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Resources For "He Is, I'm Not" Series From Each Harderwyk Preacher I. New For This Week Is Jesus the Only Way?  In this blog post by Lutheran pastor Bruce Hillman, he writes: " To the extent that God is exclusive by offering salvation only through Christ we can say he is more gracious than other systems because he takes on our guilt upon himself while gifting us his righteousness."   Hillman offers a thoughtful, pastoral and relational reflection on the exclusivity of Jesus' statement in John 14:6.  CLICK HERE for entire post. Christ's Exclusive Truth-Claims Make Believing "All Religions are Basically the Same" Impossible This blog post by author Randy Alcorn includes the story of Tim Keller and a Muslim Cleric responding together to a college student insisting that "all religions are fundamentally alike."  CLICK HERE for the entire post.     II. From The Commentaries From NT Wright in John For Everyone -  “Jesus’ reply has haunted...

Resources For "He Is, I'm Not" Series From Each Harderwyk Preacher I. New For This Week Missionary Pioneer Hudson Taylor's Favorite Hymn was Jesus, I Am Resting, Resting  - CLICK HERE to listen a meditate on lyrics. Growing My Faith in the Face of Death by Tim Keller - Recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer Tim Keller writes in The Atlantic Monthly: I spent a lifetime counseling others before my diagnosis.  Will I be able to take my own advice?  This a deep and thoughtful reflection by someone whom God has used to shape my own life and ministry.  Read it thoughtfully, then tomorrow read it again.  It is as well, a helpful model of how to speak and live out faith in a setting - this magazine - that is typically unwelcoming.  CLICK HERE for the entire article.  If it asks you to pay or subscribe in order to read it, contact Pastor Bill by email: Bill@Harderwyk.com  II. From The Commentaries From Nancy Blakey in the “Feasting on the Word Comm...

Resources For "He Is, I'm Not" Series From Each Harderwyk Preacher I. New For This Week The Good Shepherd - A nice short article on the Good Shepherd from Ligonier Ministries.  CLICK HERE Growing My Faith in the Face of Death by Tim Keller -  Recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer Tim Keller writes in The Atlantic Monthly: I spent a lifetime counseling others before my diagnosis.  Will I be able to take my own advice?  This a deep and thoughtful reflection by someone whom God has used to shape my own life and ministry.  Read it thoughtfully, then tomorrow read it again.  It is as well, a helpful model of how to speak and live out faith in a setting - this magazine - that is typically unwelcoming.  CLICK HERE for the entire article.  If it asks you to pay or subscribe in order to read it, contact Pastor Bill by email: Bill@Harderwyk.com  II. From The Commentaries From John For Everyone - NT Wright "The definition of the true shepher...

Resources For "He Is, I'm Not" Series From Each Harderwyk Preacher I. New For This Week "Light" Selected Verses for Meditation - CLICK HERE to view, download or print a copy. LifeSpan of the Apostle Paul - CLICK HERE to view, download or print a copy. Notes on the Life of John Newton: Growing in the Light - CLICK HERE to view, download or print a copy. II. From The Commentaries From Craig Evans in "The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary" -  “Light” was commonly employed as a spiritual symbol in the ancient world. Parallels are available from Judaism, the Old Testament, Qumran, Hellenistic religions, and later Gnostic scriptures. However, Jesus’ use here is thoroughly Jewish. He is referring to the countless times that God’s saving work in the world is described as “light.” John 1:5 reflects this tradition, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” God’s first creation was light (Gen. 1:3). God even led the Israelite...

Resources For "He Is, I'm Not" Series From Each Harderwyk Preacher 1) Scotty Smith’s Heavenward Daily Prayers - CLICK HERE to see the daily prayer blog of Scotty Smith.  You will see an option to have them delivered to your email inbox each day as well.   2) Simple Lectio Divina Overview - CLICK HERE for a simple introduction of the spiritual practice of a more personal way of experience the Word through contemplation and reflection.   3) An Article on the Mockingbird website that shares words from a commencement address by David Foster Wallace in 2005.  While Wallace is not a Christian, his words offer us a point of reflection when thinking about the things we look to in order to fill or nourish us.  - CLICK HERE 4) The Marshmallow Test - CLICK HERE for a simple introduction to the original test.  AND HERE to the Amazon link to the book. 5) Pastor Wang Yi - Pastor Bill has been praying for imprisoned Chinese pastor Wang Yi for a while. ...

Resources For "He Is, I'm Not" Series From Each Harderwyk Preacher Pastor Aaron VanDerVeen - Watershed Preacher Tim Keller - The Reason for God -   “Now, what happens if you eliminate anything from the Bible that offends your sensibility and crosses your will? If you pick and choose what you want to believe and reject the rest, how will you ever have a God who can contradict you? You won't! You'll have... A God, essentially, of your own making, and not a God with whom you can have a relationship and genuine interaction. Only if your God can say things that outrage you and make you struggle (as in a real friendship or marriage!) will you know that you have gotten hold of a real God and not a figment of your imagination. So an authoritative Bible is not the enemy of a personal relationship with God. It is the precondition for it.” NT Wright - John for Everyone -  "Jesus’ basic charge against them [religious leaders] is that they are trying to kill him; that thi...

Resources For "Surprise! You Belong!" Series From Each Harderwyk Preacher Pastor Bill Lindner - Celebration & Fusion Preacher Humility: The Beauty of Holiness by Andrew Murray - I mentioned this book in the sermon and it's impact on my life for many years now. Humility is the theological term for the heart posture of "becoming like a little child."  Murray writes: "Humility is the only soil in which the graces take root; the lack of humility is the reasonable explanation for every defect and failure in the Christian Life.  Humility is not so much a blessing or attribute along with others; it is the root of all." - p. 3.   You can get the book in an updated language edition (very helpful!!) at NO COST by CLICKING HERE .  This is a Kindle e-book format.  You may need to download the Kindle app - CLICK HERE for that - for your smartphone, tablet or computer. Pastor Aaron VanDerVeen - Watershed Preacher From "Mark: An Introduction and Commentary...