Better news the gospel brings

“To run and work the law commands,
Yet gives me neither feet nor hands;
But better news the gospel brings:
It bids me fly and gives me wings.”

- Attributed to John Bunyan, quoted by Jason C. Mayer in The End of The Law(Nashville, TN: B & H Publishing, 2009), 2.

(HT: Of First Importance)

Another version of the quote, attributed to John Berridge, is as follows:

Run, John., and work, the law commands,
Yet finds me neither feet nor hands;
But, sweeter news the gospel brings,
It bids me fly, and lends me wings.

(Source: The Salt-Cellars, Vol. 1, page 234, by C.H. Spurgeon)

Thanksgiving reading at Desiring God

Four past Thanksgiving meditations to read:

• Pray for More Thanksgiving
• A Tribute to Gratitude
• 3 Truths to Induce Thanksgiving
• Ganging Up on Gratitude

(HT: Desiring God blog)

Have you heard the New Gospel?

Kevin DeYoung writes about four parts of the "new gospel":

• It usually starts with an apology.
• Then there is an appeal to God as love.
• The third part of the New Gospel is an invitation to join God on his mission in the world.
• And finally, there is a studied ambivalence about eternity

He said the new gospel is popular for at least the following reasons:

1. It is partially true.

2. It deals with strawmen.

3. The New Gospel leads people to believe wrong things without explicitly stating those wrong things.

4. It is manageable.

5. The New Gospel is inspirational.

6. The New Gospel has no offense to it.

What's missing in the new gospel is the old gospel, DeYoung continued, "the one preached by the Apostles, the one defined in 1 Corinthians 15, the one summarized later in The Apostles’ Creed."

His final plea: "This is no small issue. And it is not just a matter of emphasis. The New Gospel will not sustain the church. It cannot change the heart. And it does not save. It is crucial, therefore, that our evangelical schools, camps, conferences, publishing houses, and churches can discern the new gospel from the old."

Read the entire post here.

What is the most important principle for productivity?

Matt Perman, Desiring God director of strategy, answers "What is the most important principle for productivity?" in a three-question interview as follows:

I would actually say: realize that you don't have to be productive. By this I mean: your significance does not come from your productivity. It comes from Christ, who obeyed God perfectly on our behalf such that our significance and standing before God comes from him, not anything we do. Then, on that basis, we pursue good works (which is what productivity is) and do so eagerly, as it says in Titus 2:14.

Read the entire interview here.

(HT: Desiring God blog)

How do atheists observe Thanksgiving?

"Thanksgiving is a deeply theological act, rightly understood. As a matter of fact, thankfulness is a theology in microcosm -- a key to understanding what we really believe about God, ourselves, and the world we experience," said Albert Mohler in his Nov. 25 posting at www.AlbertMohler.com. He follows with the question: "How do atheists observe Thanksgiving?"
Read the entire article.

The gospel in three words

“Were I asked to focus the New Testament message in three words, my proposal would be adoption through propitiation, and I do not expect ever to meet a richer or more pregnant summary of the gospel than that.” —J.I. Packer, Knowing God (Downers Grove, IL: 1993), 214

HT: Of First Importance

Integrating the Psalms into congregational life

Christ Baptist Church read one Psalm per Sunday, starting with the first Sunday of the Church, and finished in less than three years on Aug. 2, 2009. Here are some thoughts from Pastor Justin Childers:

1. The Psalms are designed by God to cover a wide range of the realities of life. Reading through the Psalms forces the church to think about specific attributes of God, sorrow, death, loneliness, joy, worship, and dozens of other real-life issues.

2. Worship is a response to God's Word. God speaks. We respond. We try to make sure our worship service reflects this pattern. So, before we sing any songs or pray any prayers, we listen to God's Word. We position ourselves under God's authority. What better way to do this than to begin the service by reading a Psalm?

3. Most churches don't read enough Scripture in the public gatherings. We are commanded to devote ourselves to the public reading of Scripture (1 Tim. 4:13). And, even churches that do read some Scripture don't read enough Old Testament.

4. Reading the Psalms out loud together cultivates unity.

5. Reading through a book of the Bible, like the Psalms, is a pattern for consistent, devoted, disciplined faithfulness over a long period of time. Just think, in less than 3 years, your church can read through the longest book in the Bible together if you devote yourself to reading a chapter per week.

6. Psalm 119 was the most fun. Yes, we read the entire Psalm on that Sunday. In fact, we designed the entire service around that Psalm.

Check out resources on the Psalms of Ascent at Christ the King Presbyterian Church Web site.

HT: Justin Taylor

What do you believe God can do?

Perspectives from Peacemaker Ministries on Vimeo.