Any questions on prayer for Joel Beeke?

January 26, 2011 David Murray 9 comments

Tim Challies and I will be interviewing Joel Beeke tomorrow for the first in the new season of Connected Kingdom podcasts. Dr Beeke has recently published two books on prayer, and will be speaking on the same subject at the Desiring God conference next week. So if you have any questions about prayer, submit them today in the comments below, or via Twitter (@davidpmurray) or Facebook.

New films and new website

January 26, 2011 David Murray 2 comments

The Head Heart Hand Media website has been updated with new design and content. Check out CrossReference, our upcoming series of short films on Christ in the Old Testament, or read about God’s Windows: A Beginner’s Guide to Covenant Theology.

Psalm 2: The First (and last) World War

January 25, 2011 David Murray 0 comments

Theme: The Lord offers peace to his enemies before he defeats them

I. The Lord has multiple enemies (1-3)

A. Multiple enemies (1-2b)

1. The nations rage against Him (1a)
2. The peoples plot against Him (1b)
3. The kings stand against Him (2a)
4. The rulers conspire against Him (2b)

B. One aim: Destroy the Lord’s lordship (2c-3)

II. The Lord will defeat His enemies (4-9)

A. His defense (4-6)

1. He sits in heaven(4a)
2. He scorns their weakness (4b)
3. He speaks of His King (5-6)

B. His decree (7-8)

1. The parties of the decree (7)
2. The promise of the decree (8)

C. Their defeat (9)

III. The Lord offers peace to His enemies (10-12)

A. Be wise citizens (10)
B. Be reverent servants (11)
C. Be loving sons (12a)
D. Be blessed refuge-takers (12c)

Mining the Psalms, ThM course at PRTS, March 7-10.

Psalm 1: The Great Divide

January 24, 2011 David Murray 2 comments

Theme: God will make the present spiritual division permanent

I. The Wise Man (1-3)
A. He lives a separated life (1)
B. He loves the word of God (2)
C. He’s like a fruitful evergreen tree (3)

II. The Foolish Man (4-5)
A. He’s like the wind-blown chaff (4)
B. He’s legless in judgment (5a)
C. He’s left out of God’s family (5b)

III. The All-Knowing God (6)
A. He knows how to keep the wise (6a)
B. He knows how to destroy the foolish (6b)

Mining the Psalms, ThM course at PRTS, March 7-10.

Children’s Bible Reading Plan (17)

January 22, 2011 David Murray 0 comments

Here’s next week’s Morning & Evening Bible Reading plan.
And here’s the single use Bible Reading plan, with just one reading per day
Click on the Bible Reading tab below for all past downloads.

3 reasons not to delegate

January 21, 2011 David Murray 0 comments

Most of us under-delegate. Whitney Johnson, however, argues over-delegation can also be a problem – in three particular situations:

1. Are you struggling to explain precisely what you want the delegatee to do?
“…if you can’t articulate what problem needs to be solved, or exactly what needs to be done, it’s usually best to wait to assign responsibility for a task until you can.”

2. Are you putting your own development or ability to lead in jeopardy by delegating?
“Delegation taken to its extreme creates the bubble that typically surrounds high-ranking political leaders. A recent column in the Wall Street Journal, The Special Assistant for Reality, explores President Obama’s failure to understand the backlash around the airport body searches. As author Peggy Noonan comments, ‘Wherever you go, there [the bubble] is. And the worst part is that the army of staff, security and aides that exists to be a barrier between a president and danger, or a president and inconvenience, winds up being a barrier between a president and reality.’”

3. Are you potentially undermining a project’s success by delegating?
You are not simply the best person for the job. You are the only person.

Read the full explanation here.