Light & heat: A passion for the holiness of God

Here is an excellent video to what I'm sure will be an even better conference:

Ligonier Ministries 2011 National Conference (March 24-26 in Orlando)

Logos Bible Software pre-pub offer of 265 issues of 'Tabletalk' magazine

I recently received the current issue of Tabletalk magazine and thought how great it would be to be able to access all of the issues with Logos Bible Software. I was pleased to find out that Logos is now offering all issues of the magazine dating back to January 1989, a total of 265 issues.

It's not all of the issues (The magazine started being published in 1977 as the Ligonier Ministries newsletter), but it's the best of the magazine in a devotional format.

Check out the pre-publication page here for more information about Tabletak and the Logos edition.

Check out selections of recent editions of Tabletalk here. Better yet, subscribe to the print edition.

Columns from Tabletalk Magazine, May 2009 | Ligonier Ministries

Although I haven't received my copy in the mail yet, I've heard that the May edition of Tabletalk is "out."

Ligonier Ministries: This month's theme is "The 7 Letters of Revelation" to urge readers on toward holiness. Contributors include R.C. Sproul, Mark Bates, Chris Donato, Paul Gardner, Dennis Johnson, John MacArthur, Roger Nicole, Jason Stellman, Cornelis Venema and R. Fowler White.

Some articles from the May 2009 Tabletalk Magazine:

• Coram Deo (Living Before the Face of God): "Complacent Repentance" by Burk Parsons
• Right Now Counts Forever: "The Perils Facing the Evangelical Church" by R.C. Sproul
• Pastor's Perspective: "The Letter to the Church in Laodicea" by Mark Bates
• Pro Ecclesia (For the Church): "The Lord of the Church" by John MacArthur
• Generation to Generation: "Dealing with Differences" by Roger Nicole
• Tolle Lege (Take Up and Read): "Two Kingdoms, One God" by Keith A. Mathison
• Seek Ye First: "Love Letters" by R.C. Sproul Jr.
• Truth and Consequences: "Doing Without the Church?" by Gene Edward Veith

Lord willing, I'll receive a copy soon via the U.S. Postal Service. Until then, I'm sure glad some of the articles are provided at the Ligonier Ministries Web site.

Are we really supposed to rest?

How Are We to Keep the Sabbath in Today's Society? Ligonier Ministries

R.C. Sproul:

Within the Christian church there are three leading options for answering (the question about keeping the Sabbath). Some Christians believe that the Sabbath was an Old Testament ordinance and has no application to the New Testament church. ...

For the most part, Christian people, while they may disagree as to what day is the Sabbath--the sixth or the seventh day and all that--and how we observe it, still maintain that the Sabbath is to be observed somehow in the Christian community. ...

This group of Christians who believe the Sabbath should be observed actually splits into two groups. One holds what we call the Continental view: Recreation is permitted on the Sabbath. The other holds the Puritan view: Recreation is forbidden on the Sabbath. I take the position that recreation is a legitimate form of rest on the Sabbath.

Read the entire article here.

Top 5 commentaries on the book of James

Top 5 Commentaries on the Book of James according to Ligonier Ministries (Keith Mathison)

Ligonier Ministries:

The book of James is possibly the earliest writing found in the New Testament canon. It was likely written after Paul began to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles but before he and James met at the Jerusalem Council (cf. Acts 15). In short, the book of James was likely written sometime in the early to mid 40s. Traditionally, the epistle has been attributed to James the brother of Jesus, and a strong case can be made for this traditional view. The letter was likely written in Jerusalem by James and sent to Jewish Christians who had been scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen (cf. Acts 11:19). There are a number of helpful commentaries on the Book of James, and the following are five of the best.

1. Douglas Moo -- The Letter of James (Pillar New Testament Commentary, 2000).
2. Peter H. Davids -- The Epistle of James (New International Greek Testament Commentary, 1982).
3. Thomas Manton -- James (Geneva Series Commentaries, 1968).
4. Craig L. Blomberg and Mariam J. Kamell -- James (Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, 2008).
5. J.A. Motyer -- The Message of James (The Bible Speaks Today, 1985).

Runners Up: Works by Daniel Doriani, James Adamson, Sophie Laws, Ralph Martin, Luke Timothy Johnson, Ben Witherington, and George Guthrie.

Read the entire post, which includes comments on each recommended commentary, here.

Tabletalk: The Church in the 9th Century

The following articles from the April 2009 issue of Tabletalk magazine are available online:

• Coram Deo: Living Before the Face of God: Our Hope in Ages Past, by Burk Parsons
• Right Now Counts Forever: The Word of God in the Hands of Man, by R.C. Sproul
• Pastor's Perspective: The Mission to Slovakia, by Kris Lundgaard
• Pro Ecclesia: For the Church: Measuring Success, by Larry G. Mininger
• Generation to Generation: Escaping Anonymity, by Tim Challies
• Tolle Lege: Take Up and Read: Has Science Buried God?, by Keith A. Mathison
• Seek Ye First: Beauty and the Best, by R.C. Sproul Jr.
• Truth and Consequences: A ‘Great’ Leader, by Gene Edward Veith

Tabletalk is published by Ligonier Ministries and "exists to help explain important, biblical doctrines and events while encouraging people toward holy living. Each issue features articles from well-known and respected scholars, regular columns ... and insightful daily Bible studies." Other articles and daily studies are available in the print edition. Consider subscribing to Tabletalk or trying three months for free.

Tabletalk

The subject for the March 2009 Tabletalk magazine is authority.

"Tabletalk magazine exists to help explain important, biblical doctrines and events while encouraging people toward holy living. Each issue features articles from well-known and respected scholars, regular columns ... and insightful daily Bible studies," states Ligonier Ministries' Web site.

Here's a list of the feature articles and authors for the March issue:

• The Divine Foundation of Authority by Dr. R.C. Sproul
• Family Authority: Living in Light of God's Righteous Call, A Wife's Perspective by Denise Sproul
• Knowing His Voice: The authority of Christ's church by John R. Muether
• The Authority of the State by Cal Thomas

There are several other good articles in the magazine (e.g., under the standing column titles of Pastor's Perspective, Pro Ecclesia: For the Church, Generation to Generation, Tolle Lege: Take Up and Read, Seek Ye First, and Truth and Consequences), as well as daily devotional readings based on Galatians.

Tabletalk is an excellent magazine. I highly recommend people check out Ligonier Ministries and subscribe to Tabletalk.