A La Carte (February 19)
Good morning from Kansas City. This is a good time of year to escape the cold and snow of Toronto, but sadly it’s not much better here!
If you’re wondering what new books are coming out, Westminster Books has deals on pre-orders for some of the best of them.
Today’s Kindle deals include books on marriage, politics, Revelation, and more.
“As parents we’re always in the business of striking a balance between permission and caution. We want to be wise in the things that we allow our children to experience in life because, let’s face it, the world can be a scary place.” Yet it’s important you don’t allow your fears to hold your kids back.
I think what Trevin writes here is extremely important. “Here’s one of the the under-discussed realities behind the infighting and controversies we see in churches, denominations, and networks today: we’ve yet to learn how to coexist and do ministry together in a digital age.”
You’ll enjoy reading about “full-circle prayers.” Be sure to look for them in your own life!
Mitch writes about Deuteronomy 29:29 and those things that God keeps secret.
David explains some of what he has learned about building habits that last. He says, “If there’s anything I’ve learned about building habits over the years, it’s this: frequency is more important than length.”
Wyatt Graham takes a deep look at John Mark Comer’s view of God and expresses some key concerns. “Comer himself writes and teaches without tying himself to any specific tradition. As he says in Practicing the Way, a Jesuit priest functions as his spiritual life director. Thus, it’s no surprise he regularly cites a potpourri of Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestant or evangelical sources to explain God. Yet he does so without demonstrating a keen understanding of the doctrine of God each of those traditions presents. The result is a doctrine that feels as eclectic as his citations do.”
I have learned that I should pursue friendships out of love for my family. I am a better husband to my wife and a better father to my children when I have meaningful friendships with others.
Regardless of what we think or feel, there is no authentic worship of God without a right knowledge of God.
—Bob Kauflin
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A La Carte (July 31)
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you today, my friends.
There are lots of good books coming our way this fall. Westminster Books has a Fall Pre-Order Sale going on that allows you to get them at a discount.
There are a few new Kindle deals today. You may also want to scroll down to the bottom of the page to look at the deals that have been valid through July and, hence, are coming to an end tonight. There are some interesting general market deals to consider as well, among them Cal Newport’s not-Christian but still helpful Deep Work.Kevin DeYoung lists and briefly explains 10 errors we need to carefully avoid when talking about sanctification and the gospel.
Writing for Desiring God, Joann Pittman offers a historical look at Christianity’s explosive growth in China. She also makes several observations about its particular strengths.
As the world watches Olympic athletes compete for gold, Ligonier Ministries is raising a question of eternal significance: Are you running the race of faith? A free ebook by R.C. Sproul hones in on this question and presents an accessible summary of the gospel. Download The Race of Faith and share this digital resource in 15 languages to start evangelistic conversations or encourage Christians in their faith. (Sponsored)
Mission House has been releasing some excellent music. I think you’ll enjoy this new one titled “Faith More Precious Than Gold.”
Brad Hambrick: “There is nothing easy about overcoming an addiction. As we explore what would be the hardest part of this process, I want to be careful not to minimize other parts of the journey. But when you talk to people who were once slaves to substance abuse and are now experiencing significant freedom, a common refrain emerges when you ask: What was the hardest part of your journey?” It may not be what you think.
Bob Kellemen explains the three different “generations” of the modern biblical counseling movement and explains why it’s important for counselors to locate themselves within them.
“Have you ever wondered whether there will be repentance in hell? Should we imagine that those in hell will eventually cry out to God for salvation, only to have their cries rejected? Will they plead for his redemption, pledge themselves to him, and renounce their wickedness, only to have their desperate cries met with divine contempt?”
Joseph was a man of faith, a man who chose to believe God’s word and obey God’s direction, a man whose decision to accept Mary was also a decision to share her shame.
He that is more frequently in his pulpit to his people, than he is in his closet for his people, is but a sorry watchman.
—John Owen -
A La Carte (January 26)
The God of love and peace be with you on this fine day.
There’s a good little collection of Kindle deals for you to explore today.
(Yesterday on the blog: On Letting Your Kids Go)
A decade of musical worship
This is a very helpful series of reflections on congregational singing.
Do You Need Counseling? 6 Questions to Help You Discern
Eliza Huie: “If you’ve ever wondered if you might benefit from counseling, here are six questions to determine the answer.”
That Succinct Single-Sentence Summary
“What is the difference between one sentence and half an hour? That is a key question in preaching.” Peter Mead explains.
The Bible of “Trumpists”? Hardly.
“Over the weekend, sociologist Samuel Perry raised eyebrows by suggesting that the ESV is the official Bible translation for ‘Trumpists.’” Denny Burk responds to that ridiculous charge with a helpful post on Bible translations.
Matthew Anderson’s Rules For Success in the Ministry
I really enjoyed this one. “In his autobiographical Presbyterianism: Its Relation to the Negro, Anderson is careful to ascribe all of his success in the ministry to the good hand of God upon him, and to certain rules that he followed in his pastoral career. Here is the list of rules that guided Matthew Anderson’s ministry…”
How a Pagan Philosopher Came to Believe the Scriptures are from God
“It is noteworthy that throughout the history of the church many Christians have ascertained the divine origins of the Bible in yet another way: they read it. Rather than being persuaded through a deep dive into the historical evidences, many have come to believe the Bible is from God by observing its distinctive character and power.”
Flashback: A Message for Young Men
From the day he laid eyes on his beautiful little girl, he knew he would some day lead her down a church aisle to place her hand in another man’s. And so he began to pray for him.No matter where you have been, what you have done, or what has been done to you, the grace of God can wash you clean, consecrate you as his child, and restore what sin has stolen. —Garrett Kell
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Weekend A La Carte (May 4)
I’m thankful to Zondervan Reflective for sponsoring the blog this week to make sure you know about Jared Wilson’s book The Storied Life: Christian Writing as Art and Worship. I plan to read it myself!
Westminster Books is offering a pre-launch discount on a new book by Courtney Doctor. You’ll also find discounts on two new books by Vern Poythress.
There are a few new Kindle deals this morning.
(Yesterday on the blog: Choose Better)Somewhere along the line, we determined that bored is bad. But maybe it’s time to start recovering boredom.
“Brian Cox is a brilliant actor, but I suspect he needs some direction when it comes to understanding the Bible. He is angry at the Bible. Cox is raging against the Bible.” Murray Campbell explains why Cox is so far off-base.
I tend to agree with Samuel here, that there’s really no good reason to use TikTok. And yes, he deals with the argument that Christians ought to be present on every app in order to spread the gospel.
This is a helpful reflection on AI—the technology that seems poised to enter our lives whether we want it to or not. “Students use AI to answer the questions and cheat in their assignments. Ironically, that means instructors are using AI to make the tests, and students are using AI to take the tests. As a result, the use of AI frees up time from teaching and studying to do other things. But what are those things?”
“I remember the first time I felt the terrible grief in my chest. I was sitting on the black couch in my living room where I always sit, reading an email about move-in dates for fall 2023 at Western Kentucky University. My husband and I discussed possible dates while my oldest, still just 17, waited for the verdict. A minute later, the date had been chosen. I entered ‘Elliot Move in’ to Tuesday, August 15 at 1:40 on our shared family Google calendar. Then I started to sob.”
This is a question that gets asked so often and that must be answered with compassion. Yet, as Jonathan explains here, it is far from a slam-dunk case for abortion.
If there is any word used to describe masculinity in our day, any adjective commonly used to modify it, it is almost invariably “toxic.” We hear almost nothing of positive masculinity or healthy masculinity. But we hear endlessly of its toxicity.
Where information has increased, wisdom has decreased.
—Kevin DeYoung
