A La Carte (November 29)
The God of peace be with you today.
B&H has slowly but steadily been discounting the Kindle editions of every volume in their Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series. Several more volumes are on sale today along with some other titles.
Mitch Chase: “Is church membership biblical? Yes. The reason is that the biblical nature of church membership is established from a variety of passages and considerations. Here’s a cumulative case of ten reasons why church membership is biblical.”
Glenna Marshall explains why she so badly needs Sundays—and why she cries pretty much every Sunday.
How could a good God allow evil? Is the Bible homophobic? Is Christ really the only way? Whether you’re new to the faith or have been raised in Christianity your whole life, these questions have most likely crossed your mind, perhaps even creating serious doubts for yourself or someone you know. If you want to deepen your own faith or help those who are struggling, we invite you to join us for our weekend seminar, “Christianity vs. Everybody,” hosted by DBTS. (Sponsored Link)
I’ve really been enjoying this new song from Shane & Shane and The Worship Initiative.
“As I was listening to the radio the other day about current events, I found myself asking, ‘I wonder how much of this is true?’ It’s an unfortunate fact that you can’t believe everything someone tells you. Not only are there obvious biases in every conversation and purposeful misdirections, but also sometimes people just have their facts wrong. Even the most careful and well spoken individuals sometimes fall into innocent miscommunications and unintentional misrepresentations.”
Ed Welch addresses a question that will be familiar to many people who have experienced trauma.
It’s so easy, says Andrea. It’s so easy to be a source of encouragement to another person.
We will know that though we fought our way toward a destination we could see only with the eyes of faith, our faith was well-placed. “I knew it!” we will shout in triumph. “I knew it was real! I knew he was true!” we will cry, as we fall into the arms of the Savior.
To preach is to open up the inspired text with such faithfulness and sensitivity that God’s voice is heard and God’s people obey him.
—John Stott
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A La Carte (April 18)
Good morning from somewhere far out over the Pacific as I make my homeward journey. Blessings to you today!
(Yesterday on the blog: Behind-the-Scenes: Conference Speaking)
George Verwer (1938–2023)
Justin Taylor has written a lovely obituary for mission mobilizer George Verwer who “went to be with his Lord and Savior after a two-month battle with Sarcoma cancer. He is survived by his wife,Drena, and their three children, Ben, Daniel, and Christa.” (See also Christianity Today)
What Comes to Mind When You Think of Heaven?
Renee Zou wants you to think about heaven. “How can we remind ourselves that eternal life is real, and we are heading for it? How do we increase our desires to be in the new creation? Here are four ways to help ourselves and others along the journey home.”
GOD IS FAITHFUL DESPITE WAR AND VIOLENCE IN UKRAINE
“We had never prayed so much before,” shared Lyena, a Ukrainian woman whose home was destroyed in the war. “I had never read the Psalms so thoughtfully before. It was the encouragement that brought tears of gratitude and joy. I realized that only when you walk through the valley of mortal darkness, you learn to completely trust God, and then you are not afraid, because the Lord is with you.” (Sponsored Link)
Hebrews 11 and Cancel Culture
Jim Newheiser: “Cancel culture has … come to evangelical Christianity as both contemporary and historical figures are judged to be unworthy because they said or did something deemed to be oppressive or incorrect. Former allies are persona non grata. What once were close personal friendships have been severed.”
Called to Sacrifice
“Several years ago, a man in our church who had spent much of his life as a missionary in Africa spoke of not liking the word ‘sacrifice’ in reference to his service. He said it was his privilege to serve the Lord and not at all a sacrifice.” And while that may be true, God really does call us to sacrifice in a number of ways.
I’d like a refund for this cup of suffering
“I have a journey before me, but I’m standing at the front desk with a complaint, ‘Excuse me, sir, I specifically asked that this cup would be taken from me. And yet, behold, still there is a cup. I would like this to be rectified.’ And Jesus comes alongside me to guide me. ‘Yet not what I will, but what you will,’ He coaches me.”
There Is a Healthy Hatred
”There is, according to God’s Word, a kind of healthy hatred.” Justin Huffman explains what it is.
Flashback: The Best Argument for Using a Printed Bible
When you have run your race and received your reward, your Bible will live on as a testimony to your interests, to your character, and ultimately, to your Christian profession.You are not in this parenting drama alone…because the One who is without weakness is with you, and he does his best work through those who admit that they are weak but in weakness still heed his call. —Paul David Tripp
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A La Carte (January 2)
Good morning. May the Lord be with you and bless you today.
Today’s Kindle deals include several books that will be on sale through the end of January.
(Yesterday on the blog: New Year, New Joys, New Sorrows)“The pressure is growing for everyone quietly to conform. More than that, the pressure is growing to affirm openly and celebrate what we know to be false. Surely, it would be better to speak the truth now instead of growing our tendency to fit in and play it safe as the stakes mount.” With this in mind, Peter Mead decides to revisit some classic Solzhenitsyn.
How would you counsel someone who has been experiencing troubled dreams? This is sound advice from an old source.
“Dealing with naturalism can be daunting, until we realize we have a powerful ally working in our favor: Reality is actually on our side.” Greg Koukl explains.
Karen Hodge: “Thinking biblically about productivity includes remembering my identity is rooted in the finished work of Jesus Christ on my behalf rather than in finding my worth in how many things I have checked off my to-do list. In this tension, we may tend towards two extremes.”
“I do not know my father, or even if he is alive or dead. He beat and abused my mother for twelve years until we broke into our own home, packed a few bags, and drove away, never to return. So you can see why ‘Father’ was a loaded term for me when, as an adult, I investigated the God of the Bible. Every time I read this dreaded word – ‘Father’ – it rekindled feelings of fear and abandonment.”
Stephen Nichols shares a brief but important lesson from American church history.
Without a doubt, the most impactful book I read last year was A Book of Comfort for Those in Sickness…I’ve collected some of my favorite quotes from the book, hoping they comfort you and perhaps compel you to read the book yourself or hand it to someone who could benefit from it.
I saw more clearly than ever, that the first great and primary business to which I ought to attend every day was, to have my soul happy in the Lord.
—George Mueller -
A La Carte (April 7)
Grace and peace to you today.
(Yesterday on the blog: The Joy of Forgetting What You Need To Remember)
An Open Letter to the Christian Disheartened by Ongoing Temptation
You may appreciate this letter from D.A. Carson and John Woodbridge.
What Exactly Does 1 Timothy 2:12 Teach?
“Applying 1 Timothy 2:12 in the local church setting is tricky: ‘I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.’ What exactly does Paul not permit?” Robert Yarbrough offers a response to the question.
How To Turn A Clique Inside Out
“Cliques. They’re awful, aren’t they? We love to hate them (probably because we feel like they hate us). They’re easy targets for our criticism, all selfish and exclusive and proud, and who do they think they are treating other people like they don’t matter and barely exist at all? Cliques are bad. That is, until we’re in them.”
Sinclair Ferguson: Live at 7:30 p.m. EST
Sinclair Ferguson will be live with Ligonier Ministries this evening at 7:30 PM. He’ll be answering biblical and theological questions submitted live.
Fighting Flat
“Part of our challenge as preachers is to fight flatness in our preaching. This could be in terms of delivery, structure, or content. Perhaps you would add more areas too.” This article may help preachers understand and combat “flatness.”
Triggers and Tender Mercies
I’ve been blessed to read Donna Evans’ blog as she grieves the loss of her son James Bruce. In this article she writes about triggers that catch her off guard.
Flashback: The Best Tool for the Job
…the danger of thriftiness is that it can easily tip into stinginess. (Of course, in the same way, free spending can tip into a profligacy.) We can elevate the joy of finding an item at a low cost, while overlooking that this low cost may necessitate low quality.Our perverse mistake is that we demand that God shall explain Himself at every step, instead of waiting for Him to unfold His intricate purposes at His own time and in His own way. —Theodore Cuyler
