Tag: Bible Study

Wandering in the Dessert (Review)

On By pastorjonathanIn discipleship, Family, parentingLeave a comment

Wanderin’ in the Desert (3rd Disc from What’s in the Bible with Buck Denver) is a fascinating yet educating program.  I watched it with my four year old daughter and we talked about the program.  I was really impressed with the material on two levels.  On one level I was impressed with how much content was packed into the two 30 minute shows.  It is clear that the creators were intent on presenting a conservative view of scripture (for which I am deeply appreciative).  They also took great care to answer relevant questions on kid friendly level. On a second level , I was impressed with how the writers took care to draw the information to a simple point of real application.  Not only was there information about the reliability of scripture, but there was a subtle yet evident plea to trust the God of the Scripture.

My daughter, though she was able to retain a lot of information from the program, was impressed on a different level.  The program was fast paced enough to keep her attention all the way through.  She really enjoyed the songs making me play them over and over for her.  After the program I asked her several questions and she responded pretty well.

Overall I was highly impressed with the 3rd disc as I have been with the whole series to date.  The only draw back was that in between segments it shows a little boy (puppet) talking a little disrespectfully to his mother who is silent and off camera.  I discussed this with my daughter as an example of behavior that I expect her not to emulate. Beyond that the whole production is pretty amazing.  I would highly recommend it to parents and grandparents to watch and review with their children.  I can see it being a great resource for bible lessons!  I give it four stars.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a DVD of this program free from Tyndale House Publishers as part of their Tyndale Blog Network. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Prayer of the Lord By R.C. Sproul (Review)

On By pastorjonathanIn books, discipleship, Kingdom of God, Ministry3 Comments

The Prayer of the Lord is perhaps the best books I have ever read on the Model Prayer (sometimes called the Lord’s Prayer)!  I was deeply impressed with how Bible scholar and pastor Dr. R.C. Sproul opened the Scripture and set everything on the bottom shelf.  Dr. Sproul has an engaging and witty style of writing that is both faithful to the text of Scripture and engaging to the reader.  I continue to be amazed at how well he writes.

The Prayer of the Lord is a simple exposition of the Model Prayer.  Dr. Sproul breaks it down taking the reader through the teaching of Jesus on prayer.  Each chapter examines a phrase of the prayer in great detail.  I’ve been a serious student of Scripture for years and I was deeply impressed with how well Sproul wrote about this passage while maintaining a focus to present the truth and application within easy grasp of the reader.  This is a book I would have no problem handing off to a new believer looking to develop his prayer life or a mature believer looking to examine the model prayer.  I really appreciated the appendix that answered several questions for me.

If you are looking for a great book that teaches about the nature of prayer with the scriptures as its source, this book is for you.  I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in developing their prayer life.  The retail price is $15.00 (Hardcover), and is available at a discount at steep discount at  Amazon.com for $10.20. I gave it five stars.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Reformation Trust Publishers as part of their Blog for a Free Book Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Review: John (St. Andrew’s Expositional Commentary) By R.C. Sproul

On By pastorjonathanIn books, Uncategorized1 Comment

John (St. Andrew’s Expositional Commentary) by R. C. Sproul is a great commentary on the Scriptural book of John.  For years I have appreciated Dr. Sproul’s ability to communicate difficult truths in easy to understand ways.  I have appreciated his skills as a bible scholar, pastor, and teacher from afar by listening to him on the radio.  I was thrilled when I got a PDF copy of this commentary to review.  Dr. Sproul has applied his keen expositional skills to the book of John and has produced a very readable and reliable guide to this beloved book of Scripture.

The commentary is divided up into 57 chapters that focus on the various portions of scripture.  The chapters work in order through the book of John.  Each chapter appears as a written sermon complete with illustrations and pertinent background information (similar to the commentaries by James Montgomery Boice in his commentary,  Gospel of John, The (5 Vol. Set), though Sproul covers John in one volume and it takes Boice five).

This commentary has several practical uses.  I can see it being a great benefit for those who are looking for a devotional guide to the book of John.  It also functions well as a commentary for those who are looking for some basic background information on a passage.  When preparing a message, one of the last things I do is see how other pastors and teachers have approached a text, especially when considering a difficult passage… This volume has been extremely helpful in allowing me to see how a seasoned expositor handles the expression of the text.

This was a great commentary and I would highly recommend it pastors and laymen alike.  The book is easy to read, follows a predictable pattern and draws a steady point of application. John (St. Andrew’s Expositional Commentary) is an excellent resource. The retail price is $27.00 (Hardcover), and is available at a discount at steep discount at  Amazon.com for $17.82. I gave it five stars.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Reformation Trust Publishers as part of their Blog for a Free Book Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Review: “Unburdened” by Chris Tiegreen

On By pastorjonathanIn books, MinistryLeave a comment

Unburdened: The Secret to Letting God Carry the Things That Weigh You Down (affiliate link) by Chris Tiegreen is a great book for people dealing with stress, work, caring for a sick family member, worry, or any kind of burden for that matter. I was not a big fan of the cover art at all, but the book was great proving that you really can’t judge a book by its cover.  I really could have used this book (affiliate link) a few years ago when I went through  a summer of sleepless nights filled with worry after my concussion.

The author does a great job of drawing the reader into the focus of the book (affiliate link).  One of the best parts of his writing style is that his writing is very quotable, meaning the contents of the chapter often find expression in short, memorable and pity statements that carry on with the reader long after the book has been read. I was deeply impressed with the author’s persistence to bring the scripture into the conversation.  The real value to this book is that it works as a great tool to discovering and applying God’s word to the burdened believer.   Through this is the first book I’ve read by Chris Tiegreen his engaging and transparent writing style won me over and sent me to the book store looking for more of his books and wondering why I haven’t heard of him sooner.

I would highly recommend this book (affiliate link) to anyone who wrestles with trusting God with some of life’s most delicate burdens.  This book also makes a great gift for those you know who are stressed to the max, overfilled with worry, or carry the burden of depression. The cover art and perhaps event the title make it a bit hard to give away, but the contents are well worth the investment.

The retail price is $13.99 (Paperback). It is also available at places like Amazon.com for $10.07 (affiliate links). I gave it 4 Stars

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book (affiliate link)  free from Tyndale House Publishers as part of their Tyndale Blog Network. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

A Few Great Resources for Studying Ecclesiastes

On By pastorjonathanIn books, Devotional, MinistryLeave a comment

So we have been spending a little time reading through Ecclesiastes for the last week and a half and we will wrap things up tomorrow with Ecclesiastes 12.  Some of you may have had your interest piqued by the book of Ecclesiastes and want to go deeper.  Here are a couple of great resources I pulled off my shelf and have helped me get some meaning and application from the book of Ecclesiastes.

The first book I would recommend is A Life Well Lived: A Study of the Book of Ecclesiastes (affiliate link) by Tommy Nelson.  This book is written in a regular non-fiction book format and is an easy read for someone who isn’t used to using commentaries.  The author uses lots of great illustrations and packs in a great deal of application.  You can catch it at Amazon.com for about $11.00 (affiliate links).

The second book I would recommend is Ecclesiastes: Total Life (Everyman’s Bible Commentary)(affiliate link) By Walter Kaiser.  It is a great resource to get into the grit of what Ecclesiastes is all about.  Several years ago when I lead a college group through the book of Ecclesiastes I picked this book up.  Its no long in print and I think the only way you can get it now is from a used book seller.  I think I found my copy on Amazon.com (affiliate like) or maybe allbookstores.com (which is where I go to compare amazon against the other book retailers and get the best price or find an old book no longer out of print).

The Fruitful Life By Jerry Bridges (Review)

On By pastorjonathanIn booksLeave a comment
Jerry Bridges has discipled me from afar for years. I was first introduced to his book, The Pursuit of Holiness (affiliate link) around 10 years ago and it has left a lasting impression on my life.  I was grateful for the opportunity to read and review The Fruitful Life: The Overflow of God’s Love Through You(affiliate link).

The Fruitful Life: The Overflow of God’s Love Through You (affiliate link) is an application oriented exposition of the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23.  I am deeply grateful an appreciative to the author for taking the time to flesh out the practical aspects of how fruit is produced in our lives.  He does an outstanding job at bringing the reader in to focus on living a Christ-centered fruit-bearing life.  He acknowledges an individuals reliance on the Holy Spirit of God to produce fruit, while at the same time calling the reader to responsibility.  For example, in the chapter concerning humility the author writes, “Though not mentioned explicitly in Galatians 5:22-23, humility is surely a fruit of the Spirit, the result of His ministry in our hearts.  But this ministry does not occur without deliberate, conscious effort on our part.  The Spirit does not make us humble; He enables us to humble ourselves in these difficult situations” (57).

Each chapter contains excellent study and application questions that go well beyond most group study books that I have read.  If read thoroughly and with a mind for application this book can change your life.  This book is a great tool for understanding and applying the scripture to your life.  It is designed to be useful for either individual study or study as a group.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of The Fruitful Life: The Overflow of God’s Love Through You (affiliate link) the retail price is $12.99 (paperback), and is worth twice that.  It is also available at places like Amazon.com for $10.39 (affiliate links).  I gave it five stars.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book (affiliate link) free from NavPress as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Living Godly in an Ungodly Wolrd (Titus 3)

On By pastorjonathanIn Devotional, discipleship1 Comment

My pastor posts a daily devotional thoughts most every day on the passages of scripture he is reading.  I follow along by reading the same passage in the morning and some time later catching up with his thoughts.  Today is the third and final day in Titus. I don’t know what aspects of the passage he is going to flesh out.  Hopefully this will be complimentary to his blog post.

Living Godly in an Ungodly World

In a perfect world just knowing sound doctrine would be good enough to effect the way we live, but the truth of the matter is that we live in an ungodly world.  It is difficult to put into practice the things that we know are right.  We can find ourselves justifying wrong behavior.  We justify cheating on our taxes because we disagree how the money will be spent.  We talking bad about our boss because we find ourselves on his bad side.  We justify not disciplining our kids because we have had a long day at work.

So then, how do we live Godly in an ungodly world?

We submit to the authorities that God has placed us under (Titus 3:1) – We are good citizens.  We didn’t used to be (Titus 3:3).  We don’t take offense at having leadership placed over us.  We look for ways to serve those who lead us, sometimes even while we disagree.

When teaching on leadership one time I wanted to illustrate how leaders have to make decisions based on the best interest of the people they lead.  Sometimes the majority vote is wrong.  To make the point I let the kids decide where to eat.  They said, “Chick-fil-a.” I said it wouldn’t work.  They said, “KFC.”  I said it wasn’t a good choice for the group.  I kid you not they said, “Churches Chicken.”  I finally said, “you need to make a decision that’s good for the group.”  They asked, “What’s wrong with Chicken?” The answer was that one of them was allergic to chicken.

Sometimes we may think that those we are called to submit to just hate chicken, but I bet if we give them the benefit of the doubt we will find out that more often than not they are making wise decisions for the group.  When we place the interest of others ahead of our own we are ready to hear that.  Its while we are self absorbed that we most often rail against  the Authorities in our lives.

We do good works (Titus 3:1, 8) – We shouldn’t be godly in our speach only, but in our actions as well.  When God has blessed us we need to give of our time, effort, and money to help others along the way.  Sometimes that is helping our brothers in Christ along the way.  Sometimes that is going out of our way to help people meet Jesus.

We Avoid foolish controversies and toxic people (Titus 3:9) – Some people never get it.  We are to lovingly reach out once or twice, but not give audience to those who are seeking a division.  This may sound strange or out of character, but the truth is some people  thrive of having people listen to what they are saying and so they invent controversy.  The best way to deal with someone who is creating controversy for controversy sake is to reason with them once or twice and then deal with them like the little boy that cried wolf.

There isn’t profit in continually giving someone an audience who is bent on folly.  You are only feeding the folly.  The godly thing to do is cut them off so they will learn of their sin and quickly repent.  The last thing you want to do is be seen in the middle of a church scandal while trying to invite your lost friends to meet Jesus.

Application: Living Godly in an ungodly world… What are you doing to submit to the authority in your life? How are you blessing the leadership in your life? What kinds of good works are you involved in or can you be involved in today?  Who can you bless?  Who do you need to avoid?  What situations do you need to remove yourself from?

Which of the 3 is hardest for you?

What are your thoughts on Titus 3?

If you liked this post, you may like these as well:

When Church People Do Bad Things

When Church hurts

7 Steps of a Unified Group

God Cannot Lie, but People Can (Titus 1)

Sound Doctrine Produces Godly Living (Titus 2)

Sound Doctrine Produces Godly Living (Titus 2)

On By pastorjonathanIn Devotional, Ministry, spiritual disciplines, UncategorizedLeave a comment

I’m trying something new.  My pastor posts a daily devotional thoughts most every day on the passages of scripture he is reading.  I follow along by reading the same passage in the morning and some time later catching up with his thoughts.  Today is the second day in Titus. I don’t know what aspects of the passage he is going to flesh out.  Hopefully this will be complimentary to his blog post.

Sound Doctrine Produces Godly Living

Truth about God is called doctrine.  Sound doctrine is having true truth about God.  False doctrine is when some one says, “This is true about God” and it isn’t.  Like when some people in Crete said you had to be circumcised in order to be a follower of Jesus (Titus 1:10).  That was a lie and it didn’t lead people closer to God, it actually separated them from God (Titus 1:16). Sound doctrine however causes us to grow in godliness.

So how do you apply sound doctrine to your life?

Submit to authority (Titus 2:2,15; 3:1) – I know it sounds weird to submit.  Saying the very word submit brings back memories of playing “mercy” (you may have called it “uncle”) and watching wrestling on TV. Submission, however, is really less about being defeated by someone and more about accepting authority.  Submission to godly authority actually protects us from error and helps us to grow in our relationship with Christ.  Being under authority is actually a gift from God and we need to be thankful for our pastors and teachers.

As an adult it is easy to see why children really need to submit to their parents.  When I discipline my daughter I remind her that God has given her great parents to protect her and guide her as she grows up.  The authorities that God has placed in our life have come to bless us and help us grow in godliness.

Learn from those who have gone before (Titus 1:4-5). Older women are to teach the younger women.  There is great value in learning from someone who has been where you are and walked with God through it.  We don’t have to blaze the trail anew each time we come to a junction in life where we have never tread.  It is great to get godly advice and leadership from people who walk close to the Lord and have tread the path before us.

The Grace of God (Titus 1:11-14).  God’s grace has a way of transforming us.  The power to overcome sin and temptation in our lives flows from the overwhelming nature of God to secure our salvation and draw us near to Himself.  We have been considered righteous because of what Christ has done, not a work of our hands.  Yet, now what motivates us to give ourselves wholly to Him is that he has given so much for us.  We give our all now, not because we could even begin to repay him by our deeds, but because He satisfies.  What we have in Christ is so much better than the short-lived pleasures that this world has to offer.  We desire for others to know Him and celebrate His goodness.

Application: Sound Doctrine Produces Godly Living… What are you doing to actively live out Truth about God in your life?  Who do you submit yourself too? Who are you learning from?  How has the grace of God transformed how you live?

What is the hardest part about submitting to others?

What were your thoughts on Titus 2?

If you liked this post, you may like these as well:

When Church People Do Bad Things

When Church hurts

7 Steps of a Unified Group

God Cannot Lie, but People Can (Titus 1)

God Cannot Lie, but People Can (Titus 1)

On By pastorjonathanIn Devotional, Ministry2 Comments

I’m trying something new.  My pastor posts a daily devotional thoughts most every day on the passages of scripture he is reading.  I follow along by reading the same passage in the morning and some time later catching up with his thoughts.  Today we start Titus and so I thought I would post along.  The catch is that I don’t know what aspects of the passage he is going to flesh out.  Hopefully this will be complimentary to his blog post.

God Cannot Lie, but People Can.

There are a few things that God cannot do.  The list is short, but on the list is “lying” (Titus 1:2b).  God has a clear record.  He Doesn’t lie.  People, however, don’t always tell the truth (Titus 1:10-13).  And worse they don’t always tell the truth about God.

So how do we hold on to truth and discern lies?

Preaching (Titus 1:3) – I know it seems outdated.  Especially in the days of television.  But then again we just witnessed the final episode of LOST and it seems like no one really knows what that show is about.  Sometimes we need someone to point to the very words of God and say, “this is what God said and this is how we should respond.”  Maybe it doesn’t have the same kind of feel good approach, but it certainly clears things up.

I forget where I got this story, but imagine back when they first found out that we could create an electric spark.  People were trying to figure out how to get the spark from point A to Point B.  I’m sure that a metal wire looked cold and lifeless and didn’t appear as a viable option for carrying electric current (after all the spark was lively and vibrant, metal just looks dead).  So they experimented with prisms.  Prisms sparkled and carried light.  The initial thought was that they could carry electric current.  Of course today we houses that are “wired” and prisms are relegated to the neat little things you can look at in science class, but carry no practical value for conducting electric current.  So it is with preaching.  Though other forms of communication may be more flashy, God has chosen the simple method of preaching to carry the profound word of Life.

Pastors also known as Elders (Titus 1:5) – These guys are qualified by living out the principles in God’s word.  Its not that they live to a higher standard than God’s word.  They model how we all should live.  Read Titus 1:5-9… are there any traits in that passage that we shouldn’t all be living up too?  They not only preach the message, but they should live the message.

If they are following the Truth, they have the ability and calling to confront those who are in error and leading others astray (Titus 1:9).  Its not that they are superhero’s or anything, but that they are called to preserve the truth.  The fact is that people lie (Titus 1:12).  Pastors are to hold false teachers accountable for their false teaching.  Not only does false teaching lead others astray (Titus 1:10-11), but it perverts the gospel.

In the book of Titus the issue was relying on some work of the flesh like circumcision to save in addition to the work of Christ. These people needed to be confronted and reminded that God is not pleased with the circumcision of the flesh as much as he is the circumcision of the heart (Titus 1:15).  The heart is the issue.  If you are working out of a heart that loves God and is following him, it doesn’t matter what has taken place in your flesh.  Marking your body doesn’t save or sanctify you, Jesus Christ saves and the Holy Spirit works in us for our own sanctification.  But these false leaders showed by their actions that their heart wasn’t right.  They weren’t believing God and worse they were telling lies about God.

Application: God cannot lie, but people Can… are you obedient to God?  Are you entrusting yourself to sound biblical teaching?  Are you found where you can hear from God (in the bible, in prayer,  in fellowship with other believers, in a Bible believing and teaching church) ?  Are you quick to judge people on appearance rather than their heart (tattoos, smoking, dress)? Most importantly do you believe God (He never lies) and following Him in a way that produces genuine Christlike character in your life?

What is the hardest part about trusting God for you?

What were your thoughts on Titus 1?

If you liked this post, you may like these as well:

When Church People Do Bad Things

When Church hurts

7 Steps of a Unified Group

Review: Intimacy Ignited

On By pastorjonathanIn booksLeave a comment

I got this book thinking it would be a great aid to studying the Song of Solomon.  I now understand the intent of the book was more designed to examine sexual issues between husbands and wives using the Song of Solomon as a launching pad for discussion.  My understanding of the Song of Solomon has shifted over the years and I have come to a different historical perspective on the Song of Solomon which makes my view of the book come in conflict with some of the authors’ interpretation and main points.  None-the-less I still see how this book has some value for couples who may be looking for some insight into how God designed sex for marriage.

The authors do a great job of illustrating their perspective of the text and relating it to issues faced by husbands and wives today.  Much of the insight and perspective shared on sex inside the book are not new.  The book does a great job of illustrating the perspective of husbands and wives and how to navigate some of the more difficult issues.  Over all Intimacy Ignited: Conversations Couple to Couple: Fire Up Your Sex Life with the Song of Solomon is a good book filled with great perspective and counsel for couples on sexual issues.  However I would offer one word of caution… If you are not married, don’t read the book…. It really is written for married couples.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of Intimacy Ignited, the retail price is $21.99 (Hardcover).  It is also available at places like Amazon.com for $14.95.  I gave it three stars.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Nav Press Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”