J. C. Ryle Book Giveaway

January 25, 2011 at 2:55 pm | Posted in Book Giveaway | Leave a comment
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Eric at www.jcrylequotes.com is having a monthly Ryle book giveaway here: http://jcrylequotes.com/2011/01/25/j-c-ryle-book-giveaway-january/#comment-3978.

Congratulations!

January 21, 2011 at 7:35 am | Posted in Book Giveaway | Leave a comment
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Moody Publishers has launched a new site: www.InsidePages.net and they are having some contests/giveaways to celebrate. You might want to check them out.

Book Review: Stand Firm in the Faith, an Exposition of 2 Corinthians

January 19, 2011 at 4:05 pm | Posted in Book Reviews | Leave a comment
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I was looking forward to receiving this commentary and going through it even though I am not preaching from 2 Corinthians right now. 2 Corinthians is one of my favorite New Testament books of the Bible and one that opens up the Apostle Paul’s heart for ministry.

You can read the full review and excerpts by going to my Book Review page. This is a commentary that I highly recommend.

Coffee Review: Community Coffee’s Founder’s Blend

January 18, 2011 at 2:58 pm | Posted in Coffee Reviews | Leave a comment
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Kim and I have had the privilege of enjoying some good coffee through the holidays and our travels. One of the coffees we brewed was Founder’s Blend from Community Coffee (www.communitycoffee.com). Just by looking at the bag they earned extra points with me by putting the batch number and roast date on the front of the bag.

Their site describes the Founders Blend as comprised of four unique coffees from two continents. We begin with Colombia Toledo-Labateca, which is grown high in the remote Andes Mountains near Venezuela and is a rare social relationship coffee exclusive to Community Coffee Company in the United States. We next add Brazil Santos Bourbon, an old growth variety of Arabica that has become rare and highly prized. We complete the blend with two exceptional coffees from Africa, which come from the high mountain peaks in Kenya and Ethiopia, the birth place of coffee. Founder’s Blend is carefully medium-dark roasted to develop a sweet floral aroma with a complex winy acidity and a nutty bold body. This is a blend whose sum is truly greater than its parts. It will satisfy refined palates with a finish reminiscent of toasted almonds and hints of dark chocolate.

Looking into the bag you see different colored beans and smell a mildly smoky somewhat sweet aroma. I could hardly wait to brew this in the auto-drip. Here there seemed to be a milder taste than I expected. It was also naturally sweet with a chocolate aftertaste. It was a smooth enjoyable cup of coffee.

Next up was the French Press and the taste was bolder yet still smooth. There is a nice tanginess to the taste with hints of citrus. There is more of a bittersweet chocolate aftertaste too. Kim thought it paired very well with chocolate and was good with lemon, almonds and dates.

The Chemex coffee maker gave us a smooth, deeply flavored cup of coffee. It also has just the right level of acidity and a nice feel in the mouth. This would be an enjoyable everyday coffee no matter which coffee maker you use yet the taste is good enough that you would want to brew it for special occasions too.

If you are looking to try one of the Community Coffees this Founder’s Blend would be a good one to start with. We received this coffee for free and offer objective feedback. Until next time remember to stop and enjoy the coffee and conversations.

Much GRACE and peace to you,

Bill and Kim

(Romans 15:13; Psalm 34:1-10)

Book Review: Indigenous Church Planting

January 12, 2011 at 4:49 pm | Posted in Book Reviews | Leave a comment
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On my Book Review page near the bottom I have a summary of “Indigenous Church Planting”, by Charles Brock, published by Church Growth International, Neosho, MO. 1994. 272 pages. ISBN 1-885504-27-6.

If you have any interest in church planting you should add this book to your library, read it and learn from it.

If you go to the Book Review page the review is near the bottom and this picture is on the left side at the beginning of the summary.

The Mark of Maturity

January 4, 2011 at 10:24 am | Posted in Devotional | Leave a comment
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The last couple of weeks I have not blogged regularly. We were doing some travelling and visiting of family and I just wanted a break from blogging. I do want to say thank you to everyone who reads this blog, especially those who read it on a regular basis. I started the blog a year ago and have grown and developed in different ways as a blogger. I think I will try a new pattern starting this week and through next week. There will be some consistency through days, weeks and the coming year.

Tuesday’s will either be an excerpt from a devotional that I am reading through with my wife or an excerpt from a book that I am reading. Most excerpts will come from books I will be posting reviews of. I will keep doing coffee reviews or coffee shop or product reviews on a regular basis. I will also do a weekly study that will take us completely through a book of the Bible. I am hoping to blog on a daily basis, but can’t guarantee that.

Thanks again for helping me and the blog to grow. Give God your whole heart and all of your obedience and you won’t go wrong. Let’s help each other grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To God be the glory! Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus!

Much GRACE and peace to you,

Bill (a fellow-laborer)

(Romans 15:13; 2 Peter 3:18)

The Mark of Maturity

Day 3

(6)And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (7)It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. (8)For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. (9)And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, (10)so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, (11)filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. – Philippians 1:6-11 ESV

Paul found joy in his memories of the friends at Philippi and in his growing love for them. He also found joy in remembering them before the throne of grace in prayer.

This is a prayer for maturity, and Paul began it with love. He prayed that they might experience abounding love and discerning love. Christian love in not blind! The heart and mind work together so that we have discerning love and loving discernment.

The ability to distinguish is a mark of maturity. When a baby learns to speak, he or she may call every four-legged animal a “bow-wow.” But then the child discovers that there are cats, mice, cows, and other four-legged creatures.

One of the sure marks of maturity is discerning love and loving discernment.

SOMETHING TO PONDER

With daily decisions, do you tend to seek what is good, or do you try to discern what is truly best? – taken from Pause for Power by Warren W. Wiersbe. Published by David C. Cook, 2010; page 6.

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