Good morning. Grace and peace to you today.

I don’t (yet) have any new Kindle deals to mention today; however, if you didn’t check in over the weekend, be sure to look at Saturday’s very long list of both Christian and general market deals.
A Friend on the Trail of Tears: How a Baptist Missionary Became a Cherokee
This is a great telling of the inspirational life and ministry of Evan Jones who was a Baptist missionary to the Cherokee Indians.
Is the Lord’s Day the Christian Sabbath?
Christians differ on whether the Lord’s Day is the Christian sabbath. This article explains why some people do not believe it is. Whether or not you agree, it’s definitely a clear and thorough argument.
How to Waste Your Counseling
“We met with our counselor three times. I didn’t offer him much to work with. Mostly because I didn’t think there was much to offer. But also because I feared his judgment of me. He offered simple but helpful wisdom. We wouldn’t meet with another counselor for twelve years. At that point our marriage was on the brink of divorce.”
Q&A With Rob Ventura on His New Commentary on Romans
Rob: What makes my commentary unique is that it is preacher-ready and preacher-friendly. In every section of Romans, I give a central theme, homiletical outline, exegetical and practical insights, and applications for believers and nonbelievers. (Sponsored Link)
The Failed Promise of Connected Note-Taking Apps
People like to make lofty claims of their apps, and especially connected note-taking apps. Reagan Rose explains why they can’t possibly live up to these claims.
What are your members doing?
Stephen likes to say things that will make you think. In this article he explains his position that adding staff members to a church is, in at least some ways, an admission of failure. You may not agree, but it’s worth hearing him out.
And When They Had Prayed…
You may identify with this admission that sometimes it seems way better to do something than to pray.
Flashback: The Glory of Children Is Their Fathers
While our ultimate desire is to hear God say, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” we all also want to hear our children say, “Well done, good and faithful dad” or “Well done, good and faithful mom.”

I am not tired of my work, neither am I tired of the world; yet, when Christ calls me home, I shall go with the gladness of a boy bounding away from school. —Adoniram Judson

“I offer two pieces of wisdom,” he told me, “two commitments you can make: Never be discouraged and never be a discourager.” I have thought deeply about this counsel and have decided it is good—mostly good.

I say “mostly good” because there are times when we cannot help but be discouraged, times when we are deflated and demoralized, when we lose confidence or enthusiasm. After all, this world is messy and this life is difficult. We have friends that hurt us, bodies that fail us, minds that betray us. We wage war against fierce and persistent enemies and endure the toughest of circumstances. So there are times when discouragement is unavoidable and neither sinful nor wrong.
Similarly, there are times when we cannot help but be discouragers, times when we need to take the wind out of another person’s sails by speaking firmly or warning soberly. We may have to deliver difficult news or announce just consequences. There are times when, for a higher purpose, it falls to us to express disapproval and, in that way, cause someone else to become downcast or dispirited. So too, there are times when being a discourager is unavoidable and neither sinful nor wrong.
Yet it seems to me that being discouraged is far more often a choice we make as we respond to the vicissitudes of life and being a discourager is far more often a choice we make as we act sinfully instead of purely. Far more often both are more of a decision than an absolute necessity and more a matter of sinfulness than holiness.
We often prove a discouragement to others when we make ourselves a source of negative news rather than positive encouragement or when we spread information that is outright false or perhaps merely unnecessary. Sometimes in our interactions with others we focus on what is false, vile, and base rather than what is true, lovely, and worthy of praise. And then we can permit bad character to flourish rather than the fruit of the Spirit and evil words to leave our lips rather than those that build up. Then our sinfulness overflows from our hearts and manifests itself in words and deeds that hurt or hinder those we are called to love. In all of these ways, discouragement is a choice we make. It would do us good to determine, “Never be a discourager.”
We often grow discouraged when we allow sin to put down deep roots in our hearts rather than committing ourselves to proving good soil for the work of the Spirit. We often grow discouraged when we interpret God through our negative circumstances rather than interpreting our difficult circumstances in light of our glorious God. We often grow discouraged when we fail to remember that God is working all things for good and when we fail to meditate on the fact that this light, momentary affliction is preparing us for a glory far beyond our ability to comprehend. We often experience discouragement when we simply fail to be encouraged by the truths of God, the love of God, and the promises of God. It would do us good to determine, “Never be discouraged.”
“Never be discouraged and never be a discourager,” he told me. And I find myself agreeing with his counsel and, so far as it depends upon me, committing myself to it.

Good morning from beautiful Sydney, Australia where I’m beginning to film another episode of Worship Round the World.

Mind Your Platform
“I fear that we may have begun adopting these tools with little scrutiny. We marvel at the fact that things ‘can be done’ and skip over the question of ‘should they be done?’ How are we to think about our relationship to the platforms available to us? While our engagement with social media and platforms will vary greatly depending on our calling and our context, there are a few patterns I’ve noticed that I think we should be wary of.”
Actively waiting for Jesus
“The Bible describes the Christian life as waiting for Jesus to come back…” But this isn’t a sitting-around kind of waiting.
The Illusion of Anonymity 
While social media has many benefits, it has often served as a breeding ground for divisiveness and hostility. Hidden behind our screens, we are often tempted to type things we would never say aloud. In Taming the Fingers, Jeff Johnson encourages us to use our social media Coram Deo— before the face of God. (Sponsored Link)
Is the History of the Bible Important?
“Unlike any other of the religions of the world, Christianity is uniquely and entirely dependent upon the historical veracity of its holy book, the Bible. … Sadly, secular critics have realized this fact more readily and more eagerly than many Christians, which has encouraged them for hundreds of years to seek ways to weaken the entirety of the Christian religion by casting doubt on the validity of its historical claims.”
How Many Israelites Exited Egypt?
Philip Ryken: “The Bible describes the exodus in careful detail. Nevertheless, it has often been challenged on historical grounds. One standard objection concerning information given in Exodus 12 is the size of the exodus. It deserves a response.”
The Roots of Legalism
Stephen Nichols writes about the roots of legalism. “One of Martin Luther’s many contributions concerns the Latin word incurvitas. This sounds like something a dentist might say to you as he pokes and prods in the molars. But it’s not.”
8 Reasons We Should Evangelize
Perhaps you could use a little refresher on why we should evangelize the lost.
Flashback: Have You Tasted Heaven?
I have seen the most hardened of men become the most gentle, the most cruel of women become kind, the most wayward of children follow their Father. This all has the savor of a place that must be entirely unlike this one.

Whether our lot seems humble or exalted, let us work with all our heart, for the Lord knows and rewards all faithful labor. —Daniel Doriani