Judging People Rightly

Justin Taylor shares a prayer that we all should take to heart:


Help Me to Judge Rightly
Lord, help me to judge others
as I want them to judge me:
Charitably, not critically,
Privately, not publicly,
Gently, not harshly,
In humility, not pride.
Help me to believe the best about others,
until facts prove otherwise—
To assume nothing,
to seek all sides of the story,
And to judge no one until I’ve removed
the log from my own eye.

May I never bring only the Law,
to find fault and condemn.
Help me always to bring the Gospel,
to give hope and deliverance,
As you, my Judge and Friend,
have so graciously done for me.

Free Download!

Sanctus Real Fans: Get a FREE DOWNLOAD of an Exclusive Acoustic version of “Whatever You’re Doing”

Sanctus Real was a band that I got to see this summer for the fourth time. Everytime I've been able to see them I've been encouraged and enjoyed their show. So, I highly recommend this download for everyone. Enjoy!

My New Baby Brother!

Tonight, James David was born at 10:12 p.m. with the weight of 7lbs. 11oz. Praise God for a new life in our home. My prayer for James is that he would grow up to know the Lord and to be a mighty man of God.

Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!

I'm So Sorry

I'm so sorry I've been gone so long. This past summer has been a busy one and the beginning of this year a rough one, but God is good and faithful and, by His grace, I will be able to get back on a regular schedule of posting. I have many ideas and thoughts and things I've learned that I'd like to share. Please look forward to those updates.

Antipsalm 23

Over on the Boundless blog, David Powlison has posted an article entitled Sane Faith, Part 1. In it he writes the Antipsalm 23, or what Psalm 23 would look like if God were not in our lives. He writes:

I'm on my own.
No one looks out for me or protects me.
I experience a continual sense of need. Nothing's quite right.
I'm always restless. I'm easily frustrated and often disappointed.
It's a jungle — I feel overwhelmed. It's a desert — I'm thirsty.
My soul feels broken, twisted, and stuck. I can't fix myself.
I stumble down some dark paths.
Still, I insist: I want to do what I want, when I want, how I want.
But life's confusing. Why don't things ever really work out?
I'm haunted by emptiness and futility — shadows of death.
I fear the big hurt and final loss.
Death is waiting for me at the end of every road,
but I'd rather not think about that.
I spend my life protecting myself. Bad things can happen.
I find no lasting comfort.xI'm alone ... facing everything that could hurt me.
Are my friends really friends?
Other people use me for their own ends.
I can't really trust anyone. No one has my back.
No one is really for me — except me.
And I'm so much all about ME, sometimes it's sickening.
I belong to no one except myself.
My cup is never quite full enough. I'm left empty.
Disappointment follows me all the days of my life.
Will I just be obliterated into nothingness?
Will I be alone forever, homeless, free-falling into void?
Sartre said, "Hell is other people."
I have to add, "Hell is also myself."
It's a living death,
and then I die.

Also, here's the real Psalm 23:

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.

Quote of the Week

This week's quote comes from the great hymnwriter John Newton, most famous for his hymn "Amazing Grace". However, he wrote many other hymns, stood against slavery in his day (having been a slavetrader himself) and preached. He wrote:

Everything is necessary that he sends. Nothing can be necessary that he withholds.”
- John Newton

Happy Birthday Isaac Watts

On this day, in 1674, famed hymn writer Isaac Watts was born. His most famous hymns are probably "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" and "Joy to the World".

He was also a theologian and logician. Mars Hills talks more about his life:

Together for the Gospel 2010

I am absolutely ecstatic about T4G 2010. Registration has been open for a while already, but everything else seems to be in full swing as well now.

The unifying theme of the conference is: "The (Unadjusted) Gospel". The speakers will be the same as 2008: Albert Mohler, CJ Mahaney, Ligon Duncan, Mark Dever, John MacArthur, Thabiti Anyabwile, and John Piper.

But new to this coming year is the choice of one "break out" sessions that will be made available to each participant. The speakers for these break out sessions include authors that I've read such as Kevin Deyoung (Why We're Not Emergent) and Josh Harris (I Kissed Dating Goodbye) and many others who I've truthfully never heard of, but every session sounds great. The only downside is that I can only choose one.

Oh, I can barely wait until 2010- all the good teaching, the great preachers, the fellowship with the men in my church and men and women in the Church worldwide, singing with over 5,000 men, spending time in downtown Louisville (where some of my family lives) and, of course, all the free books!