Check out the post, “What I Love About the Church.”

The remarkable thing about human forgiveness–us forgiving others even if they don’t deserve it, know they hurt us, want it, or ask for it–is that it frees those who do the forgiving (Ephesians 4:32).

Andy Andrews paints a picture of this principle in The Heart Mender (Thomas Nelson). Based on historical fact, the story introduces characters who should–and do–harbor hatred in their hearts for one another. Through the power of forgiveness, each character changes over the period of several months. To be expected, these personal changes alter the direction of their relationship.

Nothing communicates a truth more powerfully than story. And what Andrews does in The Heart Mender, is communicate story. Though “forgiveness” is the cornerstone theme of the book, it’s inclusion in the narrative isn’t forced. The story is well-told; it would be a great story even without an emphasis on the principle of forgiveness.

If you have connections with the Gulf Coast, especially in the state of Alabama, you may find this fascinating as it opens your eyes to the historical importance of that area during World War II. The Heart Mender is an overall enjoyable and entertaining read.

The Heart Mender is available for purchase today, May 4th, 2010.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

“The Hole in our Gospel” begins with the true story of Richard Stearns, who forsook a luxurious living as big-time CEO to become the president of World Vision, a company dedicated to helping the poor, sick, and injusticed around the globe.

The bulk of the book is focused upon the responsibility of Christians to help those who need help the most. It is built on an undeniable scriptural foundation and is supplemented with gut-wrenching and hope-inspiring stories throughout. These are its greatest qualities.

Stearns uses effective illustrations to illuminate the truths and principles from scripture. He uses statistics not superfluously, but only as necessary. Stearns refrains from overemphasizing his personal story and doesn’t elevate it to be the standard for everyone else. And finally, he is also to be commended for not using the book as a platform to publicize World Vision.

I did feel that it could have been 10-15% shorter of a volume. Some of the material in the final “What do I do?” section was helpful, but I wanted more concrete options and legitimate advice. It felt as though it was added haphazardly to the rest of the book. Finally, the author’s testimony about his and others’ salvation is inconsistent with Biblical teaching.

Overall, this is a helpful contribution to the discussion about the church’s mission to help the needs of others. It should be consulted by church leaders and people who in positions of influence.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The writer of Hebrews quotes Psalm 95:7-11, which in part, says, “where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years” (Hebrews 3:9). In verse 17 of the same chapter, the writer asks the rhetorical question, “And with whom was he provoked (angered, JS) for forty years?” The writer’s point in the passage is to show the consequence of disobedience to God. But notice the combination of these two verses from Hebrews 3. Even though God was angry with His people because of their hard-heartedness, he continued to show them his works. Despite their grumbling, complaining, and lack of gratitude, God still provided them with daily guidance, nourishment, and protection.

In the book of Jonah, God is angry at Nineveh and with Jonah for running. But he reveals himself through the horrific storm at sea and through the belly of a giant fish. Romans 1:18-32 reminds us that though Gentiles had rejected God for centuries, he still revealed himself through nature and other invisible attributes. The soldiers of one of the most ruthless and godless empires in world history executed an innocent man brought to them by the scattered Jews they had conquered. At the close of his crucifixion, a Roman centurion proclaimed, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:39). On his darkest day, God revealed himself to man.

Prior to the 7.0 earthquake that ravaged the Port-au-Prince area of Haiti, it had the reputation of being a corrupt political and social society filled with rampant voodooists. (Though that’s not the reason the earthquake happened. “For he sends rain on the just and on the unjust” [Matt. 5:45].) In the wake of the disaster, God’s people are revealing his love.

Roberta Edwards, who runs the Son Light Orphanage and Nutrition Center overseen by the Estes Church of Christ (Henderson, TN), arrived from out of town a few days following the earthquake and asked, “How much food do we have?”

“About a month’s worth,” she was told.

“Alright,” she said, “put aside food for two days, and let’s start giving the rest away to the neighbors.”

God always finds a way.

“But the Lord is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

But that’s not the end of Roberta’s story. The following day, a friend from the Dominican Republic called and said he’d be there with 4,000 pounds of food and supplies (Luke 6:38).

This story comes courtesy of Justin Gerhardt, the Outreach Minister for the Henderson Church of Christ. His blog can be accessed at. Contact the Estes Church of Christ in Henderson, TN for more information about helping Haiti.

“I always give God the glory. I never question why things happen the way they do. God is in control of my life. And I know that, if nothing else, I’m standing on the rock.”

The brilliance behind Colt McCoy’s words lies not in the strength and faith of the young man himself, though he is to be commended. His parents, Brad and Debra McCoy, are to be applauded for raising a young man who exhibits such spiritual maturity in a public forum. But they are not the ultimate source of praise. To heed Colt’s words is to give the glory to God. Before the second-largest BCS Championship TV viewership in its 12-year history, McCoy turned everyone’s attention not toward his team’s loss, Alabama’s victory, or even his dangling numb right arm. He humbled himself—and each of us—before the God whose power is perfected in human weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Our trust in the power of the Lord is not as impacting on others in times of great success. McCoy’s words would have been inspiring had he said them from the mid-field podium with burnt orange confetti stuck to his championship cap. But they hold immeasurable value because he said them with the podium—covered by crimson confetti and the other team—standing in the distance. Holding a trophy, those words might seem predictable; but injured and to the side, they are unforgettable.

When Jesus finds Mary and Martha worried about the health of their brother, Lazarus, they are unaware of the loss they are about to experience. Yet Jesus offers these words of direction, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it” (John 11:4). Through Lazarus’ death, the grief of Mary, Martha, and Jesus, and the ensuing raising of Lazarus, many Jews believed in Jesus (John 11:38). We must not assume that things must go as we plan, envision, or dream in order for our lives to most glorify God.

During the game, several brethren on Twitter prayed for McCoy’s health and were hopeful for his return to the game. Though God didn’t answer their prayers with Colt’s return, a Texas victory, or a storybook ending to a fantastic career and season, he did work things together for good more than we could have imagined. With four sentences that evening, a 23-year-old young man defined dependence on God for an audience of millions.

We should remember that God takes the pieces of shattered dreams and broken hearts and molds moments of glory more beautiful than gold, silver, diamonds, and on some occasions, crystal.

Today, we’re going to briefly explore two more modes of transportation, boats and automobiles. Connecting the two gives us a small picture of God’s design for sex and the consequences if we abuse that design.

First, it’s obvious from their appearance that boats are designed for water and cars are designed for the road. Boats don’t need wheels, but rather an effective way to float on the water’s surface. Cars need to stay cose to the road for safety, but don’t need a lot of surface contact, thus they have wheels. Likewise, our bodies have been designed for service to the Lord. Sexually speaking, He designed us for an intimate, committed relationship with a single spouse (1 Cor. 6:12-14).

When boats begin moving (on their own, not on a trailer) on land, and when cars get into water, there are problems. And bad problems. If a boat “drives” on land or a car is in water (in an element for which it is not designed) for a long period of time, the damage is significant and sometimes irreparable. When we use our bodies to serve our fleshly desires instead of how our Lord has designed us, we will suffer damage. If left unattended, the damage can be irreparable.

Finally, when damage is done to a boat or to a car, it can seriously impact it’s usefulness once it’s back where it was designed. We see this most glaringly when “flooded” cars–or cars from the seacoast–are sold through used car dealerships. If you buy a car with water damage, you take a significant risk. A car’s ability to perform in its designed realm is hampered when it goes to places–especially water–it shouldn’t. Not only is sexual sin dangerous in the “here-and-now,” it can leave lasting scars throughout the future, even if those sins have been overcome and forgiven. The guilt, shame, and embarrassment can literally last a lifetime. Pre-marital immorality can seriously impact the health and vitality of an otherwise godly and happy marriage.

Our Lord has designed us as beautiful, wonderful, sexual creatures to enjoy that relationship in a committed marriage. If we devise our own plan for sexual fulfillment and reject the Lord’s plan, we will suffer. And we risk our physical and emotional health and our spiritual destination.

When driving down the road, it’s near impossible to miss train tracks. They’re often marked with lights and warnings. In almost every case, if we get hit by a train, it’s our fault. We saw the warnings; we probably saw the train; we tested it anyway. Almost anytime we commit “immoral” sins, the sin itself was preceded by a series of unwise choices. In other words, we should have seen it coming. (Prov. 7:6-23)

The thing that makes trains so dangerous to cars isn’t necessarily the speed, but the weight. Getting hit by something moving 30-40 mph isn’t as damaging as getting hit by something moving 30-40 mph that weighs a couple hundred tons and is thousands of feet long. Sexual sin is heavy. It’s initial impact isn’t as deadly as it’s long-lasting guilt, shame, and helplessness. (Prov. 5:1-6)

There are very few stories out there about people who have raced trains, lost the race, and survived. Train and automobile safety is of utmost importance because physics dictates the train always wins. Likewise, there are few survivors of sexual sin. It naturally leads its victims farther than they ever intended to go and farther than they are prepared to withstand. Though difficult, the Lord provides power to overcome its powerful draws (1 Cor. 6:11).

The key phrase for train safety is “stop, look, & listen.” In order to be aware of trains, we must stop at tracks, look for trains (or visible signals, smoke, etc.), and listen for horns or the train barreling down the tracks (I hear it sounds like a tornado). The key to avoiding sexual sin is to NOT stop, look, or listen. The Bible tells us to flee sexual sin (1 Cor. 6:18). Don’t stop to think about it, just get away from any semblance of it! Our eyes are what often leads us down paths of immorality. We must protect them at all costs (Matt. 5:28). Finally, we must not listen to the lies of the world about how great it feels, how much we deserve it, and how it’s really okay. (Prov. 6:25).

Let’s do all we can to avoid the “locomotive” of sexual sin and help others avoid its damage as well. Next week, we’ll look at another “transportation-based” illustration dealing with sexual sin.

I appreciate Adam for all that he does & for the invitation to participate in his blog.

Link: The Church and the Community: The 4 Body Parts the Church Must Use In Its Community

And here’s an additional verse that was left out of the radio cut, marveling at how he married actress Kimberly Williams.

Amanda and I listened to this song (2-3 times consecutively) while we drove in the mountains last Friday and shared some emotional thoughts about how far we’d come. We have been reading Hebrews in the mornings for our Bible study time together; it struck me that the message of Hebrews 11 (really the whole book) is “welcome to the future.”

Look at verse 13, “These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.”

Notice what verses 39-40 say: “And all these, ​though commended through their faith, ​did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, ​that apart from us they should not be made perfect.”

Through the work of Christ, we get what they were waiting for.

Welcome to the future.