A Christian need never feel harassed, nor experience helplessness. Never.
Why?
Because a Christian is never without a shepherd.
Life is full of harassed-inspiring challenges and busy-ness, and helplessness-inducing events and unknowns. It’s what Jesus noticed about people as he travelled round, preaching and healing; it’s what aroused his compassion for them:
“He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9 v 36)
If you don’t have a “shepherd”—someone to rely on who is in control, who knows what they are doing, and cares about you as their own possession—then you’re going to know the feeling of being harassed and helpless, because you’re thrown back on your own abilities, and life is so often too big or confusing for our minds and strength to handle. If you don’t have a shepherd, you will be harassed and helpless.... continue reading
If you go to a church where the teaching is sound then you will know some great truths about God. You will be able to articulate something of his love, his mercy, his grace, his sovereignty and his immense kindness and provision towards humans in general and you in particular. And amen to that! What a privilege to know such amazing facts.
However, if you are like many other Christians, these facts don't always make it from your head to your heart. They certainly don't always make that 7 inch drop in my life...
Yes, the doctrine of God's sovereignty is exciting but when a job is lost, a relative dies, accidents happen, then a deep sense of life feeling out of control creeps in. And, if we're honest, it doesn't always need to be something that major to engender those feelings ... a bad day at work can do it. Or kids that just wont obey the curfew or do their homework.... continue reading
Hot summer days have given way to crisp early mornings. Big yellow buses, shoulder pads & pig skin, along with the changing colors of the leaves means that the 2014 fall is kicking off with some exciting projects, titles and growth.
The US staff team has grown from two to three with the addition of Matt in Customer Service and Angela in Administration. We have hit the ground running and are planning to attend six events before the end of the year, hold a week of filming for The Gospel Coalition’s new curriculum (to be launched in early 2015), as well as launching a new children’s imprint for The Good Book Company.... continue reading
Today on The Good Book Blog, a word of encouragement from a friend who wishes to stay anonymous:
I used to cry every year on his birthday ... Every Christmas, every Easter, and plenty of days in between. Sometimes I still do.
I don't actually know if he really was a "he". He might have been a she. I didn't ask. But I always imagine he was a boy. I would have liked to have had a son.
I regret it deeply now but at the time I just didn't feel I could face the pregnancy. I was young, I wasn't married, I was supposed to be a good church-going believer - a teacher in Sunday School. It was too hard to admit that I had messed-up. I know I wasn't the only single person in the church who had given in to temptation but I was the "stupid one" who got caught out. I had to make a decision quickly or soon my sin would be seen by everyone in the congregation. And I couldn't face the shame.... continue reading
It's an exciting time to be part of The Good Book Company marketing team at the moment. We have some amazing new titles launching over the next few months and plenty more further ahead in to 2015. So the challenge for us is how we make sure the word gets out to the people who will really benefit from them. We're a fairly small team - Emily oversees email communications, Alexa works on catalogues and advertising, Dean handles events and key accounts, Phil is our video and media guy and James does a bit of everything! Here are some areas in which we'd be very grateful for your prayers:... continue reading
It's a question I get asked a lot. Those who love me, those who have been praying for me want to know ... But how do you assess whether the talk you've given (or the Bible study you've led) was "good" or not? Is it all about people having enjoyed themselves? Or about having learned something new? What criteria can we use to assess? Should we worry about negative reactions? It's a bit of a minefield. But here are the criteria I've started to use. Feel free to add to the list if you want...... continue reading
When your elders, church council or PCC meets together, what occupies most time in discussion? What's on the agenda?
I suspect that the universal rule of human life kicks in that the urgent constantly threatens to displace the important. So it might be that your time is taken up with discussing pastoral problems, building projects and needs, complaints from members of the congregation and, the oldest one of all - arguing about the heating system.
A friend of mine put it like this.
Why do you think we are not yet with the Lord in the New Creation? Why has Jesus not yet returned? Is it so that we can worship and praise him better in the here and now?
No. We will do that far better in the new Creation.
Is it so that we can grow in holiness and godliness now?
No. We will be perfect in the new creation.
The only thing we can do now that we won't be able to do better in the new creation is to tell those who don't know him how wonderful he is, and what he has done for us...... continue reading
A couple of days ago I received an Ice Bucket Challenge on Facebook. I was delighted—and have decided not to do it. Here’s why.
I had actually started to work out how I could perform the challenge in my allotted 24-hour period (if this blog has completely lost you, the Ice Bucket Challenge is where a friend nominates you, you give a donation of £3 or more to a particular charity, film yourself tipping a bucket of icy water over your head within a day of receiving your nomination, and then challenge some friends to do likewise). Then a Christian who is wiser and more thoughtful than me encouraged me to just check that I was thinking Christian-ly about it. To be honest, I hadn’t thought much at all. But the Bible tells me to “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10 v 5). Every thought—even thoughts about ice buckets and giving to charity.
So I thought about it. And as I did so, I ended up deciding not to be part of it. Why? Well, here’s where I’m at. First and foremost, this is not an issue of Christian obedience. I’ve watched (and laughed at) Christians far more godly than me doing the Challenge, and I’m not saying they were disobeying Christ. If ever there were an issue where the Bible does not speak specifically, tipping ice-cold water over your own head would be it.
But I am saying that my best attempt at thinking with Christian wisdom is suggesting to my conscience that I shouldn’t do it. Here are my five reasons:... continue reading
We're conscious, here at The Good Book Company, of our need for prayer. We want to be working in God's strength - for God's glory - in God's Kingdom not just pottering about doing what we think is good and right. If you could remembers us in your prayers occasionally, that would be so much appreciated. To that end, this Wednesday we're continuing to pop up some prayer requests - asking you to pray for us department by department. This week, the creative team:
At our end of the office there are seven of us, who select and initiate publishing projects, who encourage and interact with authors, who edit, design proofread and nurse those books to the point where they are ready to be printed and deployed to edify, encourage and challenge. We sometimes even write whole resources ourselves!... continue reading
Summer camps can be great times of growth. Young people seeing Jesus for the first time... Teenagers getting equipped to be faithful witnesses at school or college ... Sins being addressed and lifestyles turning around ... Leaders sharpening their teaching gift as they handle tough questions from curious minds ... But once summer draws to a close, the excitement (along with the exhaustion) of Bible camps can begin to disappear. And as our excitement dissipates, so our prayers can drift into oblivion too.
So, how can we keep praying for our young people and fellow leaders? Here are five ideas - to put into action before we all forget!... continue reading
