J. C. Ryle Book Giveaway
January 25, 2011 at 2:55 pm | Posted in Book Giveaway | Leave a commentTags: Book Giveaway, J. C. Ryle quotes, J.C. Ryle
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 commentTags: book giveaways, book reviews, contests, Inside Pages, Moody Publishers
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.
Coffee Review: Community Coffee’s Founder’s Blend
January 18, 2011 at 2:58 pm | Posted in Coffee Reviews | Leave a commentTags: Chemex coffee maker, community coffee review, Founder's Blend review, French Press
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 commentTags: Charles Brock, Church Growth International, church planters, church planting book reviews, Indigenous Church Planting
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 commentTags: 2 Peter 3:18, Pause for Power, Philippians 1:6-11, Romans 15:13, The Mark of Maturity, Warren W. Wiersbe
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.
Book Giveaway
December 28, 2010 at 2:17 pm | Posted in Book Giveaway | Leave a commentTags: Book Giveaway, pastoralmusings
Jason at www.pastoralmusings.com is having a book giveaway this week sponsored by Intervarsity Press. The books he is giving away are: Worship and the Reality of God, The Passionate Intellect, and Getting the Reformation Wrong.
I hope you go to his site and check it out and enter the giveaway.
The Wells of Salvation
December 28, 2010 at 10:51 am | Posted in William Gurnall | Leave a commentTags: Ezekiel 36:26, Psalm 119:133, Psalm 119:93, Romans 6:14, Romans 8:26, The Christian in Complete Armour, The Wells of Salvation, William Gurnall
Wisdom from William Gurnall
There is forgiveness with the Lord Jesus. No matter what the trouble, this truth brings comfort to saints. You know how a cool spring is welcomed in a parched desert. And when you recall what sweet refreshment you have had from God’s wells of salvation you will cry out with David: “I will never forget thy precepts: for with them thou hast quickened me” (Psalm 119:93). It is no surprise that Satan tries to stop your well of comfort; but it is more than tragic if he can persuade you to do it yourself.
AS the veins in the body have arteries to bring them life, so precepts in the Word have promises to encourage and empower Christians to perform their vows to God. Is there a command to pray? There is also a promise: “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groaning which cannot be uttered” (Romans 8:26). Does God ask for your heart? The promise says, “A new heart also will I give you” (Ezekiel 36:26). Does He require us to crucify the flesh? Not without His promise: “Sin shall not have dominion over you” (Romans 6:14). But to make this promise serve your need, you must humbly and boldly press it believingly at the throne of grace. What the precept commands, the prayer of faith begs and receives. In other words, first conquer heaven and then you do not need to fear overcoming hell.
Do not forget – you are warring at God’s expense, not your own. David was a military man who could handle one enemy as well as another, but he dared not promise himself success until he had heard from God: “Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me” (Psalm 119:133). But if you have decided to steal victory in your own strength, expect an overthrow. It will be a mercy, for defeat will bring humility with it but victory will only increase your pride in your own strength. – Taken from The Christian in Complete Armour, December 28. Edited by James S. Bell, Jr. Moody Publishers Edition, 1994
God’s Presence Among Your Enemies
December 21, 2010 at 11:35 am | Posted in William Gurnall | Leave a commentTags: 1 Peter 1:25, God's Presence Among Your Enemies, Matthew 10:19-20, Revelation 14:6, William Gurnall
Wisdom from William Gurnall
If God des call you into fiery trials, His promise will take all responsibility out of your hands: “When they deliver you up, take no thought” – that is, do not worry – “how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you that same hour what ye shall speak” (Matthew 10:19). It is your Father which speaketh in you” (v. 20).
There is no mouth which God cannot make eloquent, no back so weak that He cannot strengthen it. And He has promised to go with you wherever your enemies might force you to go; neither fire nor flood can take you away from the Father. These promises make such a soft pillow for the saints’ heads that many have experienced marvelous rest when roughly handled by cruel enemies. One persecuted Christian, for example, dated his letter “from the delectable orchard his prison;” another signed herself “Your loving friend, as merry as one bound for heaven.” People like these have been far from pitying themselves in their sufferings; in fact, their main sorrow has been that they could not express more thankfulness for them. And where did their supernatural strength and joy come from? The Holy Spirit applied God’s promises to them in the time of distress!
Believers’ troubles are for Christ’s cause. The ark may shake but it cannot fall; the ship of the church may be tossed but it cannot sink, for Christ is in it and will awaken in plenty of time to keep it safe. Therefore we have no reason to disturb Him with screams of unbelief when storms beat angrily against the church. In times like these our faith is in more danger of sinking than Christ and His church. God’s promises hold them securely out of the reach of both men and devils.
Our source of security is an “everlasting gospel” (Revelation 14:6). Heaven and earth will pass away, but not one word of this Gospel will perish. “The word of the Lord endureth forever (1 Peter 1:25). Taken from The Christian in Complete Armour, December 19. Edited by James S. Bell, Jr. Moody Publishers Edition, 1994.
Coffee Review: Stoney Creek Roasters Ethiopian Yirgacheffe
December 20, 2010 at 3:40 pm | Posted in Coffee Reviews | Leave a commentTags: Chemex coffee maker, Dayton Ohio coffee roasters, Ethiopian Yirgacheffe review, French Press, Stoney Creek Roasters
Stoney Creek Roasters (www.stoneycreekroasters.com) is located at 83 North Main Street in the town of Cedarville Ohio. They are a small local roaster in a small town. When we received this Yirgacheffe from them we were looking forward to trying it. It is both Organic and Fair Trade.
You may think we are crazy but when we opened the bag the aroma reminded us of sweet mustard. We both like different kinds of mustard so we were pleasantly surprised. The beans looked like a medium-dark roast. We changed up our order of brewing this time so we went with the French Press first.
When brewed the aroma is somewhat sweet and spicy, but not the mustard aroma we first smelled. The taste is complex; spicy and bright with a lingering bitter-sweetness. The flavor seems to hit the tip of the tongue and then spreads out over it. Kim thought it paired very well with lemon, cinnamon and almonds.
Next we used the auto-drip and there is a nice dark color in the pot. The flavors were somewhat milder but they linger giving a nice aftertaste. The spiciness is there and we found ourselves talking about what we tasted and trying to figure out the flavor profile. Kim thought it was good with peanut butter, chocolate and fruit.
Lastly we used the Chemex coffee maker for brewing. The taste is smooth and seems to fill the mouth. The taste is cleaner and we thought there was a touch of clove. The aftertaste lasted longer and was brighter. We both liked the complex taste of this coffee. It seemed to change somewhat with the different brewers.
We found ourselves talking about this coffee long after our cups were empty. It is a very intriguing cup of coffee. We looked forward to each brewing method and tasting. We are looking forward to sharing it with friends. I think we liked it best in the French Press, but we would give it two thumbs up with any brewing method.
If you like Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee or want to try one, we encourage you to try this one from Stoney Creek Roasters; we think you will like it. You’ll also be supporting a local roaster trying to make a positive difference in the world. 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)
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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 commentTags: Commentary review, Dr. Robert Gromacki, Exposition of 2 Corinthians, Kress Christian Publications, Stand Firm in the Faith
You can read the full review and excerpts by going to my Book Review page. This is a commentary that I highly recommend.