That’s a question we should be able to answer for ourselves and for anyone who asks. It’s a yes or no question, and on the basis of Scripture we must say, “Yes! There is a way to God, and that way is Christ.”

Here’s R.C. Sproul’s answer to the question:

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HT: JT

Sunday morning’s sermon, “Like Newborn Infants…” was about our need for the Bible. We need the Bible like infants need milk. This requires the devotion of our time to actually reading our Bibles.

Few people could say that same thing better than D.A. Carson. Here’s an excerpt from his book, Love in Hard Places.

“Christians must recapture the Bible-reading habits of some earlier generations. . . . The impact of the cultural pressures upon us, not least from the media, is so devastatingly great that only a mind steeped in thinking God’s thoughts after him will begin to withstand the onslaught. What this demands of every believer who can red is devoted, reverent  disciplined reading and rereading of the Word of God, a reading discharged in an attitude of eager attentiveness. And what such reading presupposes is time. I am not trying to impose a new legalism. I am sadly aware that it is possible to read the Bible a gerat deal and merely become self-righteous or wallow in unbelief; but I doubt that it is possible to obey the fist command without reading the Bible a great deal.”

In this post we would like to link to a number of helpful articles, books, and resources for helping you read your Bible better. Each book mentioned below is available at Amazon, with a link provided, but also at DSC within a dollar or two of Amazon pricing at the Book Nook.

Bibles and Bible Study Helps

• If you have a commute or time for listening in general, there are several ways to listen to the Bible. Check out the ESV Bible online or download audio from Faith Comes By Hearing.
• There are many fine translations, but at DSC we use the ESV Bible published by Crossway, available online, or at DSC for 40% off at the Book Nook.
• Bible study booklets can also be helpful for helping walk you through a book of the Bible with thoughtful questions. The “John Stott Bible Study” series is worth checking out, along with Crossway’s new, “Knowing the Bible” series.

Resources for those who aren’t Christians

• If you are new to the Bible, start with the book of John.
• For some, an introduction to the Bible’s basic message and teaching will be especially helpful. Two great first reads are, John Stott’s, Basic Christianity, and, J.I. Packer’s, Knowing God.
• For a brief online presentation of the heart of the Bible, the gospel message, check out “Two Ways to Live.”

Bible Reading Plans

• For the Love of God (Vol. 1, Vol. 2) is a two volume series of books written by D.A. Carson providing daily reading to supplement the M’Cheyne reading plan. This plan assigns reading to days, so it is the easiest to begin this plan at the head of the year, but you could also jump in now.
• For a reading plan without dates assigned, look into The Bible Reading Record, by Don Whitney. It’s a simple list of every chapter in the Bible. With this, you can read at whatever pace you like and keep track of what you’ve read until you’re through the Bible.

Encouragement for Reading the Bible

• For a great introduction to the delights and effects of God’s Word, listen to Ryan’s sermon on Psalm 1, “If You Wanna Be Happy for the Rest of Your Life…,” or Psalm 19, “God’s Words – Better Than Gold!“
• Here are two articles that may help whet your appetite for the Bible: “How to Read the Bible: A Beginner’s Guide,” by Fred Zaspel, and, “Dr. Seuss and Good Bible Reading,” by Jason Lee.
• Jonathan Leeman’s book, Reverberation: How God’s Word Brings Light, Freedom, and Action to His People, will help you think more biblically about the Bible in your life and the life of the church.
• David Helm’s book, One-to-One Bible Study: A Simple Guide for Every Christian, will help you read the Bible more and better with other people.
• If you have struggled with Bible reading in general, read Ryan’s article, “How’s Your Bible Reading Going?,” and if you’re a mom with young kids and changing possibilities with your time, starting with reading this new mom’s testimony and this good advice from Don Whitney.
• Two chapters in John Piper’s, When I Don’t Desire God: How to Fight for Joy, are well worth the cost of the book. Chapter seven, “The Worth Of God’s Word In The Fight For Joy: Seeing The Measure Of This Mighty Weapon,” and chapter eight, “How To Wield The Word In The Fight For Joy: Musing, Memorizing, And The Message Of God.

Help for Interpreting the Bible

• The ESV Study Bible includes a number of excellent articles, introductions to Biblical books, and commentary across Scripture.
• In his article, “Hearing the Music of the Gospel: Christ-Centered Bible Study,” Keith Johnson helps us think carefully about how to read Scripture with the big picture of Christ in view.
• There are many books that help us get a sense for the Bible’s background, books that help us see its big picture, and books that outline principles for interpreting Scripture. Here are a few examples: How to Read the Bible Book by Book: A Guided Tour, by Gordon Fee, Douglas Stuart. According to Plan: The Unfolding Revelation of God in the Bible, by Graeme Goldsworthy. God’s Big Picture: Tracing the Storyline of the Bible, by Vaughn Roberts. The God Who Is There: Finding Your Place in God’s Story, by D. A. Carson; The Message of the Old Testament: Promises Made, and The Message of the New Testament: Promises Kept, by Mark Dever; Survey of the Old Testament, and Survey of the New Testament, by Paul Benware; Dig Deeper: Tools for Understanding God’s Word, by Nigel Beynon and Andrew Sach; 40 Questions about Interpreting the Bible, by Robert Plummer.
• John Piper is a reliable pastor and theologian with an almost silly amount of material published to the web. Stop by Desiring God to search by Scripture for material written or preached by John Piper.
• For more help on specific subjects related to the Bible, or for help in reading the Bible in general, stop by the Resources Page for recommendations.

There are many ways in which we should not be like babies, but there is at least one way in which we must. In Sunday’s sermon, “Like Newborn Infants…,” Ryan drew out the comparison that Peter makes between infants and Christians 1 Peter 2:2, “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk [of the Word].” As those who are born of the Word, Christians should cultivate and feed an appetite for the Scriptures so that we long for Scripture as much as we really do need it.

Here’s how C.H. Spurgeon put it:

“Oh, that you and I might get into the very heart of the Word of God, and get that Word into ourselves! As I have seen the silkworm eat into the leaf, and consume it, so ought we to do with the Word of the Lord—not crawl over its surface, but eat right into it till we have taken it into our in most parts. It is idle merely to let the eye glance over the words, or to recollect the poetical expressions, or the historic facts; but it is blessed to eat into the very soul of the Bible.”

If you have struggled with Bible reading in general, read Ryan’s article, “How’s Your Bible Reading Going?,” for a reflection on some of the reasons we have a hard time sticking with the Bible. Then, pick up the Bible and feed, remembering Jesus’ own words, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).

Church discipline is that loving process whereby God, through his people, addresses us in our sin for our restoration to him, to his people, and for his glory. Church discipline assumes a corporate aspect to our growth in godliness. It includes the most normal and easy of conversations with one another about how we may grow in faithfulness to God, but it may include any one of several steps outlined by Jesus in Matthew 18:15–18,

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.”

Since we’re all sinners, we should all expect to find ourselves on both sides of this process throughout the course of our Christian lives. But we should all pray for ourselves and for one another that we never see the later stages of this process, and for God’s grace to repent if we do. It should be clear that the issue that moves any of us from one step to another is not the initial sin we’ve committed but the sin of refusing to repent and turn to God.

So important is this process for the purity and health of the church that we have included a paragraph expressing our commitment to this in the DSC Covenant of Fellowship.

I expect and trust that as I lax in my commitment to these principles this body at Desert Springs Church will hold me accountable with reproof, rebuke and exhortation to keep me faithful to the commitment that I am making; and furthermore, as I commit myself to this fellowship, I realize that I am entrusted with the same obligation of mutual exhortation and encouragement. If I ever continue in my sin without true repentance, and do not hear the pleas and rebukes of my brothers and sisters in Christ, I implore this body to seek my spiritual restoration in proceeding in the steps of restoration and purity given by Jesus in Matthew 18:15-20.

If you would like to further explore the subject of church discipline, here are a few resources to check out:

• “A Redemptive Judgment,” a sermon by Ryan Kelly
• “A Primer on Church Discipline,” a previous post at the DSC Blog
• Church Discipline: How the Church Protects the Name of Jesus, a book by Jonathan Leeman (Available at the Book Nook)
• “Discipline,” a short video and article at 9Marks Ministries
• “What are the benefits of practicing church discipline?,” an article by Mark Dever
• “Why is “discipline” not a negative but a positive thing?,”  an article by Mark Dever
• “Can church members simply resign their membership in order to avoid church discipline?,” an article by Jonathan Leeman

“A Prayer about the Entanglements of Pornography” (Scotty Smith)

Here’s a heartfelt and helpful prayer for those ensnared in the destructive sin of pornography.

“The Boston Bombers Were Outside Their House” (Matt Smethurst)

The shoot out that took down Suspect #1 happened right outside the home of believers, Stephen and Emily McAlpin. Here’s their story.

“The Explosion in Texas and Fatherhood” (Grant Castleberry)

Over at the new CBMW site, Grant Castleberry reflects on the death of his father, fatherlessness, and tragedies like last week’s explosion in West Texas.

“Courtroom horror” (World Magazine)

Andrée Seu Peterson, reporting on the Gosnell murder trial, reflects on a conversation with her 81 year old mother to show the moral contradiction in the legality of abortion.

“How Mollie Hemingway Introduced the Nation to Kermit Gosnell” (Trevin Wax)

Trevin Wax shows how the Gosnell story gained traction in the mainstream media.

“Get to Church Early” (Joe Thorn)

Chicago area pastor, Joe Thorn, gives us some good reasons to make a priority of being on time to church.

“The Legacy of John Piper in the Lives of Real People” (Desiring God)

After 33 years at Bethlehem Baptist Church, John Piper has retired from his preaching post, though not from ministry. Here’s a nice video tribute put together by his church.

“Thanks to the Bethlehem Staff” (John Piper)

Also related to Piper’s retirement, here’s a encouraging read. This is a personal thank you from Pastor Piper to his staff.

“The Mystery of the Tiny Door in a Tree” (Joe Rosato, Jr.)

Five dollars from me personally (Trent Hunter) to anyone to visits this tree and brings home a picture of themselves in front of it.