A Book on a Short List

This is a reposting and updating of a short book review I did a long time ago on my old blog. I’m reposting it because this is a book that needs a little attention now and then.

I have a very short list of books that I’d put in the must-read category for every believer. Right now, I can think of only two, the first being Knowing God by J. I. Packer, which I’m pretty sure you’re already familiar with. The second? It’s less well-known, but no less important: The Atonement: It’s Meaning and Significance by Leon Morris. I’ve recommended it here previously, and quoted from it, too. Today seemed like a good day to recommend it again.

Of course, there are many excellent books out there, many important books; but what sets The Atonement and Knowing God apart from all those other worthwhile books is that I can recommend them to you and know that no matter who you are, you’ll learn something valuable from them (After all, what’s more important than knowing your God and understanding what Christ did for you?), and at the same time, you won’t find it difficult to make your way through them. They aren’t pablum—you’ll need your big kid underpants on—but you won’t need to know the original languages or keep a theological dictionary (or even a regular dictionary) nearby to use as you read. And they’re short enough for those of you who do a page count first and automatically turn down anything over 250 pages. Yep, they represent the best of all worlds: dense, but not difficult, and they don’t drone on.

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Thankful Thursday

Back in August when the Chilean mine thing started to unfold, I decided to avoid most of the news coverage because the whole situation had “bad outcome” written all over it. But once the miners were discovered alive, I began to pray for their safe rescue, still afraid, mind you, to pay much attention to the news stories about them.

God answered my prayer and the prayers of people world-wide, and all 33 miners have been delivered from the depths in an operation that was faster and more trouble-free than anyone expected—a better outcome, really, than anyone could even hope for. Today I am thankful for God’s saving hand, which was there from start to finish, guiding the rescue operation and restoring these men to their families and to their lives. Women who could have been widows and children who could have been fatherless have, once again, husbands and fathers. What’s more, God brought miners and others to faith during this unbelievably difficult trial, saving them from something worse than physical death. For all these things, I am rejoicing and giving thanks to God “from whom all blessings flow.”

On Thursdays throughout this year, I plan to post a few thoughts of thanksgiving along with Kim at the Upward Call and others. Why don’t you participate by posting your thanksgiving each week, too? It’ll be an encouragement to you and to others, I promise.

Round the Sphere Again: Pieces of Church History

Confession
Here’s a short piece on the history of the Scots Confession by Liam Goligher at Reformation 21 Blog. You can also read the confession and see a larger image of the title page (shown right).

Confrontation
George Whitefield wrote a famous and fascinating letter to John Wesley in response to Wesley’s sermon, Free Grace (From Reformation Files—a place you really should visit). You can read Iain Murray on the background of this letter at The Spurgeon Archive (a place you’re already visited, right?).

Confusion
Kim quotes Archibald Alexander on the revival in Kentucky in the early 19th century (The Upward Call). Who, you ask, is Archibald Alexander?