mortify!

Christian, what hast thou to do with sin? Hath it not cost thee enough already? Burnt child, wilt thou play with the fire? What! when thou hast already been between the jaws of the lion, wilt thou step a second time into his den? Hast thou not had enough of the old serpent? Did he not poison all thy veins once, and wilt thou play upon the hole of the asp, and put thy hand upon the cockatrice’s den a second time? Oh, be not so mad! so foolish! Did sin ever yield thee real pleasure? Didst thou find solid satisfaction in it? If so, go back to thine old drudgery, and wear the chain again, if it delight thee. But inasmuch as sin did never give thee what it promised to bestow, but deluded thee with lies, be not a second time snared by the old fowler-be free, and let the remembrance of thy ancient bondage forbid thee to enter the net again!

Charles Spurgeon

beg a book.

Every Christmas since High School, I've been haunted by an idea my Junior Bible teacher gave us--beg a book for Christmas. Instead of a bunch of other "useless" (as he called it) stuff, ask for things that will serve you in your walk with Christ. He even gave us extra-credit for doing it! This Christmas was beg a book overload. Now, if only my seminary teachers would give me points for raking this stack in. Hah.

I am blessed to have family and friends that cared about me enough to hook me up with this stuff!

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God’s love planned an amazing exchange: Jesus endured what we deserved so that we might enjoy what he deserved—eternal life.

JOHN PIPER
What Jesus Demands from the World