Tabletalk Magazine, March 2008: Darkness before the Dawn

by Ligonier Ministries

Publisher:

Ligonier Ministries

, 2008

Overview

Exhaustion. Lost Ambition. Difficulty sleeping and concentrating. Anxious worrying. Irritability. These are all marks of what is commonly called depression. And depression is no less a spiritual matter than physical. There is hope and there is help — resting on the promises of God in Christ Jesus. For this reason, the March 2008 issue of Tabletalk focuses on spiritual depression — its, nature, causes, and cure. Our hope is to provide a brief overview of spiritual depression while also providing helpful suggestions for starting the journey out of it. Getting to the heart of what spiritual depression is, Tabletalk intends to guide its readers through a process of dealing with spiritual depression biblically and effectively.

Contributors include R.C. Sproul along with Jay Adams, Mark Dever, Elyse Fitzpatrick, Richard L. Ganz, Keith A. Mathison, R.C. Sproul Jr.Derek Thomas, Gene Edward Veith, and Edward T. Welch. Tabletalk features articles about topics central to the Christian faith and daily, in-depth Bible studies.

The 2008 Bible studies examines the gospel of Matthew and the Redeemer who saves His people from their sins.

Contents

• "The Dark Night of the Soul" by R. C. Sproul
• "The Heart of Depression" by Edward T. Welch
• "The Gospel of Cure" by Elyse Fitzpatrick
• "A Light in Dark Places" by Derek Thomas
• "This Pornographic Life" by Chris Donato
• "Be Ye Perfect" by Joel R. Beeke
• "Put Off and Put On" by Jerry Bridges
• "The Most Frightening Words" by Tom Ascol
• "Where is your Treasure" by John Petersen
• "Pastor's Perspective" by Richard L. Ganz
• "Pro Ecclesia: For the Church" by Mark Dever
• "Generation to Generation" by Jay Adams
• "Tolle Lege: Take Up and Read" by Keith A. Mathison
• "Seek Ye First" by R. C. Sproul Jr.
• "Truth and Consequences" by Gene Edward Veith

Top Highlights

“A Christian can have joy in his heart while there is still spiritual depression in his head. The joy that we have sustains us through these dark nights and is not quenched by spiritual depression. The joy of the Christian is one that survives all downturns in life.” (Page 6)

“Rather, He simply said that He was the sovereign God, and He could be trusted. Severe suffering is not primarily a time for speculation about causes.” (Page 12)

“All progress in the Christian life depends upon a recapitulation of the original terms of one’s acceptance with God’” (Page 15)

“he wisest way to approach depression is to categorize it as suffering” (Page 13)

“and we have thus underestimated the power and reality of the Gospel” (Page 2)

Praise for the Print Edition

Tabletalk has been a key ingredient in the diet of Christians conscious of their spiritual vitality.

—Michael S. Horton

Month by month, Tabletalk represents an oasis in a desert of false spirituality, mindless Christianity, and vapid conviction. Tabletalk represents theological rigor, biblical Christianity, and authentic Christian devotion. It is an antidote to the world of superficial Christianity. Read it and grow.

—R. Albert Mohler, Jr.

Tabletalk has been a wonderful resource in my own daily walk with the Lord.

—Ravi Zacharias

Product Details

• Title: Tabletalk Magazine, March 2008: Darkness before the Dawn
• Executive Editor: R. C. Sproul
• Editor: Burk Parsons
• Series: Tabletalk
• Publisher: Ligonier Ministries
• Publication Date: March 2008
• Pages: 83

About Ligonier Ministries

R. C. Sproul is founder and president of Ligonier Ministries and president of Ligonier Academy. He also servers as the senior pastor of Saint Andrew’s in Sanford, Fla., and he has written more than seventy books including The Holiness of God, The Intimage Marriage, Essential Truths of the Christian Faith, Following the Cross, and the R. C. Sproul Exposition Collection.

Burk Parsons serves as editor of Tabletalk and associate pastor of Saint Andrew’s in Sanford, Fla., and he is editor of the books Assured by God: Living in the Fullness of God’s Grace and John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine, and Doxology.