The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you today.

What Is the “Common Good”?
You’ve probably hard the term “the common good.” Andrew Walker explains what it is and why it matters for ethics.
The Basis for Confession
Aubrynn tells how a service she attended took an unexpected but beneficial turn. “When we got to the time of confession and assurance, I was struck by something unexpected: this part of the service was ‘backwards’.”
Doctrine for Life
Human Nature in its Fourfold State. The Crook in the Lot. Notes on the Marrow of Modern Divinity. Read these riveting experiential classics in The Complete Works of Thomas Boston to learn how theology can your life. (Sponsored Link)
What Is Calvinism? A Simple Explanation of Its Terms, History & Tenets
“Calvinism is not a church or a denomination. Calvinism is not even (just) a system of doctrine. Instead, Calvinism is a broad religious tradition with certain shared views and points of emphasis. It is doctrinal, churchly, and activistic. Calvinism teaches that the glory and sovereignty of God should come first in all things. Calvinism believes that only God can lead his church—in preaching, worship, and government.”
Finding freedom from freedom
“We live in what Charles Taylor calls a ‘culture of Authenticity,’ one where the primary values are autonomy, individuality, authenticity, and freedom. Which, since some churches talk about freedom a lot, can be confusing, because I’m not sure we mean the same thing. The freedom our churches talk about is the kind where you get to choose the good, the freedom our culture talks about is the kind where you to choose what the good is.”
Biblical Hope Is a Solid Certainty
Randy Alcorn: “To many of us, ‘hope’ sounds wishful and tentative, but biblical hope means to anticipate with trust. We expect a sure thing, purchased on the cross, accomplished and promised by an all-knowing God. Scripture offers solid ground for our hope in Christ.”
When You Are Done But God Is Not
“Your oldest child heads off to college. A friend you led to Christ and have been discipling moves over 1,000 miles away. Your work contract ends and those you have seen and witnessed to daily for years fade from your life. Our time on earth often passes in cycles—family cycles, ministry cycles, and work cycles. We go from one phase to the next.” Here’s some help on God’s care for us through life changes.
Flashback: Joy Is for the Generous
Money may not be able to purchase the greatest and deepest joy, but it can still generate it. The joy is there for the taking. The joy is there for the giving. The joy is for the generous.

Behavioral compliance to rules without heart-change will be superficial and fleeting. —Tim Keller

Westminster Books has identified some of their summer new and noteworthy books and put them on sale. There are some good books available.

Today’s Kindle deals include a bit of a mish-mash!
Becoming Writers Who Write the Truth Beautifully
“How do we grow to become writers who both write the truth and write it beautifully?” Lara has a wonderful reflection on this.
Involving Ourselves in Every Controversy?
“Part of the pernicious underbelly of the internet is that many allow themselves to be drawn into controversies about which they have no need to involve themselves. For many years, I too wanted juicy details about whatever controversy was swirling around in evangelical and Reformed circles.” This is an important topic.
Gospel-Driven Benevolence with Charles Spurgeon
Part theology and part biography, Spurgeon and the Poor examines how the Prince of Preachers’ belief that gospel preaching and soul-winning should be the church’s primary mission drove his mercy ministry. (Sponsored Link)
Will AI Help or Harm Content Creation?
“I’ll tell you at the beginning that I don’t know the answer to that question. But I do know that as with every tool, the wise and the foolish will use it differently. Therefore, whether it helps or harms content creation will be determined by which path we take. Will we take the path of fools or the path of the wise?”
Rejecting Your Maker Means Rejecting Your True Identity
“Society has jettisoned belief in God. When you reject your Maker, you reject the one who establishes your identity. People, though, naturally want to belong. They crave to connect with a community of people who share their values and feelings. With the Maker gone, there’s an identity vacuum that begs for a new way to view oneself. It makes sense that the concept of gender identity was born.” Alan Shlemon explains.
Make Sure You Don’t Join a Sexular Church
Stephen McAlpline: “The Sexular Age just keeps rolling on. Rolling on like waves on a beach. Tsunami waves. Crashing into a church near you. Let me explain.”
You asked: Why Visit Israel?
Lisa offers a few good reasons to consider a visit to Israel (for those for whom it’s possible).
Flashback: When God Seems Deaf To Our Cries
Joseph…died in peace and at a ripe old age, only because God had known better than to grant the most immediate answer to his most urgent prayers.

We see hardly one inch of the narrow lane of time. To our God, eternity lies open as a meadow. —Amy Carmichael

As you know, I like to do my best to sort through the new Christian books that are released each month to see what stands out as being not only new, but also particularly notable. I received quite a number of new titles in March and narrowed the list down to the ones below. I have included the editorial description for each. I hope there’s something here that catches your eye!

Resilient Faith: Learning to Rely on Jesus in the Struggles of Life by Lewis and Sarah Allen. “Authors Lewis and Sarah Allen propose that while the world may teach us one way to approach challenges, there is a better way—complete dependence on Christ and pursuit of wise living. With the help of the Holy Spirit, Christians are able to live more joy-filled lives in the midst of adversity. In a conversational and personal tone, the Allens walk through key biblical passages as they relate to challenges and share stories, case studies, and illustrations to encourage us to rely on Christ and commit to his church in the battle of Christian life.” (Buy it at Amazon)
When God Seems Gone: Finding Hope When Nothing Makes Sense by Adam Mabry. “What do you do when it feels like God isn’t there—when the state of the world, our own suffering, or the struggles of those we know suggest that God is absent? When you’ve experienced soul-crushing silence from heaven, despite your fervent supplications. Using the book of Habakkuk, as well as his own personal experience of deep suffering, Adam Mabry examines the art of lament—how to cry out to God in desperation from a place of faith and hope. At the end, there are practical suggestions for what you can do to keep faith even in times of darkness and doubt. Readers will learn that God is big enough and good enough to handle hard questions and that his sovereign silence is filled with purpose for their lives. They will be encouraged to keep trusting God even when he seems silent, slow, unfair, different, or wrong.” (Buy it at Amazon)
Come and See: The Journey of Knowing God through Scripture by Jonathan Pennington. “In Come and See, Jonathan Pennington helps readers understand what it means to know God from the Bible and details 3 effective approaches to interpreting Scripture. Using the engaging analogy of a road trip, he introduces 3 friends who each have distinct, clear ways of navigating the Bible: informational (understanding genres in Scripture and avoiding exegetical mistakes); theological (reading canonically, traditionally, and creedally); and transformational (focusing on the goal of reading Scripture, our posture as readers, and the role of the Holy Spirit). Pennington gives detailed advice for employing all 3 reading modes, equipping readers to gain wisdom and know God better.” (Buy it at Amazon)
Mental Health and Your Church: A Handbook for Biblical Care by Helen Thorne & Steve Midgley. “Many people are struggling with mental-health conditions, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and life in our image-conscious culture. Statistics tell us that, worldwide, one in six of us will have experienced a mental-health struggle in the past week, and serious depression is the second-leading cause of disability (Mental Health Foundation). That means there are brothers and sisters in our church families battling with thoughts, feelings, impulses, and even voices that distract, drag down, and nudge them towards despair. But when it comes to helping, it can be tricky to know where to begin, especially if we have very little knowledge of mental illnesses and are afraid of making things worse by saying and doing the wrong things. This wise, compassionate, and practical book … will help readers understand and respond with biblical wisdom to people who are struggling with their mental health. While acknowledging the importance of liaising responsibly with medics and counsellors, this book focuses on equipping readers to play their part in making churches places where those who struggle with mental-health conditions are welcomed, understood, nurtured, and supported: a foretaste of the new creation.” (Buy it at Amazon)
Male and Female He Created Them: A Study on Gender, Sexuality, & Marriage by Denny Burk,Colin Smothers and David Closson. “Male & Female He Created Them is a study on gender, sexuality, and marriage. Authored by Denny Burk, David Closson, and Colin Smothers, it presents a biblical vision for contested issues such as homosexuality, transgenderism, and marriage. By the completion of this book, readers will have a better grasp on the Bible’s teaching about our identities as male and female, created in the image of God, and know how to apply Scripture to these issues in their ministries at church, home, and work.” (Buy it at Amazon)
Pride: Identity and the Worship of Self by Matthew P. W. Roberts. “Our culture is obsessed with identity and it has been the cause of tense interaction with (and within) the Church. Rather than being a new challenge to the Christian faith, however, the identity issue is a very old one; it is fundamentally one of idolatry. Who we are, who we think we are, and how God in Christ restores our knowledge of ourselves in covenant with him, are central Biblical themes. But these things will only appear with clarity if we have the courage to tackle the idolatries of our own age at the root, and stand true to our calling as Christians to worship God and him alone.” (Buy it at Amazon)
Biblical Theology: A Canonical, Thematic, and Ethical Approach by Andreas J. Köstenberger and Gregory Goswell. “In this clear, logical guide, Andreas J. Köstenberger and Gregory Goswell explain how to interpret Scripture from three effective viewpoints: canonical, thematic, and ethical. Biblical Theology is arranged book by book from the Old Testament (using the Hebrew order) through the New Testament. For each text, Kostenberger and Goswell analyze key biblical-theological themes, discussing the book’s place in the overall storyline of Scripture. Next, they focus on the ethical component, showing how God seeks to transform the lives of his people through the inspired text. Following this technique, readers will better understand the theology of each book and its author.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
Darkest Night Brightest Day: A Family Devotional for the Easter Season by Marty Machowski. “Start a new Easter season tradition with your family by reading this beautifully illustrated “upside-down” book from Marty Machowski that includes fourteen Bible stories. The first side, Darkest Night, has seven stories that recount the events of Passion week ending with Christ’s crucifixion and burial. Flip the book over and continue by reading Brightest Day with seven more stories that progress from Christ’s resurrection through Pentecost. Children are sure to remember the contrast between the darkness at the death of our Lord and the light-filled events from Christ’s resurrection onward. Machowski weaves each Gospel account together into one harmonized story and provides questions for family discussion. Focusing on the main events the week of the crucifixion, Darkest Night is designed for families to read one story each day, beginning on Palm Sunday. Once the week ends, they will start with Brightest Day on Easter Sunday. The stories for the week following Easter recount appearances of Jesus after the resurrection, his ascension, and Pentecost. This beautiful hardback book, illustrated by Phil Shorr, is sure to become a treasured favorite of the family to be used every Easter as a reminder of how God turned the darkest night into the brightest day.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
The Preeminent Christ: God’s Beautiful and Unchanging Gospel by Paul Washer. “In The Preeminent Christ, Paul Washer declares the unmatched significance of the good news of Jesus Christ. Compelled by a desire for men to know God’s love, Washer draws from the church’s greatest theologians to herald Christ’s centrality in revelation, salvation, sanctification, study, proclamation, and glory. The Preeminent Christ will stimulate readers to forsake their tendency to view worldly “needs” as central by zealously seeking this Christ in the gospel. Contents 1. A Prolegomenon 2. An Apology 3. The Essential Content of the Gospel 4. The Same Gospel through the Ages 5. The Preeminence of the Gospel 6. The Preeminent Revelation of God 7. The Preeminent Message of Salvation 8. The Preeminent Means of Sanctification 9. The Preeminent Subject of Study 10. The Preeminent Subject of Preaching 11. The Preeminent Subject of Glorying 12. A Warning against the Neglect of the Gospel 13. Final Exhortation.” (Buy it at Amazon)
Never Cast Out: How the Gospel Puts an End to the Story of Shame by Jasmine Holmes. “Body shaming. Marriage shaming. Single shaming. Mom shaming. Lifestyle shaming. Religious shaming. It seems no matter which direction we turn, women can’t shake the shame that is constantly piled on top of us. Author and podcaster Jasmine L. Holmes knows this struggle all too well. Though shame has been a constant companion (and even a snare) throughout her life, God has broken the chains of shame in Jasmine’s life through the power of the gospel. In this Christ-centered, empowering book, prepare to discover: The story of shame—where it comes from, what it is, what makes it different from guilt or conviction, and why it’s so pervasive; The problem with shame—why the typical methods of throwing off shame don’t actually work; The end of shame—how Jesus puts an end to shame by offering a better covering, a better image, and a better message than the world can; The way to fight shame—how to use practical and powerful ways to fight shame in daily life, breaking its chains in the power of the gospel and resting in the One who has taken all your shame away for good.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
God Alone: His Unique Attributes and How Knowing Them Changes Us by Jonathan Griffiths. “We are living in a me-focused, treat-yourself world—a world that oppressively encourages us to focus on ourselves. But a life turned inward–rather than focused on God—brings peril and confusion. When we fail to know God properly, we become selfish and hopeless. But a renewed understanding of who God is changes that. Pastor Jonathan Griffiths shows us how God Alone can transform us at a root level. With pastoral warmth and heart, Griffiths shows us the character of God in all His beauty and goodness. Readers will gain knowledge of God’s attributes—that He is eternal, all-knowing, and all-wise. Readers discover what it means that God is omnipotent, unchanging, and omnipresent. And through this knowledge, trust, hope, and joy emerge. Confidence grows when we have a robust understanding of God’s love. This book is both a plea for the people of God to know Him intimately and, at the same time, an invitation to those who do not yet know Him—come and experience the wonderful, beautiful, powerful God revealed in Scripture.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
2,000 Years of Christ’s Power Vol. 5: The Age of Enlightenment and Awakening by Nick Needham. “In many ways, I confess I do not feel especially at home in the Age of Reason. My personal roots are far more among those of the Early Church. Still, I gladly admit I cannot help feeling my heart kindled as I read about the mighty deeds wrought in and through the Evangelical preachers of that age. Thoroughly researched with beautifully linked arguments, biographies, context and discussions, Needham provides a riveting text: balancing fact and understanding in the wisdom of experience. The book offers a wealth of knowledge for pastors, missionaries, students and professors as they pursue their own education into the response of Christians during the 18th century towards these shifts in the tides of the affairs of men. Covering the period bracketing the Enlightenment Nick Needham’s new volume in the 2000 Years of Christ’s Power series, covers the social, economic, political and evangelical changes across two continents.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
Daily Devotions with Herman Bavinck: Believing and Growing in Christian Faith by Donald K. McKim. “Herman Bavinck (1854–1921) was a significant Reformed theologian whose importance continues to this day. In eighty-four brief devotional readings accompanied by Scripture, Donald McKim explores Bavinck’s thought in order to deepen readers’ understanding and faith.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)