by Kimberly | Apr 2, 2013 | Books
My pastor is preaching through the book of Matthew right now so I thought this new commentary by Sproul would help me follow along and encourage me to keep studying. I recommend that. Not to discount your pastor’s preaching, but during the week, read more than just what he preached! You will enrich your learning on Sunday mornings!
Anyway, Sproul is working on a commentary set. I thoroughly enjoyed the Acts commentary so I was looking forward to receiving the Matthew one (especially in light of the first paragraph). Its huge – but the gospel of Matthew is tied for the book with the most chapters in the New Testament, so what did I expect.
If you know anything about Sproul, he knows the Word, knows how to preach, and has a dry humor. This is exactly what I find in the commentary. I found it to be pastoral, funny in a dry/sarcastic sort of way, but not too “brainy” where I couldn’t follow. He of course covers everything in the Gospel: the birth, the “blessings”, the Passion narrative, and everything in between.
I would recommend this commentary to those like me: maybe those who just want to read more but don’t care about the nitty gritty of text criticism, original languages, etc. He does this well enough, but not to get his readers bogged down in the details.
And in light of the recent holiday, “There is no way to overestimate the importance and significance of this event for us.” Love how he says this about the resurrection.
by Kimberly | Mar 26, 2013 | Bible, Books
I have a love-hate relationship with certain books.
The one relationship I have now is with Dave Harvey’s Rescuing Ambition. It is a very heart-check book but one that is difficult to handle when he writes things that the Spirit is convicting you of and wanting to eradicate in your life.
“We love glory. We were created to look for is and to love it when we find it. We’re pursuers – we go after things we value. What is it for you?” (Pg 21, 19)
If I say I’m a believer, and live my life for the glory of God…then why do I write? Do I honestly want to write this blog, write books, teach Bible studies for my glory or for the glory of God?
That is what I’ve been wrestling with this month. I want readership. I want to write a book and not have it just sit on a shelf and be a coaster on someone’s coffee table. I want it to change someone’s life. Why? So that God can get more glory than me – that His name can be made much of – or if I was honest would I say that I want people to know my name and my blog and think what I do is great and meaningful?
I do love to write. This has been a hard month, but one of more time to just be (or play Candy Crush) or to play with our son. My Sweet Mister doesn’t want me to give up writing. He encourages my writing. That is encouraging to me. I want to do what I do with a right heart toward the God who gave me the gift of writing and speaking in the first place. Not for notoriety or fame or publication or for thousands of hits. I need to keep this on the forefront of my mind daily as I start back to writing again.
So, for the three of you that read this blog, thank you. Thank you for letting me be a part of your life. Be glory-seekers, too!
by Kimberly | Feb 17, 2013 | Books
I am an avid reader. Or should I say was. Then baby came. I tried to ignore the comments everyone told me of “you won’t have time to read once you have a baby” but alas they have become true. But, I can also include on the list: moving, starting new ministries, buying a home, decorating said home, ministering with my husband, and taking care of a 5 month old cutest little boy.
I’ve not finished one book cover to cover in 2013. That is so sad. It is already halfway through February. I gotta change that!
Here is what is on my READING shelf at home:
Books on Psalm 119: the Message version, a manuscript by a friend of mine on his thoughts, Zemek’s thoughts, Logsden’s thoughts
Books on Suffering: Deborah Howard, Carson, The Problem of Pain, Why O God,
Books for my two Buddies: Shepherd Leader and Future Men
Women: Secret of a Woman’s Influence
Biography: No Compromise and Bach
General: Matthew Commentary by Sproul, Comforts from Romans, Untamed Hospitality, Life in Christ (my Easter reading this year), Loving the Way Jesus Loves
by Kimberly | Feb 15, 2013 | Books
Do you ever find yourself in need of an encouraging word and something just to tell you that your life will be ok because of Jesus?
Whenever I am in need of these things I look to two people outside of my Buddy and Little Buddy: Phyllis, my mentor, and Elyse Fitzpatrick. They both bring the Word to my life when I need it.
This new book from Elyse is no different. Short chapters make it an accessible read, especially for moms who may not have an hour to themselves without toddlers wanting snack food or babies needing to be fed or changed. This book taken from the book of Romans will encourage you in the Word where the truth lies and where life finds meaning again because of our hope in Christ.
Whether you need encouragement in your:
Parenting
Emotional Life
Physical Life
Marriage
Friendships
Relationships
Church Life
Scheduling
Work Place
All the answers for these problems lie within the pages of Scripture (it is Sufficient)! And Elyse pulls together 32 daily readings (about 4 pages long each) to help you find the answers that you might need. Scripture as a whole can and should impact our lives as women and as believers. The Gospel must impact our lives in every area!
If you are looking for a book that can encourage you, convict you, and help give you practical understanding in a very indepth book of the Bible, pick up Elyse’s new one.
by Kimberly | Jan 28, 2013 | Books
One of my favorite types of books is sermons-made-into-books. I can’t be in every church on Sundays or every chapel service (in this case) in every good education location in the country. I don’t have to take notes to hectically when they make the sermons into books – just take a pen and do some underlining.
Phil Ryken is one of my favorite thinkers and writers right now – gospel-based writing and life-application that can be put to use by almost anyone.
He charged these sermons to his students at Wheaton College where he serves as President. What better place to pray a series of sermons on grace than a college, right? Well, I found a new place: mommy-hood!
I never knew the demands of being a wife and mom could make you crave grace as much as it does. And in this world of social media – we live under scrutiny of so many others, if we allow ourselves. Do you eat organic? Do you have a weekly date night? Do your kids sleep through the night at 2 weeks old? Have you gotten back in your skinny jeans yet? Is your house like the latest style blog or lifestyle blog out there? The list continues into every realm of life.
I need grace. I loved these sermons by Ryken to remind me of the fact that I can do nothing without the grace of Christ! In his first chapter, he says that we must come to a humble conclusion that we absolutely NEED grace. We can’t do it all. Grace is all-sufficient though.
Grace is also sanctifying – but we will never be perfect in this life. We daily are being sanctified (Romans 8) but are daily in need of more sanctification. Grace does that.
Where do you need grace? This book might apply to whatever need you have – and supply it with the Truth that God offers you grace! And it far exceeds our performance!
by Kimberly | Nov 3, 2012 | Books, parenting, Uncategorized
Do you ever hear the term “Family Worship” and think how in the world am I as a parent supposed to do this? I ask myself this as I have a newborn – only 6 weeks old. For me, right now, it looks like praying with him while I’m feeding him or talking to him about patience when he is screaming for food or for his diaper to be changed. But, I know as he gets older, my husband and I have the primary responsibility to lead this little treasure to Christ and to help him grow to be a man of God and to have a heart for God.
Timothy Smith’s new book, 52 Creative Family Time Experiences, helps parents succeed in their role as their child’s primary Christian influence. This book is a great jumping off point for parents who really need help and direction with leading Family Worship.
Here are some great points about this new tool you can use:
1. It is adaptable. If you have kids of varying ages, you can use this book with all of them. It gives you ideas to make the lesson more applicable to older children and younger ones alike!
2. It is organized. Everything from the opening activity to the closing prayer, this book gives you 52 weeks of creative ways to teach the Bible to your children.
3. The main point is there. Smith definitely gets that it is the parent’s role to be their child’s main discipler. It is not the church’s. I’m thankful that he gets it! I wish every writer writing for families and for youth/children would get that main point. That is clearly what the Bible teaches.
4. It is varied. Smith understands that all children (and adults) do not learn the same way. He has examples and activities that hit in every learning style: auditory, smell, vision, touch, doing, etc. This helps when all of your children learn different ways.
My only hesitation for this book is that it is not gospel-centered enough for me. I would want to teach the explicit Gospel of Jesus in every lesson. Take just one lesson – the one for Thanksgiving. It says we need to thank God because He is good and blesses us. We need to be thankful. It doesn’t mention that we need to be thankful for the cross of Christ because it is the only way our sins are forgiven. There are some that teach that and have it written in the lesson, but not all of them.
All in all, this is a “get book” – especially for parents who are striving to teach their children about the Bible and have no clue where to start!
