Daily Excerpt — Come to the Waters by James M. Boice

Posted on April 4, 2019 by Kim

April 4

Trust in God

Psalm 56:1–13

In God I trust; I shall not be afraid. Psalm 56:4

There are two parts to David’s confidence:

1. Confidence in God. The first is that he is confident in God. He trusts God. Not man! Not circumstances! Not his own cunning, as useful as that seemed to have been at Gath, the occasion for writing this psalm (see 1 Sam. 21:10–15)! He trusts God: “In God I trust.” It is because of this that he could ask, “What can flesh do to me?” and expect the answer, “Nothing.”

So let me ask, Do you trust God? If you are a Christian, you have trusted him in the matter of your salvation. That is the greatest thing. God has saved you from sin, hell, and the devil. If you are a Christian, you believe he has done that. But if he has done that, can you not also trust him in lesser things like loneliness or even those sometimes dangerous circumstances that cause fear and desperation?

2. Confidence in the Word of God. There is another aspect to David’s confidence in God—it is based upon the Word of God. What is this “word of God” to which David refers? Clearly it is the entire self-revelation of God in Scripture given up to that time—the Pentateuch (the first five books) and possibly Joshua and Judges. This is only a portion of our Bible, but it was enough to make God’s character and desires for his people known. David therefore praises God for his Word, recognizing it as one of the greatest of all God’s good gifts to men and women.

It may also be the case, however, that David is thinking specifically of the words of God that were brought to him by the prophet Samuel, assuring him that he would be king over Israel (see 1 Sam. 16:1–13). That must have seemed a long way off when David was in Gath or hiding in the cave of Adullam. But no matter! It was the word of God, and though the fulfillment of that word might be long delayed, it was nevertheless absolutely certain. Therefore, it was not only in God but also in the specific words of God that David trusted.

You and I do not have individualized revelations from God delivered to us today by God’s prophets. We have the Bible. But the Bible we have is more extensive than David’s. It contains all we need to know about spiritual things. Equally important, we have the Holy Spirit to give us understanding of what has been written as well as the ability to apply it to specific areas of our lives.

This excerpt was taken from Come to the Waters: Daily Bible Devotions for Spiritual Refreshment by James Montgomery Boice.

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3 New Releases Today!

Posted on April 1, 2019 by Kim

Today is launch day for:

Indispensable: The Basics of Christian Belief by David Cassidy

Work: Its Purpose, Dignity, and Transformation by Daniel M. Doriani

Our Ancient Foe: Satan’s History, Activity, and Ultimate Demise edited by Ronald L. Kohl

Indispensable: The Basics of Christian Belief by David Cassidy

$14.99 | 240 pages | SAMPLE CHAPTER

A God-Man, a Holy Spirit, a breathtaking sacrifice, an unbreakable bond, a daily fight, an unshakable hope . . . each is indispensable to our salvation and to the shape and purpose of our daily lives. Do we understand their true importance? Pastor David Cassidy’s engaging, conversational exploration of the essentials of the Christian faith brings clarity and hope amid the confusion and uncertainty of daily life.

“What a great resource! . . . Provide[s] clarity to individual readers, as well as creating a foundation for good discussion when studied in a group setting.” —Nancy Guthrie, Bible Teacher; Author, Seeing Jesus

“[Presents] the eternal verities of the Christian faith in a clear and conversational style, without theological jargon or any ifs, ands, or buts. Indispensable is just that—both indispensable and a treasure.” —Steve Brown, Author, How to Talk So People Will Listen; Founder, Key Life Network

Work: Its Purpose, Dignity, and Transformation by Daniel M. Doriani

$15.99 | 248 pages | SAMPLE CHAPTER

Providing historical background and inspiring stories of God-honoring workers, Daniel Doriani explains the Bible’s teaching on the nature, glory, misery, and eventual restoration of work. You will learn what it means to be faithful at work, even in risky places, and what steps you can take to transform your workplace and the world. Work matters. And because it matters, it’s worth reforming. God knows the good you do when you work faithfully, even if you don’t see it yourself.

“The last few years have witnessed a flurry of books that treat a Christian view of work. This is the best of them. Well written, historically comprehensive, theologically informed, exegetically sensitive, this is now the ‘must read’ volume on the subject.” —D. A. Carson, Research Professor of New Testament, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

“An important contribution. . . . Provocative and helpful.” —Timothy Keller

Our Ancient Foe: Satan’s History, Activity, and Ultimate Demise edited by Ronald L. Kohl

$15.99 | 168 pages | SAMPLE CHAPTER

Christians are at war with an enemy who delights in rendering believers powerless, ruining their testimonies, and destroying their lives. But are we taking Satan seriously? Are we on guard against his agenda? Here respected pastor-scholars shine the light of Scripture on our ancient foe and how he operates, equipping you to “resist the devil” in the power of Christ.

Contributors and Chapters:

R. Kent Hughes — Satan in the Garden

Thomas J. Nettles — Knowing Satan

Ronald L. Kohl — Malevolent Methodology

Derek W. H. Thomas — The World, the Flesh, and the Devil

Roger Nicole — Conflict with Evil

R. Kent Hughes — Deliverance from the Evil One

Joel R. Beeke — Persevering in Satan’s Sieve

Thomas J. Nettles — The Final Demise

Sinclair Ferguson — All Things New

Author Interview with David Cassidy

Posted on March 28, 2019 by Kim

This week’s author interview is with David Cassidy. He is the author of upcoming release, Indispensable: The Basics of Christian Belief.

Which writers inspire you?

That’s a parade of authors. From a literary standpoint, I’d say Dante and Shakespeare, quickly followed by Herbert, Donne, Dostoyevsky, TS Eliot, CS Lewis, Wendell Berry, Marilynne Robinson, and Robert Frost. In regard to distinctly Christian or Biblical matters, Leiva-Merikakis, Augustine, Herman Bavinck, John Stott, Tim Keller, NT Wright, Met. Kallistos (Ware), Arthur Wallis, Flemming Rutledge, and John Murray. Touching on the philosophical and historical, I’d go with Paul Johnson, Charles Taylor, and Francis Schaeffer. Cookbooks would be too many to name. I have a LOT of cookbooks!

What book are you reading now?

At the moment, I’m reading Diarmaid MacCulloch’s new biography of Thomas Cromwell, as well as a stack of books on the Holy Spirit in preparation for some writing I’m planning. And, as always, some works of poetry, right now by the late, great Mary Oliver. Did I mention cookbooks?

Do you have a favorite quote? What is it and why?

I tend to curate quotes and it would be hard to pick a favorite. I’d be better at picking favorites on various topics. On the Spirit, I love John Murray’s, “The fact that Pentecost cannot be repeated does not mean it’s been rescinded.” For a general life quote, I’ll go with George Bernard Shaw’s, ‘The reasonable man conforms himself to the world. The unreasonable man conforms the world to himself. Therefore all hope of progress rests with unreasonable people.” Neither are in the new book, which means I need to write some more!

What is your favorite food?

On cooking, I’m a Julia Child disciple. Her wisdom transcends the kitchen.

“You’ll never know everything about anything, especially something you love.”
“The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook.”
“How can a nation be called great if its bread tastes like kleenex?”

When did you first want to write a book?

I think I’ve just always wanted to READ books. Other people have said to me, ‘Write books!’ I find it daunting because a book feels so final in one way and I know there’s so much more to learn and whatever I have to say could be said so much more effectively by someone else. I knew I had to write books early on in ministry but never wanted to do so until the last few years. I hope I get to write many more, so long as they’re actually helpful.

Do you have a favorite author?

That would have to be John Stott and the reasons are as many in number as the books he penned. I’d summarize those by saying his work is consistent and careful, pastoral and practical, doctrinal and devotional, informative and inspiring. He wrote as a Pastor of a great church but also as a man deeply committed to evangelism, global missions, and the place of the Christian in society. He wrote with strong principles but held these in evident humility. Whenever I read his work – and I’ve read ‘Cross of Christ’ every year since its publication in 1986 – I come away with a deeper conviction of my need for Jesus Christ and his Gospel, together with a wider heart for the Church and love for people. John Stott keeps making a better human, Christian, and Pastor-Preacher out of me. I am so thankful he wrote and spoke with such passion and precision.

Favorite sport to watch?

Easy – the Chicago Cubs. I’m a baseball fan first, but love just about all sports, especially College Football, my Texas Longhorns leading the way on that front.

Favorite animal?

I love to watch horses and eagles – there is a majesty and poetic beauty to their movement that’s enchanting. Domestically, however, that would be my Golden Retriever, Max. What a wonderful companion.

What famous person (living or dead) would you like to meet and why?

Two, both passed on: a) Paul (obviously), because I could corner him on Romans; b) Churchill, at dinner, including Brandy and Cigars to follow. I’m cooking and he’s talking… epic evening for sure.

Favorite flavor of ice cream?

Tough Call: Blue Bell Cookies and Cream

How can readers discover more about you and your work?

Author Interview with Dan Doriani

Posted on March 21, 2019 by Kim

This week’s author interview is with Dan Doriani. He is the author of the upcoming book, Work: Its Purpose, Dignity, and Transformation (releasing 4/1).

His other books include The Sermon on the Mount, Getting the Message, and Putting the Truth to Work, as well as the following books in the Reformed Expository Commentary series: 1 Peter, James, and Matthew (2-Volume Set).