I once read of a terrible tragedy at sea, a shipwreck in which many were swept into the ocean and lost. As the ship foundered and splintered, as first the lower decks and then the upper succumbed to the winds and the waves, most of the passengers sank into the depths. But still fighting for their lives were a father and son who had been traveling together from the Old World to the New.

As the ship slipped lower and lower, the two scrambled into the rigging and began to climb upwards. But it was to little avail. The rains continued to pour down upon them and the waves continued to pound up against them. Though they clung tightly and with all the strength they had, the elements were set against them and they began to grow cold and weary. It was only a matter of time.
Then the moment came when, to his great horror, the father saw his son lose his grip and plunge into the sea. Before he could do anything more than cry out in grief and horror, a great wave crashed against him and he blacked out. As light gave way to dark, he knew only that his son had fallen and slipped beneath the waves.
Hours later the father, alive but exhausted, was rescued, plucked from the ocean by a passing ship. He was laid in a bunk where he lapsed into a deep unconsciousness. After a good bit of time had passed he awoke with a deep dread in his heart, overwhelmed by the grief of his terrible loss. But as he became aware, as his eyes opened and his senses cleared, he turned his head and saw lying beside him his very own son. What a glorious thing it was for him to wake up to see his son alive and well, saved from the storm, saved from death!
And my friends, what a glorious thing it will be on the day of resurrection when the trumpet blast wakes us from our slumber and when the cry of command calls us from the grave.
What a glorious thing it will be when we wake to find our loved ones beside us, emerging from the same cemeteries—the same plots even—to live forevermore.
What a glorious thing it will be when, like that father and son, we rise to live eternally with so many of our loved ones—those we saw lowered into the cold earth, those to whom we bid a sorrowful farewell, perhaps even those we were sure had been lost forever.
What a glorious thing it will be to rise with them to live forevermore in that place where there will be no more weeping, no more dying, and no more parting—that place where we will dwell in perfect peace and never-ending safety.

This week Free Stuff Friday is sponsored by BJU Seminary. They are giving away their book series “Biblical Discernment for Difficult Issues,” authored by their faculty. BJU Seminary equips Christian leaders through an educational and ministry experience that is biblically shaped, theologically rich, historically significant, and evangelistically robust.

The Glory Due His Name: What God Says About Worship by Gary Reimers
Gary Reimers provides a theology of public worship in The Glory Due His Name. Traditional, contemporary, or blended? Worship philosophy may be the most divisive issue in church leadership today. Many churches simply offer multiple styles. But does worship style also matter to God? Reimers shows what God says about worship. He discusses music and preaching in worship, God’s response to deviant worship, and the characteristics of right and wrong worship. Essential for pastors, worship leaders, and music directors.

The Law and the Christian: God’s Light Within God’s Limits by Ken Casillas
Ken Casillas explores whether Christians are under the law in The Law and the Christian. Reformed theology and theonomy emphasize intertestamental continuity and subjection to the law, but dispensationalism and Lutheranism emphasize discontinuity and freedom. Casillas says Christians are both under and not under the law. He covers differences between Israel and the church, purposes of the law, and non-legalistic ways to apply Old Testament commands. His balanced exposition and interaction with secondary sources will enrich both professional and personal study. This book is essential for expositors.
Upright Downtime: Making Wise Choices About Entertainment by Brian Hand
Brian Hand provides wise counsel for entertainment choices in Upright Downtime. From sports to movies to hobbies, Americans must evaluate multiple entertainment options. Libertines insist that all entertainment is neutral or good; ascetics insist that most, if not all, is evil. Hand provides a balanced biblical theology of entertainment. He shows entertainment’s dangers, its purposes, and its place in a biblical theology of humanity. He also measures his criteria by a reading of Ecclesiastes and evaluates television as a test case. Essential for parents and educators.

Handling Earthly Treasure: Biblical Certainties about Money by Alan Patterson
In Handling Earthly Treasure, Alan Patterson presents a biblical view of finances. The familiar warning “The love of money is the root of all evil” is often repeated as Scripture’s definitive word about finances; but God has much more to say about money—its purpose, its pitfalls, and its proper use. Patterson shares biblical truth on issues such as giving, owning property, borrowing and lending, financial planning, profiting from a business, and responding to poverty. In a world consumed with personal gain and faced with significant economic challenges, this book serves as a timeless resource for believers—a Bible-based guide to making wise decisions about money.
Enter Here

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you today.
Today’s Kindle deals include a few new options for collectors.
(Yesterday on the blog: The Night Is Far Gone)

This is a really good article with a really good point to make. “We are responsible for the fields of our lives, for the tending of their soil and for the seeds that we plant within them. Unless we are vigilant in weeding our lives, in taking care over the seeds planted within them, and in inspecting what each seed yields, it may not take long for our entire characters to be overrun by error or made barren and fruitless.”

Lara has a sweet article for those whose fathers may have been unfatherly. “This is our Heavenly Father. Though our earthly dads were meant to reflect him, he in no way mirrors them. Take courage, and run with abandon to the open arms of your Father. He is not like the great mighty stars piercing the blackness of the sky, distant and making you feel insignificant and small. He is the father running toward the prodigal and commanding feasts and celebration over him.”

Kathryn Butler explains what hospice care is and what we should expect when a loved one enters into it.

The struggles and suffering of those who experience panic attacks is real. This article explains some of the basics.

This may be a helpful resource for your church—an explanation of how and why to write a mission policy. It includes a very good example of one.

This is an in-depth look at how a wolf attacked a church and the tactics he used. It’s helpful reading for any church leader or member.

We judge other people’s actions with the harshest of measures but treat our own with the softest. After all, we tend to grow fond of our sins, and especially those besetting sins. 

It is not as important to God that we understand his purposes in a particular providence as it is that we trust in his character.
—Jon Bloom