A La Carte (August 3)
Truth for Life (Alistair Begg) is featuring Seasons of Sorrow this month. You can purchase it for just $7 or get it free with a donation of any amount. It has never been easier to get a copy to read for yourself or to give away.
Logos users will want to take a look at this back-to-school sale as well as this month’s free and nearly free books. You’ll also find lots of good discounts on books from Baker Publishing.
There’s once again a nice little list of Kindle deals.
When You Hate Your Body: The Standard of Self-Worth
“When I was growing up, there was a code I lived by: if you have beauty, you have everything. Physical beauty represented inner worth. Even as an adult, I sometimes still believe there is a standard, represented by beauty, which determines my worth as a person. And in my disappointment and despair of not reaching that standard, I tend to eat. For me, body image and food are bound together in a vicious cycle. One represents striving and self-loathing. The other represents self-soothing, desperate for comfort.”
The Secret Meaning of YHWH
Mark Ward responds to those who say there’s a secret meaning behind YHWH (or other secret codes in the Bible).
One of The Weirdest Articles I’ve Ever Written
And while dealing with silly ways of interpreting the Bible, Mike Leake explains why we need to be careful with the way we translate words.
Technology-Mediated Ministry: How Far Is Too Far?
“The church has always employed technology for the advancement of our Great Commission task. From the Apostle Paul’s use of letter writing to the technological marvel of the expansive first-century Roman system of roads to the Reformation’s use of Johann Gutenberg’s printing press, the church has always leveraged the prevailing technology of the day for ministry effectiveness.” Here’s a look at the local church and technology-mediated ministry.
Of the Danger of Embracing Culture
“Sometimes Christians are tempted to compromise as they hope for popularity. The feeling is that, if we can just get folks to think we are a helpful part of our community and we do not cause trouble, we will become the place people in town want to be.”
Joy and Enjoyment
“Christians recognize that our joy is in another world. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t experience and enjoy good things in this world. The presence of good things in this life testifies to the reality of a God who exists and is himself the supreme source of joy. We worship God as we delight in the good blessings his gives and as we allow them to direct our affections to Him.”
Flashback: The Utter Devastation of Sin
What we find as we examine sin and its consequences is that sin leaves a trail behind it…Sin isn’t here for a moment and then gone. No, sin is so evil that it leaves its lingering scent behind.
If I am fully known and not rejected by God, how much more ought I to extend grace to my neighbor, whom I know only in part? —Jen Wilkin
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A La Carte (November 3)
Grace and peace to you, my friends.
Westminster Books is having an Advent Sale on books related to Christmas. There are lots of good choices there.
(Yesterday on the blog: If God Is Not Sovereign…)
How Christians can think about the epidemic of online gambling and sports betting
I guess I’m not the only one who has noticed sports betting suddenly showing up everywhere! “Given the ubiquity of sports betting in our digital society, it is likely that you or someone you know well is gambling or is struggling with addictive behavior. In light of the addictive and predatory nature of gambling, how should the Church respond to this growing epidemic in light of the biblical ethic?”
Don’t let fear of a social gospel put you off doing good works socially
This is important: “Most people don’t actively hate us, they broadly nothing us. But what they do know about us, or think they know about us, is often not positive. Which means we are starting from behind with many people. They aren’t chomping at the bit to hear our gospel message of salvation. Some think they’ve heard it all before (but we know they haven’t) or think they know what we’re about already and aren’t that keen.”
5 Things You Should Know about Justification
William Godfrey: “While this doctrine is of tremendous theological importance and can be a subject of deep scholarly study, here are five truths all God’s people should know about the doctrine of justification.”
Do Paul and Jesus disagree? (Video)
Some people are sure they see disagreements between the teaching of Jesus and Paul. Guy Waters explains why that’s not the case.
Why Do the Theologians Rage?
“We watch Paul’s warning in Galatians 5:15 unfold: ‘But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.’ Hyperbole, straw-manning, and intellectual suspicion poison the tongues of some of our most popular theologians. Why have theological leaders given in to cultural division? What can we do about it?”
Plugged In?
This article employs a metaphor to help us understand why we so desperately need the Holy Spirit.
Flashback: Do You Have the Faith to be Faithful?
Today I want to consider what it means to have an exemplary faith, the kind of faith that, if imitated by others, will lead them to become more like Christ. Do you have that kind of faith? If people imitate you, will they in fact be imitating Jesus? This is no small challenge!The will of God is always good; but the fact is, his will remains always inscrutable to us mere mortals. —Harold Senkbeil
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Weekend A La Carte (August 13)
Westminster Books has deals on a book meant to help you understand theology and one another that is meant to keep pastors from wavering.
(Yesterday on the blog: Tearing Us Apart)
A chat with Carl Trueman
I enjoyed WORLD magazine’s chat with Carl Trueman. Is he really learning the banjo?
How Ordinary Worship Is both Reverent and Relevant
This article lays out two errors in the way churches worship and says “on the surface, these two approaches to worship look very different, yet the reason for gravitating to either is usually the same. Fundamentally, what the searcher is longing for is something extraordinary, an escape from the suffocating ordinariness of their everyday lives. Only once they find that missing piece will they be able to experience the vital and vibrant Christianity that has evaded them thus far.”
5 New Stats You Should Know About Teens and Social Media
“How often does your teen use social media? What social media platforms are most popular among the students in your student ministry? Probably a lot, and probably YouTube and TikTok, according to a new survey from Pew Research Center.” This matters—perhaps especially to those of us who are raising teens.
Can the Devil Make Us Sin?
“How much of an impact does the devil have on our society today? How do we know whether something is an act of Satan or just our sinful nature?”
Look Until You See
Cass explains how she’s been learning to “exercise her wonder muscles.”
The Bible tells us the rest of the story about who we are
David looks to Francis Schaeffer to help us understand how the Bibles makes sense of the world.
Flashback: A Bunch of Good Reasons To Saturate Your Worship Services in the Bible
Just like removing too many elements of a pizza will call into doubt whether something still qualifies as pizza at all, removing too many elements of worship should call into doubt whether something still qualifies as a worship service.If we as Christians are going to address sin, especially in other believers, it’s important that we address it specifically and with biblical categories. —Shai Linne
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A La Carte (September 21)
Good morning from Morocco where I’ve settled in for the second-to-last leg of this journey. It has been a whirlwind, but all is well.
Westminster Books has a book on sale that you’re meant to order before Christmas.
Today’s Kindle deals include a number of interesting books.
(Yesterday on the blog: As Summer Turns to Fall)
Borrowed Strength
This is a tremendous article from Melissa. “I hope God can sort out the desires of my heart, because half the time I can’t even figure out what to hope for in this season. But I do know enough to know this: hope is warranted. Hope is essential and real and it’s different from wishing or dreaming, because real hope built on the person of Jesus.”
Ecclesiological Triage
Most of us have become familiar with the idea of theological triage. But do we also need some ecclesiological triage? Michael Lawrence makes the case for it.
Super Thoughts on Superscripts
Here’s a good article about the superscripts you so often find in the Psalms. Should we pay attention to them? Are they a part of Scripture or later additions?
Is something wrong with me if I don’t feel God’s presence in my suffering?
Sinclair Ferguson answers the question in his characteristically nuanced way.
Fighting for Faith When Doubts Abound
Sarah Walton: “The questions I’ve been asking myself lately are this: Why am I surprised when trials come when we’re told that in this world we will face sorrow and suffering (John 16:33)? Why do I so quickly question God’s goodness, love, and control when I experience the pain of this world or don’t receive the miracle I’m pleading for?”
5 Myths about Mental Illness
Tom Karel addresses a series of myths related to mental illness.
Flashback: No Hand But His Ever Holds the Shears
If it is our loving gardener who does the pruning, we can be sure there are never any unwise or careless cuts. Though we may not know why this branch has had to be trimmed or that one removed, we do know the one who wields the blade.Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength. —Charles Spurgeon
