Book Recommendation-Can You Run Away From God? by James M. Boice

Subtitled, “If God is sovereign, how can people rebel against Him?”, this is a wonderful 96 page book about the Old Testament prophet Jonah. The book of Jonah is fascinating in the number of lessons we can learn from its four short chapters. Boice looks at God’s sovereignty, but also at God’s mercy and faithfulness. If you haven’t read Jonah before, or if it’s been awhile since you’ve read it, I’d like to encourage you to read it first, and then read Boice’s wonderful book.

Boice starts by defending the historicity of Jonah (He’s mentioned in 2 Kings 14:25, and Matt 12:39-40 for starters). Jonah is a true story, about a real person. After establishing this, Boice looks at the themes of God’s sovereignty and His mercy, and at the connection between Jonah and the Great Commission.

He then moves through the book of Jonah showing these things. He looks at how Nineveh experienced a great revival simply after hearing Jonah’s short message, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh will be overthrown.” (Jonah 3:4). That’s all we’re told Jonah preached. From here Boice looks at revival, particularly in light of Nineveh’s repentance.

He points out how there is much to learn from Jonah, and how we should come away from his book asking questions such as, “Is God not right? Is He not great for showing mercy?” He ends with an appeal for believers to show others the mercy they’ve been shown by God.

Even if you don’t read Boice’s book, read Jonah, keeping the following in mind: God’s sovereignty and mercy, our obligation to share the word, and our attitude to God and His works. Also consider how Jonah represents God’s people in general, and each one of us specifically.

For those who would like to check out more of James Boice, you can check him out here and here.

Link update

I just updated some links in my Blog Link section.

I've added Beggars All: Reformation and Apologetics . It's an informative look at the Reformation its history. It tends to focus on Roman Catholicism, Luther & Calvin. I quite enjoy it.

I also updated the URL for Doxoblogy. It's recently moved over to Wordpress, and has been dealing with eschatology. In fact, Jeremy has started a new blog with others, (including Kim Riddlebarger, to look at Amillenialism. It's still in the early phases, so as of today there are only three posts (all by Jeremy I believe.) But check it out from time to time.

I'll try to get some new posts up soon, (I have a few planned), but other things have been hapening.

Holy Bottled Drinking Water

Since Purgatorio's not around to share this- An article in the local paper today mentioned both a US and a Canadian company who are selling Bottled Holy Water--not for use in Roman Catholic rites, but for drinking.

The US version is based in--where else--California. You can read more about it here. The Label on it warns-

If you are a sinner or evil in nature, this product may cause burning, intense heat, sweating, skin irritations, rashes, itchiness, vomiting, bloodshot and watery eyes, pale skin color and oral irritations.

So I guess that includes all of us. I don't think this sort of thing was covered under the atonement.

The Canadian Version is based in Alberta--not BC, like I thought. It's actually a non denominational church that prays over the water.

Or you can go here and see how silly it gets. (Or is this page a spoof?--it's hard to tell--but the other ones are apparently for real.)

Now really--what is up with this? Is it crass marketing? Is it disrespect for God? Whatever the true motives of the people behind these ventures, it's hard not to laugh, and it's hard not to mourn the way God is taken so lightly.

Presbytery Time Again

Actually it's come and gone.

It was a very good Presbytery overall. It was mostly good news, with some exciting news for the future. God was praised, prayers were made, God's Word was opened and read and exposited. I was encouraged, and so were others. The host church did a great job.

We're a young Presbytery in the PCA, and so a meeting like this one was helpful in our growth.

Some things were sort of bittersweet, some we'd rather not ahve had to hear, but overall a very positive experience.

Some of the people there were great encouragers. Some of these were brothers and sisters who had praying for me in my recent trials, and were encouraged by how I have recovered-(And that I was able to attend.) That is one thing I love about Presbytery-the chance to encourage one another face to face.

Some things there gave me ideas for possible posts down the line, and hopefully to encourage those who read them. They won't be specifically about the people or events that gave me the ideas, but looking at a bigger picture.

And so to all who planned and rpepared for Presbytery, to all the people I spoke with and enjoyed fellowship with, and to all who had been praying for me, I'd like to thank you.

LOTW March 7, 2007

Time again for the Links of the Whenever--whenever I post them that is...

Don Kistler has done many valuable things for the Church at large. One is presenting the works of the Puritans to us in various forms: publishing their works, preaching about them, writing about them. He also has other ministry. So check out his website-donkistler.org

Charles Schulz's "Peanuts" comic strip is seen as old fashioned by many, but it was classsic, and had a great way of making me laugh--in positive ways. Catch up on his work, or if you're young enough discover it, at snoopy.com