Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Bookends Of The Christian Life


I'm always excited when I hear that Jerry Bridges is putting out a new book, Which is why I could not wait to get my hands on his new work with Bob Bevington; The Bookends of The Christian Life.
It is a relatively small book but packed full of huge content and not particularly light reading.
The whole concept of our Christian life as bookends is, on the one end we have the perfect righteousness of Christ, the object of our dependence. The other bookend is the power of the Holy Spirit, which is what we need to carry out our motivation and the enabling to serve and glorify the Lord.
The first half of the book lays out the gospel and our desperate need of it and to preach it to ourselves daily. It then breaks down common enemies to our living and experiencing the joy and fruit of living out the gospel daily in our lives. Self righteousness, persistent guilt and then goes into application of preaching the gospel to ourselves and also leaning the books of our lives (metaphorically) between the perfect righteousness of Christ and the enabling power of the Holy Spirit, the bookends of the Christian Life.

This is a great read and one that I would highly recommend that you pick up, especially if you want to grow in your relationship with the Lord and you feel frustrated in your walk with Him.
Here is just a sample of some of the great content that lies within the pages of this great work by Bridges and Bevington;

Everyday; God be merciful to me, the sinner! (Luke 18:13)

Sunday: But he was wounded for my transgressions of________; he was crushed for my iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought me peace, and with his stripes I am healed. Like a sheep I have gone astray; I have turned to my own way; and the Lord has laid on him my iniquity (Isaiah 53:5-6)

Monday: He will again have compassion on me; he will tread my iniquities of-_______under foot. You will cast all my sins into the depths of the sea. (Micah 7:19)

Tuesday: Blessed am I, whose lawless deeds of ________are forgiven, and my sins are covered; blessed am I against whom the Lord will not count my sin. (Romans 4:7-8)

Wednesday: There is therefore now no condemnation for __________for me, as one who is in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1)

Thursday: And I, who was dead in my trespasses of ___________and the uncircumcision of my flesh, God made alive together with Christ, having forgiven me all my trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against me with all it's legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross (Colossians 2:13-14)

Friday: As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove my transgressions of __________ from me. (Psalm 103:12)

Saturday: Though my sins of ___________are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. (Isaiah 1:18)

Every day: Christ's work for me is finished! (John 19:30)

This is a great day by day reminder of the fact that we are to see ourselves as desperately lost sinners who have been rescued by the all sufficient righteousness of Christ, and that is just the first bookend!

You really do need to pick up a copy of this great work, your soul will thank you immensely!
Right now Monergism books is selling Bookends for 50% off the cover price, it's a great deal even with the cost of shipping, still cheaper than anywhere else.
http://www.monergismbooks.com/The-Bookends-of-the-Christian-Life-p-18320.html

2 comments:

Lighthouse Prayer Line said...

Hi Ron,

Thanks for sharing that with us! We will definitely have to check it out!! Amen & amen!

Hey. If you get the opportunity, would you
mind praying for the prayer requests that are
on our main page?

May the Lord bless you and your family!!

Mark, Lynn, Brooke & Carley Seay
www.LighthousePrayerLine.org

ps - please consider "following" our blog
-or- atleast grab one of our free, linking,
blue buttons. ( see top sidebar at
www.LighthousePrayerLine.org ).

•´.¸¸.•¨¯`♥.Visit Us Soon!.♥´¯¨•.¸¸.´•

Ron Reffett said...

Hey guys!
Thanks for stopping by. I will definitely check out the prayer requests on your main page, I'm a follower of your blog now as well, great blog by the way!
I hope that you and yours had a wonderful Easter celebration, may we always keep the gospel at the forefront of our lives.
May God richly bless you and your family!
Blessings
Ron Reffett