourself and your situation into all of these. Without any more delay, these are some of the “rules” that I have accumulated and what I pass on to others.

1. Are you holding back anything from God?
   This first searching question has more to do with our living in holiness towards God (1 Pet. 1:16). If we are habitually stiff-arming God from an area in our lives then we need to first repent before we can have a clearer answer to His will. Our sinful desires can certainly lead us astray. Just because that certain job looks attractive, the pay is great, and the city is trending doesn’t mean you should take that job. For all we know, it could just be another way to idolize our job performance rather than grow in godliness. This means that our first reflection should be to look at our lives. To be sure, we wake up every day in a Romans 7 struggle against sin. We will not be perfect until Glory but we can check our lives to see if we are habitually living a godless life in certain areas.

2. Do you have the opportunity?
   Just because I have a passion for something and even some general skill in that same area doesn’t mean I have opportunity to do it (which is totally contrary to most of the worldly wisdom today). Part of God’s will is when He opens up and closes doors for us (Col. 4:3). If an opportunity is closed then we can be sure (and we must be patient!) that it’s not God’s will for us right now. We need to repent of the “giraffe syndrome” where we constantly are holding our heads high looking for greener grass. We certainly can pray for God to open up the opportunity if we do have the passion and the ability for such a opportunity but if the door is not open yet then we must remain patient. For all we know, maybe God is saving us from something in the future. “But”, you say, “what if there are multiple doors open?” Then by all means proceed to the next question!

3. Do you have the ability?
   The next part is to test our gifts, skills, and abilities. God has gifted each of us in a particular way for a particular time among a particular people. We have all seen people who are striving to do something (more than merely having it as a hobby) and yet they don’t have the ability to get the job done day in and day out. You know what? This is fine! We don’t have to pridefully look around at others doubting us and then put our heads down to become a slave to such an opportunity and then when we have finally “made it” to turn back to all our doubters or “haters” and rub it in their face. Maybe in our pursuit of such an opportunity we have run over many people trying to do that. We need to notice how God has made us and what abilities we have. It’s no shame to lack a certain ability for an opportunity. When we realize that life is more than our school and job then we can be content (and more wise) wherever God has us and whatever abilities and inabilities we have. What if God wants you at a mid-level position at a mid-level company so that you can learn to depend more on Him, witness to those around you, and to keep you from idols? If I don’t have the ability to be the CEO of a company then I think it’s safe to say that pursuing that opportunity is not God’s will. Another aspect to see is that God gives us different abilities in different seasons of our lives. BUT just because God might be growing my desire and ability to cook doesn’t mean I’m called to be a chef. This all takes discernment and prayer.

4. Do you have the passion?
   You might have the opportunity and the ability but maybe you dread the idea of going to do such a thing. If you are walking with God and daily repenting then God is shaping your desires more and more to His (Ps. 37:4). BUT we also need to tap the brakes on the modern idea that we need to always be pursuing our dreams and passions. Much modern thought is that we must absolutely love what we’re doing and if we’re not then we need to change things up. This actually mistakes “love” for “like”. Love sticks around even when you’re not as passionate but “like” always follows the emotions. Maybe this opportunity that you have is a good one that’s healthy for you and your family, gives you long-term sustainability, puts you in a good place to live where good solid churches are, and is probably a place where the Lord would use you…but, it’s not necessarily the top on your list. That’s fine! To be sure, I’m not saying go to the place that you dread the most. There are few moments in life where God treats us like Jonah and tells us to go to Nineveh for work or school. There are many times where a place or a circumstance has to “grow on us” before we are passionate about it. This is different for marriage. You better be passionate about that person. End of story. Passion can ebb and flow and passion is certainly NOT puppy love where you always have to be holding hands. But, if you’re not passionate about being with that person for life then you might want to take some time. Does this mean that when you married and lose passion for your spouse that you might be “called” to a divorce? Absolutely not! Once again, that is not true love but only a “like”. Love stays even when passion fades. Love is a commitment through thick and thin (even really thin!!!). But when it comes to a school, job, or move then make sure you have a healthy desire for it even though it might not be at the top of your list.

5. Are you making this decision in community?
   This does not mean that you need to post a poll on Facebook or Instagram to ask the world their decision. What I mean is that big decisions like this takes more than just you. Are you married? Talk to your spouse. Are you living at home? Talk with your parents. Do you have mentors? Ask them what they think about it. We can often acquire “tunnel vision” when making such decisions when others close to us can help us see more clearly. Big decisions shouldn’t be made quickly, lightly, or alone. Have you asked your pastor? Have your asked your community group? Have you asked your friends and family? Do they think it’s wise? Do they think you could do well there? Are there any “red flags” that stand out to them? Listen to these various verses in Proverbs. “With those who take advice is wisdom” (13:10b). “Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed” (15:22).

6. Where does church fit into your decision?
   This is the most neglected of all of these. This question isn’t last because of priority but rather it is last because it ties a nice bow around the whole situation. If we ignore the most central aspect of our lives (worshiping God not merely in all of life but also in the local church) in our decisions then we are evaluating the situation foolishly. We must begin and end all our discerning of God’s will with God. If our chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever and if God has called us to be apart of the local church (not just casually attend or just “date” the church) then we can be sure that this is a major factor to our decision. There have been several people who I have talked with who could’ve cared less about what churches or ministries were in the area. Their minds were on the flesh (Rom. 8:5-8). We need to do some research about what churches are in the area. Once again, we need to guard against the extreme that says that we must find the most relevant church that has a massive community with an incredible preacher and thriving ministries and unless there is that then I’m not going there. Maybe God wants you in a smaller, less relevant church where there is a faithful pastor who preaches the Word in season and out of season and, frankly, a church that needs you! Not just pastors are called to a local church. Another caveat is this: You might be forced to go somewhere where there isn’t a thriving church. This primarily refers to when you have the opportunity to wrestle with staying or leaving. But, let’s be sure that we’re not just saying we were “forced to” so that we can ignore the church question.

The Trend That Is Sweeping Across Youth Culture...And It's Not Good

There is a new trend in the teenage world—juuling. It is the e-cigarette of choice at the moment for those who desire to get a nicotine “fix”. There is no shortage of middle school, high school, and college students who “juul”. This is also very alarming because recent studies have shown dangerous and very harmful results from these products. Here is an article from the Washington Post that tells more.

In 2018, more than 37 percent of 12th-graders reported vaping at least once in the past 12 months, according to findings released by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, even though many were too young to legally purchase the products. A year earlier, the figure was about 28 percent. When teens were asked about use in the 30 days before the survey, 21 percent said they had vaped, which was nearly double the rate from 2017.

Because of a variety of factors — genetics, trauma, peer behavior — some teens develop a strong attachment to the products, bonds that are unshakable even in the face of escalating consequences. Experts say teen brains are particularly vulnerable to addiction because they are still developing and that it is easier for teens to fall victim to addictive products because they have less impulse control.

They worry the chemical will shape the brains of teens, priming their “reward pathways” and making them more vulnerable to other kinds of substance abuse. They worry, too, that many pediatricians lack the expertise and treatments to help young people who cannot quit. And there are few treatment options for teens addicted to nicotine. While adult smokers seeking to quit have benefited from nicotine patches and the drug varenicline, better known as Chantix, there is scant evidence those treatments work for young people, according to Jonathan Winickoff, a pediatrician and researcher at Massachusetts General Hospital who specializes in tobacco cessation and who treated Cade Beauparlant.

“We have millions of kids now, millions of adolescents who are using mostly Juul — and in some cases other devices — who are unable to quit,” Winickoff said. “It’s something we don’t have the infrastructure to deal with.”

For the rest of the article, click here.

Parents, this is time to ask your child if they are juuling. To be honest, these items are VERY easy to hide and many simply keep them in their pockets. I have heard and seen students all around the city who juul at home, in the car on the way to school, in the bathroom stalls, in class, in the locker room, and pretty much anywhere you can imagine. Please, ask your child about this.

Want To Study Romans?

The youth ministry is going through the book of Romans this semester and while preparing for this I have gathered up all my Romans resources in order to study more effectively. What are some of the more helpful studies on Romans? What are good resources to lead a Bible study with or to use for your own devotions? Here is a list that divides some of the helpful commentaries and resources into categories for different uses (to be sure, this is NOT an exhaustive list):

• Helpful commentaries for daily devotions (all of these are helpful for further studies as well)

  • Romans by J.V. Fesko

    • This is an easy to read commentary that would take you through Romans in 50 days. In my opinion, this is one of the best commentaries that I’ve read on Romans.

  • Romans for You (2 Volumes) by Tim Keller

    • This also is very easy to read and also very solid. Keller’s strength is helpful you understand Romans in a simple and clear way while also applying it to real life.

  • The Good Book Guide to Romans (2 Volumes) by Tim Keller

    • This is different from Keller’s devotional commentary in that it has a lot of space for you to answer the questions in the booklet. If you are the type of person who likes to use workbook type resources for your devotions then this one is for you.

  • Romans: The Gospel As It Really Is by Stuart Olyott

    • Short, to the point, and easy daily readings. Olyott strength is that he is clear and by the time you will finish him you should come away with a solid understand not only of the detailed content of Romans but a great overview as well.

• Commentaries for Bible Studies (to go more in depth)

  • The Message of Romans by John Stott

    • In my opinion, this is a must use for any studies. Just be careful to make up your own first draft of a teaching/preaching outline before you read Stott because you will envy his outline every time you read him.

  • Romans (4 Volumes) by James Montgomery Boice

    • Boice is clear but he also dives deeper into the text which means that this is a longer series. Nevertheless, there is gold in this and is helpful for Bible Study teaching.

  • Romans: The NIV Application Commentary by Douglas Moo

    • Moo has written three commentaries on Romans…so he knows a lot about it. This is very helpful and useful for further studies. I have found it a great jump start when thinking about how to apply the text.

  • Encountering the Book of Romans: A Theological Survey by Douglas Moo

    • This is the resource that I read this summer to get a good “fly over” of Romans. I have found it incredibly helpful to grasp more of the big picture before diving down into the details. Clear, concise, to the point, and will help you understand the riches and history behind the book as well.

  • Romans (Geneva Series of Commentaries) by Robert Haldane

    • This is a classic in every since of the word. It is a commentary that has stood the test of time while also being so relevant for today. Haldane is a verse-by-verse commentary that goes into more depth but he is very readable even when he deals with critics. This is great for more detailed study of individual verses.

  • Romans by John Calvin

    • Once again, this is a classic. Best part about Calvin is that you can find him for free all over the Internet. Calvin is clear and concise and definitely one to consider when studying for a Bible study or sermon.

  • Romans by Charles Hodge

    • [Insert everything that I said about Calvin]

  • Romans by F.F. Bruce

    • Short, to the point, verse-by-verse and one of the best commentators from a Reformed perspective. I have found him very helpful and even used him as part of my daily devotions at times.

• More in-depth studies

  • Romans by John Murray

    • This is “the granddaddy of them all” as sports commentator Keith Jackson used to say. This is certainly more technical and sometimes difficult to read but it pays off for the diligent. Murray is considered the best commentator on Romans in the Reformed world.

  • The Letter to the Romans by Douglas Moo

    • Closely behind Murray comes Moo with his third resource. This is still pretty clear but it certainly helps to know Greek at some level.

  • Romans by Leon Morris

    • In my early use of Morris, I have found him delightful to read and incredibly helpful to my studies. He interacts with the Greek but not necessarily too much where the non-Greek student wouldn’t have a clue as to what he is saying.

  • Romans by Thomas Schreiner

    • This is a big one and a technical one. This is most helpful with knowledge of the Greek but you could still read it if you don’t know the Greek and pick up some good tips along the way. Schreiner is long but very good in his verse-by-verse commentary.

Sleep Is Part Of Your Worship

There is no doubt that many people struggle with good and healthy sleeping habits. To be sure, some of the problem (if not much of the problem) has to do with our late night use of technology. To be sure, yet again, we also need to make certain that we don’t oversimplify the problem. There are many reasons why we don’t sleep well and our chronic lack of sleep can be a good indicator that something else is going on physically or spiritually. In these cases, we need to seek more counsel from people who know more than we do.

Over and over again, I hear students say that they try to fall asleep watching Netflix. Others will try going to sleep and once they toss and turn on their bed for a short amount of time they give up and turn their phone or TV back on.

I my experience I am seeing many people who are getting an average of 4-6 hours of sleep each night while studies show that those same people should be getting an average of 8-10 hours per night. It comes as no surprise to me that many of these people are the ones who struggle with anxious thoughts, endless stress, and even lust. Part of the reason why they aren’t getting sleep is caused by their anxious thoughts, endless stress, and due dates coming up. Unfortunately, it can seem like an endless circle where stress causes lack of sleep which causes more stress which causes more lack of sleep. I have had to learn that one of the earliest questions I need to ask when counseling someone is how much sleep they have gotten in the past several weeks.

To be clear, our children’s sleeping issues come from a variety of causes. We need to be careful saying that it is a one-to-one result of “bad parenting”. Sure, there are many helpful tips that we can implement but at the end of the day it is our children who must fall asleep for themselves. There are many reasons why we can have bad sleeping habits and if these are overlooked for a long period of time then they can cause further problems down the road.

Paul tells the Romans Christians in Romans 12:1-2 that we should present ourselves as “living sacrifices”. This means that the totality of our lives (body and soul) should be given to God as our spiritual worship. This includes our sleep. We should not pride ourselves for being able to stay up all night getting work done as if we are the most productive people in the world. Neither should we pride ourselves on getting 2-4 hours of sleep and fighting through the day like nothing is wrong with us as if we are Superman or Superwoman. One of the best ways we can worship God is to lay down our heads on our pillows and trust that He is good, He is sufficient, and He will provide for us. There are many nights where we have to fight to relax. There is a reason why God made us as creatures who need to spend a third of our lives sleeping. Think about that for a moment.

The following article is one of the more helpful articles I have found that dives into this topic more while also giving helpful tips for us to sleep better and help our children sleep better. Here is an excerpt:

In the Psalms, David shows that peaceful sleep is an act of trust and a sign of humility. “I lie down and sleep,” David said, “I wake again, because the Lord sustains me” (Ps 3:5–6). He also said, “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety” (Ps 4:8).  Getting a good night’s rest shows that we know God is in control and will watch over us when we are at our most vulnerable.

Sleep is a sign of trust and humility. But it’s also a spiritual discipline. As D. A. Carson says,

Sometimes the godliest thing you can do in the universe is get a good night’s sleep—not pray all night, but sleep. I’m certainly not denying that there may be a place for praying all night; I’m merely insisting that in the normal course of things, spiritual discipline obligates you get the sleep your body need.

Like most spiritual disciplines, to be most effective sleep requires both a change in attitude and a change in habits. Here are a few things I learned and practical steps I’ve taken to better develop the spiritual activity of rest:

Get enough sleep — There are a number of factors that affect the quality of your rest, the most important being how long you sleep each night.

The amount of sleep a person needs varies from individual to individual and changes over the course of their lifetime. But if you’re like most people, chances are you’re not getting adequate sleep to be fully rested.

Here is the average number of hours of sleep, based on age, a person needs every day:

-6 to 13 years of age: 9 to 11 hours

-14 to 17 years of age: 8 to 10 hours

-18 to 25 years of age: 7 to 9 hours

-26 to 64 years of age: 7 to 9 hours

-65 and older: 7 to 8 hours

For the full article, click here.

8 Ways Satan Uses To Keep Us Out Of The Bible

There is no doubt that Satan knows the power of God’s word to change us. He works tirelessly to take away the seeds of Scripture planted in us (see Mark 4:14-15). He knows that the Bible, in the hands of the Holy
Spirit, is lethal against his tactics. Consider this excerpt from C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters in which a chief demon seeks to mentor a trainee demon in how to hurt the faith of believers:

“Don’t let him open the Enemy’s book. Have him think he’s not feeling spiritual enough. Suggest that it’s too complicated. Tell him he’s too tired. Be vigilant — five minutes of prayerful reading can set him back months (Rom 10:17).”

Satan knows that the Bible is integral to our mission here on this earth (John 17:14-19). He knows that the Bible sanctifies us and makes us holy (specifically focus on John 17:17). He knows that faith comes from hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). He knows that when we see Jesus by faith that we will transform more into His image by the Spirit’s power (2 Corinthians 3:18).

So, what does he want to do? He wants to do all that it takes to keep us out of the Bible. How does he do that? There are certainly many things he does but here are eight ways which we commonly see today:

1. Distracts you with your phone, social media, video games, Netflix, YouTube
   Name whatever it is that distracts you most—that is what Satan is using. Here’s the thing, many of the objects that he uses are good in themselves. He loves to use good things to distract us from ultimate things.
   Practical Tip: Turn your phone over during your devotions. If someone REALLY needs you then they will get you.

2. Busyness with friends, school, work, sports, clubs, parenting, schedules, etc.
   How often do we find ourselves saying, “Well, I didn’t have time to get in the Word today.” Satan loves this tactic. Our day is a busy day. We are constantly on the go and we hardly like to stop. How often our Enemy likes to use our busyness and our productivity to actually keep us away from the Word that transforms us into the image of Christ.
   Practical Tip: Schedule your devotions and guard that time with your life. Seek to have a consistent time and place in order to build a better habit.

3. Boredom by saying, “I already know this.”
   How many of us get to our devotions and immediately look at the text (say John 3:16 for example) and respond with, “I already got this one.” How little do we simmer over the text and bring out the rich flavors that are in the Word! Can we really look at God’s love and say, “Yea, I know that already”? Satan will use our familiarity and cause us to think that that Bible is somehow boring. We pay attention to that which captivates us most and if there is the seed within that gives fruit to the thought that the Bible is boring then Satan has won a battle in our hearts.
   Practical Tip: 1) Change up your Bible reading plan (if you’re doing bigger portions, change to smaller portions or vice versa). 2) Pick up other books that show you how amazing the Bible is (try Kevin DeYoung’s Taking God At His Word or D.A. Carson’s The God Who Is There)

4. Lesser works with devotional books (although good but not enough)
   Let me set this straight: Devotional books are good and very helpful when they are from authors that bring out the rich treasures of the Bible. Let me repeat: Solid, biblical devotional books are good. But, they are not Scripture. Nothing replaces meditating over the Bible itself. No one can outdo the Holy Spirit in His work. I don’t care who the author is, no one can do what the Holy Spirit does as He takes the Word into our hearts and sheds abroad the love of God. There are many times that Satan uses good and great devotional books to keep us away from meditating on the Bible. There are too many people who read more of their devotional books than they read the Bible. Satan loves to keep us in the devotional books and away from the Bible because he knows that the Bible will make us radically God-centered and Christ-like. Satan loves shallow Christians because shallow Christians are no threat to his kingdom. In order to keep making Christians shallow, he keeps us in anything other than the Bible.
   Practical Tip: Only use devotional books to help stir up your heart to get you into the Bible more. Do not settle for a devotional book that gives you one short verse to read but forces you to focus more of your attention on what they have to say. Pick up a devotional book that helps you understand the Bible better. We perish for a lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6).

5. Unbelief in the Bible’s relevance, power, sufficiency, and necessity
   When we think that the Bible is relevant for today, powerful to change us, sufficient for our problems, or necessary for our daily living then Satan has won another battle. He loves to have us think that we can go today without reading our Bible. He works one day at a time to keep you each day away from the Scripture. He wants you to think that the Bible won’t address what you need to hear. He tries to convince you that you aren’t really changing whenever you meditate on God’s Word. He wants to persuade you that you’re fine on your own.
   Practical Tip: 1) Don’t measure your growth in short intervals. Rather, spend time in the Bible each day, studying to know what it is really saying, and after 6 months, 1 year, 5 years reflect on your life. 2) Read biographies of Christians who have been changed by God (Augustine’s Confessions, Jonathan Edwards, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Martin Luther, Susannah Spurgeon, Amy Carmichael) 3) Read good books on biblical counseling that address this issue (such as: The Dynamic Heart: Connecting Christ to Human Experience by Jeremy Pierre, You Can Change by Tim Chester, or Cross Talk: Where Life and Scripture Meet by Michael Emlet)

6. Mislead you into thinking other things work better
   We often run to other “fixes” to take our minds off of our problems. Some run to exercising (literally, they run their problems away) and some to venting to others (they want to talk their problems away). There are even Christian counselors who try to tell us that we need something “more” than the Bible. There is certainly a big trend in the evangelical world that sees therapy as the answer to inner change. Satan loves to get us to think that anything or anyone is better than the Bible. He wants us to think that if we merely take our minds off of the problem things go away. He often fools us into thinking that counseling (as great and necessary [yes, necessary at times] that biblical counseling is!) is a replacement to ourselves getting in the Bible. He wants to help us feel like we don’t need to the Bible and therefore keeps us from it.
   Practical Tip: Pray that God would show you the amazing power that is in the Bible. Pray that the Holy Spirit would take that Word into your heart to show you the wondrous things that are in His words. Listen to the testimonies of others who have been transformed by the gospel. Test God and His Word for yourself and see if He won’t change you.

7. Grant self-confidence by thinking you’re fine without it for a day
   This is somewhat of a repeat from earlier but a necessary repeat. Satan loves to get us to think that we’re really OK without the Bible today. He wants us to think that there really isn’t too much going on in our lives for us to have to get in the Bible today. Satan wants us to see the Bible merely as medicine. We only need it if we’re sick. Self-confidence is a killer to our devotional lives.
   Practical Tip: Study the doctrine of total depravity. I mean, really study it. Just spend time and write down 30 reflections on John 15:5 and Ephesians 2:1-2.

8. Keep you only reading it and never meditating on it and memorizing it
   ”Knowledge of the Word of God will not profit you, unless you frequently listen to it and meditate upon it.” Sound controversial? Well, it’s from the Puritan pastor Walter Marshall in his book The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification which is considered a classic on the subject. Satan loves to keep you merely reading the Bible. Besides, unbelievers read the Bible too. Once again, let me set the record straight once more: The Holy Spirit does use our Bible reading to convert us and sanctify us. But, we shouldn’t be satisfied with only a short and shallow reading of the Bible. What unbelievers don’t do is meditate on it in the power of the Spirit. Christians apply the Bible to their lives and Satan hates it when you do this. He hates it when you apply the gospel of free grace to your sinful life. If you defeat all his other ways, he wants you merely to read the Bible and get on with your day. He doesn’t want you to wrestle with it, apply it, meditate on it, study it, or teach it.
   Practical Tip: Let your Bible reading goal be for thoughtful and slow reading. Ask good questions of the Bible when you read it. Try to summarize what the main point of your reading is and then think about how that main point applies to your life today.

3 Criteria For Choosing A Local Church

The following video is from J.D. Greear on three values that should determine how we choose a local church. Parents, this is a great video to show your children who are in college or getting ready for college.

6 Ways to Bring Light to Heated Talks with Teenagers

The following article is from William P. Smith:

Every parent I’ve met has felt frustrated by repeatedly stumbling into difficult conversations with their teenage children. Those conversations seem to come out of nowhere, pack lots of energy, and leave everyone bruised and tiptoeing around each other . . .  until the next one.

I suspect hard conversations would take place even if we removed sin from the equation. By definition, teenagers are transitioning out of childhood. They’re figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and how to handle greater independence and responsibility, all while still living in your home. You’re both trying to redefine a relationship that should (rightly) no longer be what it was when they were younger. There’s simply no way you both can navigate this process without at least some bumps and mutual learning along the way.

While there’s no surefire way to guarantee easier, better conversations with your child, there are some things you can do to help them see you as more of an ally than a threat during these defining years.

1. Not everything that goes through your mind should come out of your mouth.

Think before you speak. Proverbs has a lot to say about the words we choose, but it comes down to the wise person being careful with what they say, whereas the fool blurts out whatever comes to mind (Prov. 12:23). If what you’re thinking really does need to be said, you can always bring it up later. If it’s foolish, though, you can’t get it back after it’s left your mouth.

2. Don’t interrupt or talk over your child.

Don’t talk over them any more than you want them to interrupt and talk over you. It’s the law of love: Do to them conversationally as you would have them do to you (Matt. 7:12). Somehow, it’s easy to overlook Christ’s command when speaking to our children—to interact with them in ways we wouldn’t dream of with someone we just met. Imagine your child as someone you respect; then talk to them accordingly.

For the rest of the article, click here.

What Encouragement Do You Need To Cultivate A Prayer Life?

This summer the youth ministry has been going through a series on “Christianity According to Christ”. So far, we have gone through topics such as “Knowing Christ”, “Repentance”, and “Prayer”. All of the texts preached from have been from the Gospels as we are looking to show how Christ viewed Christianity. The whole premise is to show our youth what it really means to be a Christian.

This past Wednesday, we had the honor of having Zach Byrd come preach to the youth on “Prayer”. It is safe to say that this is one of the most clear and motivating sermons on prayer that I have ever heard. Several of our youth said that this was a phenomenal sermon. Zach is a student at RTS and the supply preacher at Bethesda Presbyterian Church and helps out with Youth Ministry at Westminster Presbyterian Church.

20 Quotes From John Kwasny's New Book

Our very own Dr. John C. Kwasny has released yet another book and this time on counseling teenagers. This is a fabulous book and certainly a must-read for youth workers and parents. Teenagers would also benefit greatly from getting this and reading it themselves. It is a great book to read straight through but also very beneficial as a resource book throughout the years. The structure of the book is laid out to be very accessible as it is divided up into topics. What I wanted to do in this post was give you 20 quotes from John’s new book to entice you to go to Amazon and buy it. Here we go:

1. “Sadly, many teens are left to themselves during these years, dealing with the temptations and the struggles of their hearts and minds all on their own. Yet, all through the Book of Proverbs, young people are taught to gain wisdom through listening to and obeying their parents and other wise adults. If teenagers are to listen and learn wisdom, then parents and other mature adults are to speak wisdom and live wisely before them!” p. 13

2. “When foundational views of God and people are faulty or deficient, the counsel that emerges from them will miss the mark as well. If you examine the advice given to teenagers today, including counsel given by some Christians, you will quickly learn that the main problem is that their underlying presuppositions are not Biblical.” p. 22

3. “Teenagers have bodies and souls that are not fully developed, brains that are still maturing, and body chemistry that is still in flux. To not recognize teens as bodies and souls will keep us from recognizing the influence of their bodies on their souls. But the fundamental error on the other side of the coin is to only see teenagers as a mass of chemicals and hormones!” p. 27

4. “Biblical change occurs when they learn to destroy the idols of their heart and constantly return to the right worship of God. As God’s Spirit and His Word do their joint work in hearts, change will be reflected on the doing and feeling levels as well.” p. 35

5. “Biblical counseling is a gospel-driven, Christ-centered series of conversations between parent and child, counselor and counselee, leader and student. It is the essential work of relational dialogue that seeks true Biblical change, growth in grace, repentance and faith, knowledge and wisdom.” p. 37

6. “So when teens are struggling with diverse problems, they need Biblical truth from the lips of their parents. They require the proper application of Scripture to their problems. They need parents who teach Biblical wisdom as well as ones who are living wisely in front of them.” p. 55

7. “The starting point for just about any problem is for a person to actually acknowledge there is a problem.” p. 73

8. “Don’t confront your teen’s anger with your own anger. Do show true compassion for the pain the teen is experiencing. Don’t excuse all anger as being simply a normal emotion.” p. 82

9. “To rightly deal with anxiety that is either specific or generalized, the starting place is to recognize that our hearts are easily tempted to worry due to many difficulties in this life. Even that admission is difficult for many teens who act like they everything under control.” p. 89

10. “When your teenager speaks about being depressed—or is displaying some of the common symptoms—it is essential to step back and get a bigger picture, a better view, of the problem. Why do we need to get the big picture of depression? Because it keeps us from oversimplifying the problem and assuming a singular, universal cause to all types of depression.” p. 106

11. “As much as it’s vital to deal with heart issues like spiritual slavery and worthless false worship, our teens’ sinful thought patterns must be addressed as well. We literally have to answer the question: ‘What are they thinking?’” p. 131

12. “Opal needs to see that her love of self has to be confessed and repented of before she can actually look at her body in the right way. This love of self is also connected to pride in our hearts, as we think we are entitled to be healthy, look good, or be at a certain weight.” p. 147

13. “Our teens need to be reminded that being cleansed from sin is a fact, whether we feel it or not.” p. 167

14. “Complete change is never promised to us in this life—of any sinful desire. We will only be fully cleansed of our sin in glory. Whatever the result, the Christian teen who believes the truth of God’s Word doesn’t just wait for desires to change, but works, by the Spirit to combat these thoughts and feelings—and not act on them.” p. 181

15. “What teens must deal with is their tendency and temptation to love themselves more than they love God or other people. So, while Angie may be extremely self-critical when it comes to certain aspects of her body, this is really out of a deep love and concern for self.” p. 197

16. “Pornography offers a place of escape—a way to sinfully engage imaginations—that seems to have no penalty involved. Rescuing our teens from the land of fantasy is a big part of solving the porn problem. We must keep them grounded in the real life that God has created for them, even when that reality is difficult or frustrating.” p. 209

17. “How do we counsel a teenager with [the hook-up culture mentality] and overall pattern of behavior? The first question which needs to be asked: Is he even a Christian? It is extremely difficult to rationalize how sexual conquest with various partners is compatible with a love for Jesus.” p. 227

18. “Teenagers rebel because they have rebellious hearts. They are not anomalies among a planet full of good, decent, moral people. This truth may not be comforting, but it is essential when we are addressing the problem of rebellion.” p. 239

19. “Often times teenagers are rebelling partly because they are longing for the love and attention of their parents. That may sound overly simplistic, but even teenagers can behave in ways simply to get attention—even if it is purely negative attention.” p. 244

20. “If joy only comes in the context of entertainment media, then everything else will become boring and lifeless. Even worse for the teen’s heart and mind, entertainment media can become the sole way to escape from the pain and suffering in this life. Keeping a God-centered holiness is what we desire to see in our teens as they grow up. Managing the impact of technology and media is an essential part of the sanctifying process.” p. 298

The Man Who Ruined The Funeral

This past Sunday evening, I had the privilege of preaching at Trinity Presbyterian Church here in Jackson. The text was Luke 7:11-17 on the compassion of Jesus. Here is a link to the sermon audio: The Man Who Ruined The Funeral