The ESV Blog has pointed out a few secular publications that are doing articles on the U.S. Bible market. There are some interesting things in the articles. Perhaps even more interesting is the question of why secular publications are starting to talk about the Bible market.
Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. (Ps 127:1, ESV)
I love how this verse speaks of God both as the builder and the protector. One aspect is that without God building and protecting is in vain. But the other aspect is that what God builds He will protect!
Every Christmas season, my mind is drawn to the account of Martha & Mary - 2 sisters blessed by a visit from Jesus in their home (Luk 10.38-42). It’s not a typical “Christmas” passage of Scripture but it is very instructive for those who celebrate Christmas.
Martha was frantically making preparations to serve Jesus and became annoyed that Mary wasn’t helping -but was sitting around listening to Jesus.
Doesn’t that characterize the struggle for those who chose to participate in Christmas celebrations? We’re all so busy making preparations- including the church - in special activities, services, etc. that we neglect the “one thing [that] is necessary” - sitting at the Master’s feet and listening to Him (Luke 10.42). The problem is compounded further when we realize so much of our busyness at Christmas isn’t even due to serving Jesus - but rather ourselves & in some cases, others!
If you chose to celebrate Christmas, how do you avoid being “distracted with much serving (or in our case ‘celebrating’)” (Luke 10.40) and choosing the “good portion” of listening to Jesus (Luke 10.42, 39)?
I use Libronix Bible software. It’s great stuff!
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‘The Valley of Vision’ is a collection of Puritan prayers that I’ve been using in my devotions. The prayer I used today expresses so well the strange struggle believers wrestle with: as one grows in Christ, he/she becomes more aware of his/her sinfulness. Isn’t that stange? One would think that after being a believer for many years there would actually be less sin to repent of! Such a mindset reveals a misunderstanding of our own sin & robs us of influences that should drive us to Christ.
But this strange struggle we face is a pain we should truly welcome. For as one’s awareness of his/her sin deepens so does his/her appreciation of the cross and the grace of Christ that sustains us and gives us strength to combat sin. The often used quote should not lose its impact on us: he has not thought much of grace who thinks little of sin.
As the Puritan prayer so aptly states:
“The memory of my great sins, my many temptations, my falls,
bring afresh into my mind the remembrance
of thy great help, of thy support from heaven,
of the great grace that saved such a wretch as I am.
There is no treasure so wonderful
as that continuous experience of thy grace toward me
which alone can subdue the risings of sin within:
Give me more of it.”
 | rpcb on God’s Glory in Crea… |
 | pauline mwarabu on God’s Glory in Crea… |
 | black_mamba on Infant Baptism |
 | theologian on Infant Baptism |
| rpcb on Infant Baptism |
