The Book Readers Guild: Orthodox Convictions of Ethereal Thinkers

 "Listen carefully to my words, and let my declaration be in your ears." Job 13:17 "The first service one owes to others in the community involves listening to them. Just as our love for God begins with listening to God's Word, the beginning of love for other Christians is learning to listen to them. ... We do God's work for our brothers and sisters when we learn to listen to them. So often Christians, especially preachers, think that their only service is always to have to "offer" something when they are together with other people. They forget that listening can be a greater service than speaking. Many people seek a sympathetic ear and do not find it among Christians, because these Christians are talking even when they should be listening. But Christians who can no longer listen to one another will soon no longer be listening to God either; they will always be talking even in the presence of God." Dietrich Bonhoeffer Oh how I need

“We should not only let our troubles confirm our dedication to God, but our prosperity should do the same.” says Spurgeon. Yes faithfulness under trial is to be admired and God’s grace during such circumstances must certainly be acknowledged. Yet one must consider the illusive subtlety of luxurious ease and ask which is the greater challenge to our soul? Enduring to be faithful under the weight of fiery trial or under no trial at all? Given our propensity towards self-sufficiency and independence, our flesh adores being in a state of needlessness, where our securities are under our control and our resources are within sight. Luke 12:15-21; “ And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no r

“Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered," "There brake he the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battle."   Psalm 76:3 Our Redeemer's glorious cry of "It is finished," was the death-knell of all the adversaries of his people, the breaking of "the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battle." Behold the hero of Golgotha using his cross as an anvil, and his woes as a hammer, dashing to shivers bundle after bundle of our sins, those poisoned "arrows of the bow;" trampling on every indictment, and destroying every accusation. What glorious blows the mighty Breaker gives with a hammer far more ponderous than the fabled weapon of Thor! How the diabolical darts fly to fragments, and the infernal bucklers are broken like potters' vessels! Behold, he draws from its sheath of hellish workmanship the dread sword of Satanic power! He snaps it across hi