Friday, September 5, 2003

7:48 PM The two-volume biography of Martyn Lloyd-Jones by Iain Murray arrived today. I decided to buy it after listening to a lecture by Aleister Begg on “The Preaching of Martyn Lloyd-Jones.” Murray’s massive work (over 1000 pages) details the amazing life of a medical doctor-turned-pastor who followed G. Campbell Morgan as pastor of Westminster Chapel in the heart of London. For more than 50 years, he preached the Word with great power and became one of the most influential preachers of the 20th-century. He was a true heir of the Puritans. Volume 1 covers the first forty years of his life, 1899-1939. Volume 2 is called “The Fight of Faith” and follow Lloyd-Jones’s ministry from the early days of World War II until his death in 1981. 2:16 PM Had lunch at my favorite restaurant—Parky’s Hot Dogs on Harlem Avenue. Not really a restaurant, basically a walk-up hotdog joint. Been around forever. Fries so greasy they drip through the paper bag. I had my usual—a Polish with peppers plus fries and a large Coke—$4.50. Best deal in town. I usually sit in my car and listen to Rush Limbaugh while I eat. That means the smell of fries stays in my car for several days. I’ll bet I’ve eaten at Parky’s 200 times in the last ten years. 10:47 AM We’re praying for Leif Jonasen who undergoes his stem cell transplant at 4 PM at Northwestern Hospital in Chicago. 10:41 AM Wise words from Michael Knox Beran about the Ten Commandments monument and the execution of Paul Hill. 10:21 AM During my interview with Janet Parshall yesterday, we were discussing God’s sovereignty in light of the Second Law of the Spiritual Life: God doesn’t need us but we desperately need Him. A woman called in and said she had been in the Pentagon when the hijacked plane crashed into it on September 11. In that terrible moment, she realized that she desperately needed God to help her. She wanted everyone to know that that without God, she would never have made it out of the Pentagon alive. Powerful, deeply moving testimony. 8:21 AM Kevin McCullough wrote a column called He’s God—and We’re Not, based in part on my book, that is published today on the popular World Net Daily website. Incidentally, Kevin (along with his new bride Aimee) has moved to New Jersey where he will broadcast a daily talkshow on WMCA, the largest and most influential Christian station in New York City. 8:13 AM The Living Sacrifices verses for today come from Lamentations 3:22-23, “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” Kara Miller wrote today’s devotional. Here’s a quote:

A teacher at a women’s Bible class I attended in New York City offered a prescription for struggles I think is worth telling here. She reminded me to take problems one day at a time. If the problem seems too big or too hard, or too much to pray through, you can handle praying just to make it through today. “Lord give me the strength to handle it today.” Or “I can’t handle it today, but I’m coming to you anyway.” Repeat each day as necessary.

8:09 AM Here’s a prayer request for today from the September Prayer Calendar: “Allied Force starts tonight, and may the ministry have a great spiritual impact upon the youth of our church during this time of their life.” Also praying today for Jane Jacob, deaconess of hospitality, Aletta Bell, our SIM missionary in India, for the men and women in the military, and for the International Students outreach tonight.