May the Lord bless and keep you this weekend.

Today’s Kindle deals include some older works and a newer one.
Are PhD pastors better pastors?
This question was recently asked in a roundtable. While the answers were just fine, Stephen Kneale did offer some further thoughts that I found helpful.
Rejoicing in Suffering
Guy Richard thinks of Paul rejoicing in his suffering and says, “Surely we all find this statement to be a little overwhelming. Some of us may even be intimidated by it. How can Paul say this? How can suffering be something that anyone rejoices in, ever?”
The Wonder and Joy of Advent
Barbaranne Kelly: “Amid all the tumult and strife of our weary world, we long for peace. Bombarded by cynicism and sarcasm we seek for simple, childlike wonder. Drowning in heartache and pain, we hope, however faintly, for joy.”
Where Are All the Heretical Bishops in the Second Century?
You don’t need to know a ton about church history to see the the importance of this question: Where are all the heretical bishops on the second century?
When Christmas Uncovers Difficult Memories
Lara d’Entremont looks at Mary’s prayer and a favorite psalm and asks, “What if this were our prayer this Christmas? I often get caught up in the whys. Why did God allow such a stressful birth? Why did God allow one of our twins to be so small and struggle so much? Why did he allow breastfeeding to be so difficult? Why did he allow my mental health to suffer so much during this?”
Linguistic Violence
Carl Trueman: “Once upon a time it was assumed that words reflected reality. At least, it was assumed that some words did, such as ‘man’ and ‘woman.’ That assumption in turn rested upon the notion that the world had a particular structure and shape. In our present age, both of these ideas are proving unpopular.”
Flashback: 10 Ideas and 10 Tips for Family Devotions in 2019
A new year is just about upon us, and as it dawns, we have a new opportunity to lead our families in devotions. Whether you’ve been utterly consistent or mightily struggling, here are 10 ideas and 10 tips that may help as you consider the year to come.

If God is holy, then he can’t sin. If God can’t sin, then he can’t sin against me. If he can’t sin against me, shouldn’t that make him the most trustworthy being there is? —Jackie Hill Perry

Good morning. Grace and peace to you.

Today’s Kindle deals include some good picks from Crossway. Also, Eerdmans has all of their commentaries on sale at an 80% discount. That includes the excellent New International Commentary on the Old Testament, New International Commentary on the New Testament, New International Greek Testament Commentary, and the Pillar New Testament Commentary. This pricing applies to Amazon US only.
(Yesterday on the blog: Important Commentary Releases in 2023)
Turning on the Lights on Sin
“All around our world, darkness looms. It takes our once-vital bodies, our most precious relationships, or even our loved family members from our arms. We call it a curse of sin and use words like poison, brokenness, or death to describe the sin that covers the world on this side of the fall.  While these aren’t bad words to use, their frequent use can provide us with a skewed perspective of sin.”
My Husband Lied to Me. How Do I Know if I Can Trust Him Again? (Video)
Sadly, many people find themselves in this situation and have to ask this question.
The Overture
If you’d like to read an ongoing Christmas devotional, perhaps consider this one which is based on Handel’s Messiah.
Cooperating Under Persecution
“When I moved to China as a 23-year-old, I wanted to see how the gospel could take root and thrive in a place where the government, education system, and culture were arrayed against it. Naively, I assumed a rather simple equation: gospel preaching + persecution = church growth. The reality, of course, isn’t that simple.”
Grief Oblivion
Brittany Allen: “Grief floats through the air like smoke above us, entering our lungs—a breath thief. I look around to see hands wiping tears from eyes, looks of shock and helplessness. Death has shaken us again. My four-year-old sits under the smoke, unmoved, unaware. He flips through the pew Bible and smiles up at me, then at his daddy. He doesn’t notice the tears glazing my eyes; he can’t see the lump in my throat.”
Oversharing
Karen Wade Hayes considers the phenomenon of oversharing.
Flashback: I Fear God, and I’m Afraid of God
I do fear God. But these days I’m also finding myself afraid of God. I fear him in that sense of rightly assessing his power, his abilities, his sovereignty. But I’m also afraid of the ways he may exercise them.

The reason many people find so little comfort in their troubles, is because they do not accept them as sent from God, nor expect to receive blessing from them. —J.R. Miller

Blessings to you on this fine day!

I was grateful to be on Chris Fabry Live on Moody Radio yesterday and on the Disciple-Making Parent Podcast last week.
Amazon has lots of deals today, including on their devices like the Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Oasis, Fire tablet, Echo, and Echo Show.
(Yesterday on the blog: Today … I’m Thankful)
Released: Logos 10
There’s exciting news from Faithlife: Logos 10 has released. I have been using it for a couple of weeks now and am impressed with it. If you buy or upgrade from the link I’ve provided, you’ll get 15% off if you’re buying the first time and 30% off an upgrade. You’ll also get 5 free resources that you can pick from a good-sized list.
The disastrous moral harm of California’s transgender ‘refuge’ bill
“This type of bill coming from one of the most populous and influential states in the union is deeply concerning and immoral, as it will lead to irreparable harm for children, youth, and their families. What’s being promoted is a false view of the self under the auspices of moral autonomy and freedom — especially toward children and youth — that is at odds with basic biological and moral realities.”
When Narcissism Comes to Church
Samuel James has some very important and urgent concerns about a new book related to narcissism within the church.
5 Things You Should Know about Creeds
Keith Mathison: “Most Christians have heard of things like the Nicene Creed or the Apostles’ Creed, but many Christians also have a number of misconceptions about creeds. There is a lot of misunderstanding about the nature, history, and purpose of creeds. Here are five things you should know about creeds.”
The fruit of giving out a few books
I love few things more than giving away books, so this article resonated with me.
Will My Spouse Be My Best Friend in Heaven?
John Piper answers this question in his latest Ask Pastor John.
Flashback: Longing for What’s Second Best
While we can and should pray for those things we long for, we should always pray that what we long for would be according to God’s will.

Jesus is in the rain and the shadow as much as in the light that breaks from the east at dawn. —F.B. Meyer