Tabletalk Magazine, January 2010: Anxiety and the Sovereignty of God

by Ligonier Ministries

Publisher:

Ligonier Ministries

, 2010

Overview

The January 2010 issue of Tabletalk explores the sovereignty of God in the face of anxiety. Contributors include R.C. Sproul along with E. Calvin Beisner, Steven Lawson, John MacArthur, Ken Myers, Paul David Tripp, and Ed Welch. Tabletalk features articles about topics central to the Christian faith and daily, in-depth Bible studies with featured columns by contributors such as Keith Mathison and Iain Campbell.

The 2010 Bible studies engage in a thematic and biblical-theological study of the Old Testament, looking at various characters, events, practices, and other elements of old covenant religion that are fulfilled in the new covenant.

Contents

• "For My Good?" by R. C. Sproul
• "Thinking Biblically About Worry" by Paul David Tripp
• "Peace That Passes All Understanding" by Ed Welch
• "Bearing One Another's Burdens" by John MacArthur
• "Why The Old Testament?" by Iain D. Campbell
• "The Future Tree of Life" by Ken Jones
• "The New Adam" by Kim Riddlebarger
• "The Indomitable Kingdom" by John P. Sartelle
• "Able to Keep Promises" by John M. Duncan
• "Be Still (And Know That You're Loved)" by R. C. Sproul Jr.
• "Out of Control" by Ken Myers
• "Preach the Word" by Steven J. Lawson
• "Evangelizing Our Children" by E. calvin Beisner
• "Heaven Rejoices" by Keith A. Mathison

Top Highlights

“The difficulties of life in this fallen world are the occasion of our worry, but not the cause” (Page 13)

“Worry is not caused by what exists outside of us. No, worry is caused by what is going on inside of us.” (Page 13)

“As a result of sin, no longer do we attach our inner peace to a God who is the definition of wisdom, power, and love and who will never, ever change. No, without realizing what we have done, we begin to look for identity, meaning and purpose, and our inner sense of well-being horizontally. We look to the broken and ever-changing situations and relationships of this fallen world for our purpose and our inner rest. Things that were not designed to give us peace and over which we have no control become our replacement messiahs. We ask them to do for us what only God is able to do. You see, here is what happens: important things (like family, work, housing, money, etc.) become all too important to us because they become the places we look to for rest.” (Page 14)

“I was looking for a pill. I visited God-my-pharmacist and asked what to take for my anxiety. That’s not the way Scripture works. I should have noticed it when I reduced the passage to a formula. Scripture, instead, is about the triune God. It is about knowing and trusting a person, and our formulas can actually turn us away from that person and cause us to rely on a series of steps.” (Page 21)

“I was meant to live for something vastly bigger than myself. I was created to live for God—His kingdom and His glory. I was designed to get my identity, meaning and purpose, and my inner sense of well-being vertically. I was made to get my reason for doing what I am doing and my rest in the middle of doing it from God. But sin causes every one of us to live for ourselves, that is, to shrink our lives to the size of our lives. Sin causes us to reduce the field of our dreams and concerns down to our wants, our needs, and our feelings. Sin makes us scarily self-focused, self-absorbed, and self-motivated.” (Page 14)

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, January 2010: Anxiety and the Sovereignty of God
• Executive Editor: R. C. Sproul
• Editor: Burk Parsons
• Series: Tabletalk
• Publisher: Ligonier Ministries
• Publication Date:
• 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.