by Kimberly | Jan 6, 2011 | Bible, Books
Of course during the new year time we see a lot about New Year’s resolutions and most from what I’ve seen this year have to do with reading and memorizing the Word more. These are crucial to a Christian’s growth. Another key discipline in the life of a Christian is prayer. I’ve been flipping through this little gem of a book for a while now, but then decided to sit down and read it. J I Packer is usually known for his deep theology books like Knowing God (which I also love). But, this one, though rich in theology, is more pastoral and practical than other ones I’ve read by him.
He walks through each phrase of the Lord’s prayer which has taught me more ways that I can pray like Jesus, and reminding me of the hope there is in praying the very words of Christ. My life verse, Colossians 3:16, says to let the words of Christ dwell richly…how much more so in my prayer life?
At the end of each short, read-in-one-sitting, chapter has a list of study questions (perfect to use in a small group setting) and a few other passages of Scripture to broaden your understanding of the subject matter.
In matters of adoption: “Jesus directs us, however, to do it – in other words, to seek access and welcome to God’s presence on the ground that we are children in his family and he looks on us with a father’s love.” (21)
In the matter of sinful nature: “Were we left to ourselves, any praying we did would both start and end with ourselves, for our natural self-centeredness knows no bounds.” (41)
“I cannot sincerely ask for the doing of God’s will without denying myself, for when we get down to the business of everyday living, we regularly find that it is our will rather than his that we want to do, or to see happen.” (58)
On matters of food: “The Christian way is not to deify them (bodies), making health and beauty ends in themselves, as modern pagans do, nor it is to despise them, making scruffiness a virtue, as some ancient pagans once did. It is rather to accept one’s body as part of God’s good creation, to act as its steward and manager, and gratefully to enjoy it as one does so. Thus we honor its Maker. Such enjoyment is in no way unspiritual for Christ’s disciples, for them, it is like their salvation, the Lord’s free gift.” (73)
On the will of God: “Christians look at their lives God-centeredly. They see God as the one whose action has been the decisive factor shaping their lives, and as the only one who is able to assess what they have achieved.” (96)
Photo Source: http://www.ccftucson.org/
by Kimberly | Jan 5, 2011 | Bible, Books
The kind folks at Thomas Nelson Publishers recently contacted me about doing a book review on their Read and Share Bible and gave me one to giveaway to one of my readers. So, to be elegible for this giveaway, just leave a comment about one amazing thing you do in your family worship or children’s worship at church to get the Bible into your children’s hearts. These comments alone will be a blessing to me in the ministry I’m involved in.
I have to say there is one children’s Bible out there that I use as a plumb line for all others. Unfortunately, this one doesn’t match up, but it does have some great qualities. Here are the impressive traits about this children’s Bible:
1. The amount of stories. Some children’s Bible only has the “popular” stories or ones that are often told. This Bible has over 200 stories retold by Gwen Ellis.
2. I love the user-friendliness of this Bible. There is a table of contents (including topics, Scripture passages, and page number). Ok, I know this may not sound like much. But, I find it difficult in other children’s Bibles to find the story corresponding to the passage in the “real” Bible.
3. At the end of every story, there is a question. So what? This is a helpful tool for parents as they take the leadership in their children’s lives as their primary discipler. Some parents have no clue what it means to teach their children about worship and Jesus. Maybe they didn’t grow up in a home with Christian parents who led in family worship? Maybe they are new believers who don’t know what that might look like. Thankful these questions are there so parents can have a helpful resource for starting conversations with their children about what it means to treasure Christ.
So, what are your tips for getting the Word in the lives and hearts of children? Leave your comment and I’ll choose a winner and send out the Bible on Tuesday, January 11th.
Thanks Thomas Nelson!
by Kimberly | Jan 5, 2011 | Bible, Books, Women
My friend, John Starke, who serves at The Gospel Coalition, wrote this article as a response to a book review of How I Changed My Mine about Women in Leadership. I wholeheartedly agree with everything John said (as I knew I would), but wanted to elaborate on some of his points and maybe state things from a women’s POV who is in full-time ministry.
Disclaimer: Some may say that the “women in ministry” issue isn’t really timely. I do not find that to be a valid argument. Anytime we have failing marriages, dysfunctional churches, and church leadership teams that aren’t biblical, then it will be a valid topic for discussion.
“Complementarianism is unsatisfying to egalitarians.” The reason I think it is. We, all of us, sin-nature, is to put man first. Sin nature is man focused. God is God-focused. To use the Westminster Catechism: “The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” We like to focus on ourselves, our desires, our wants, making our name great (Genesis 11:4). God’s authority and plan for our lives is that we make MUCH of Him (John 3:30). Most of the arguments I’ve heard from egalitarians is man-focused. “I’m gifted in preaching and can’t use it. I can work just as well as my husband at _________. Being a mom is not really a satisfying job.” The underlying theme in all of these is “I”. The gospel is not about “I”. The gospel is about Christ.
‘Pastors should take these concerns seriously and labor to answer them appropriately.” For complementarian pastors and ministry leaders, it is not enough to just say “Egalitarianism is wrong. The Bible says so.” You need to know what the Bible says about this and why/how these truths are applicable. Some content that will decidedly be helpful to you as you learn more about this is: CBMW, Grudem and Piper’s Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, and Wayne Grudem’s Evangelical Feminism and Biblical Truth. Theologians and pastors such as Dr. Grudem, Dr. Peter Schemm, John Piper, Randy Stinson, and Chris Cowan have all been highly instrumental in my thinking on this subject and I’m grateful for their ministry and knowledge of this subject and the Word of God.
The Bible must be our “go-to” starting point for this discussion. If we start anywhere else, we’ve started at the wrong point. And I my boss says, ‘If we are only 1% off now, ten years down the road, that 1% has turned into 40%”. We don’t want to be 40% off on this subject. It is too crucial to the understanding of the gospel to a lost and dying world that needs Christ.
So, we take our situations (existential) and we see what the Bible has to say to them. If I have the ability to speak and write, then what guidelines does the Bible give me in how I can use those gifts. Am I a Mom? Then what does the Bible say about how I’m to respond to and respect my husband and how I’m supposed to nurture my children and order my home? What does the Bible say is important in these roles?
“We should conform our worldview and feelings around the Word of God – the norm above all norms.” Pivotal statement by John. If you understand this, then the rest will fall into place.
“We trust that complementarianism makes sense of reality and can be satisfying to believing hearts.” God’s rules and authority are not for our torture. They are for our good and His ultimate glory. Jesus said in the gospels that His yoke was easy and His burden is light (Matthew 11:30). If we are burdened or put-out by these rules and regulations as woman, then our hearts needs transformed by the gospel. We all stand in need of redemption and sanctification. Pray that the Spirit would sanctify and transform your heart as you see God’s bigger Truth and how it is completely satisfying.
Here is where we fail, where I fail, as pastors, ministry leaders, women’s leaders, wives, friends: we don’t know how to have a pastor’s heart in this area: a shepherd’s heart: like Jesus who was compassionate to us, knowing we are stupid like sheep and tend to wander away. We need to have a more compassionate heart to meet women where they are, take their circumstances, and lovingly walk them to the gospel, show them the right ways of Jesus and the gospel and allow them to see that God has such a more glorious path for them to be on.
This world is full of sin, abuse, neglect, pride, dysfunction – not at all the way the beauty of the original Creation was: walking in the Garden of Eden in perfect harmony with God. We suffer broken marriages, poorly led churches, men who abuse the authority that God has given them. My word of exhortation and edification: pray that God would soften your hearts to those who are in need of the truth of God. These may be non-believers who need to surrender their hearts to God. These may be women who do not yet see the beauty of God’s design for the home and church as He designed it. Live life on life with these women (or men, life or life with other men), pulling them aside the gospel, praying that your life and God’s truth would be transformative in their lives.
God has a Grand Design. It is based in the gospel. It is based on His character and not our situations. He redeems. He has purchased us. He has made His plan known through the Bible. Let’s share life with people, live in authentic community, and bear with our people. May God use His sufficient and perfect word to transform our lives, hearts, churches, and homes.
For His Fame.
by Kimberly | Jan 3, 2011 | Bible, Books, food, Uncategorized, Vegetables, vegetarian
Happy New Year! When do you get tired of hearing that? I usually have to wait until after my birthday, which is tomorrow. New Years and birthdays, both great. I used to dislike having a birthday so close to Christmas (school was out so I never got to celebrate it in school), but now I love it, because not only am I starting a new calendar year, but also a new birth year.
1. I had one of the best new years ever! A friend from seminary came over to Raleigh: we cooked dinner, hung out a cool place in Cary, went to the NCMA, and watched movies. It was low-key and wonderful.
2. I already went away from on of my 2011 goals. I ran in a 5k on Saturday and unfortunately left my cell phone at home so I had no interval timer. I finished this multi-terrain, ice/mud, hills, loops race about the same time I finished my first one. So, I wasn’t happy. But, I did it. And I had friends cheering me on and running with me!
3. This is going to be a tough week and a good week. Tough week with many things going on a work and writing kicked into high gear. Good week because I get to have dinner on Thursday night with some of the most amazing RDU friends a girl can have, both new and old, and I’ll be missing some too because of vacations and babies. God is good, isn’t He!
4. Day one of clean eating went very well yesterday! I am thankful for oranges and sweet potatoes that I don’t have to buy because of family! Everytime I have craved nut butter or even milk or egg whites today I thought that God is sufficient for my every need and He is gracious too. I have included seeds in this clean eating: fruits and veggies only while at home. Seeds because I eat hummus and tahini is in it – ground sesame seeds. I’m already thinking post-40 days to see how my diet will be altered, and see how my food-relationships/sin issues have been changed. Thank you God for the cross!
5. Bring on the playoffs! Excited. We’ll see how long my teams last.
6. January… here we go: I’m doing the list here rather a whole new post.
6.1: Birthday celebrating
6.2: Working out and logging milesd
6.3: Stemmerman Inn for my birthday! Thank you Mom!
6.4: Charlotte to prepare for an upcoming women’s conference I am speaking at in March.
6.5: Photog!
6.6: Writing and reading. Sound familiar?
Link Love
1. One of the coolest things I’ve heard from country music in a while – great on the gender issue too. Go Zac Brown!
2. With clean eating for 40 days, I’m making this soup.
3. For those of you memorizing Philippians, John Piper reciting it may spur you on!
4. Do you already need help keeping those resolutions? These apply to any you have made.
5. One of the smartest guys I know, and do ministry with, gives his list of best reads of 2010. And he read a lot more than this.
6. Some great sermons and talks about keeping resolutions
7. After taking off most of 2010, John Piper returns and tells all what God taught him and Noel from their leave of absence. Good stuff.
8. Also, if you have never memorized long passages of Scripture, here are some quality sermons from Andy Davis and John Piper to help you out and to see the benefit of it.
9. If you still need help picking which Bible reading plan to do for 2011, go here. Justin lays a lot of them out for you. I am doing Elevate’s B90X from last year, just multiplying it times 3 with some breather days in there.
10. Her photos are inspiring.
11. 
Recipe coming soon!
Of course during the new year time we see a lot about New Year’s resolutions and most from what I’ve seen this year have to do with reading and memorizing the Word more. These are crucial to a Christian’s growth. Another key discipline in the life of a Christian is prayer. I’ve been flipping through this little gem of a book for a while now, but then decided to sit down and read it. J I Packer is usually known for his deep theology books like Knowing God (which I also love). But, this one, though rich in theology, is more pastoral and practical than other ones I’ve read by him. 
