Good morning. May the Lord bless you and keep you.

Westminster Books has Christmas books on sale today.
There are a number of Kindle deals from yesterday and today that you may enjoy.
How to Prepare for the Metaverse
“Even as the pace of technological change has felt dizzying and exhausting for churches in recent years, we’ve only seen the tip of the digital iceberg. The real change, which will truly transform our mental, spiritual, and ecclesial landscapes, is coming soon: the metaverse.” This is a concept you should probably get to know.
5 Takeaways From the Facebook Papers
Chris Martin has some good analysis of the Facebook Papers, which I’m sure you’ve heard of by now.
30 Recommended Books for Reformed Thinkers
Explore church history, study biblical doctrine, or deepen your faith… here are 30 recommended reformed books from Zondervan Academic. (Sponsored Link)
Are we living in the last days? (Video)
Are we living in the last days? Robert Godfrey answers in a brief video.
Medical Marijuana and Christian Ethics
Alan Branch takes a quick look at issues related to the medical use of marijuana.
Why Suffering Pushes Us Toward or Pulls Us Away from God
“One of novelist John Green’s best-known essays, ‘Googling Strangers,’ recounts a time in his early 20s when he worked for six months as a student chaplain at a children’s hospital, in preparation for a life devoted to ministry. One night, he was alerted by the Emergency Department to the arrival of a 3-year-old child who had suffered severe burns.” Trevin Wax reflects on it.
Quiet Faithfulness in an Ecclesiastes World
“I admit – sometimes I look around and see people flourishing in their work, ministry, families, etc, and at times, makes me wrestle with why trouble and hardship seem to be around every corner for us. Our hard work hasn’t paid off in an earthly sense, our perseverance and fight for faith seems to only lead us into new storms, and at times, I feel passed up and left bleeding on the side of the road while those around me flourish in ministry and opportunities, with only normal, everyday, challenges to overcome.”
Flashback: Do You Have the Faith to be Faithful?
I want to consider what it means to have an exemplary faith, the kind of faith that, if imitated by others, will lead them to become more like Christ. Do you have that kind of faith?

Spouses can be wonderful helpers, but they are sorry saviors. Jesus alone can satisfy something as large as the human soul. —Garrett Kell

There’s an eclectic little collection of Kindle deals to browse through today.

(Yesterday on the blog: What Can a Heart Do?)
Is Your Gospel an Urban Legend?
Jared Wilson asks you to consider whether the gospel you profess is really just a kind of personal urban legend.
Planes Have Nothing on Birds
I hate all the evolutionary talk in this article, but I do appreciate the point it makes: Humanity’s best attempts at designing planes still fall far, far short of the most ordinary bird.
Life and limb
Andrée Seu Peterson considers how God oversees life and limb and everything else.
Olaudah Equiano: The Unsung Evangelist
“Olaudah Equiano is a name of lasting significance in secular historical discussions, English literary circles, and among students of evangelical church history. Yet, his legacy is not nearly as widely known to the Church at large, certainly not to the degree of figures such as Jonathan Edwards or John Newton. This is truly lamentable.”
When Downcast, Look to the Throne
Doug reminds us of an ancient and biblical form of encouragement.
What We Miss When We Skip the Book of Ezra
“I couldn’t find any data to justify this suspicion, but I would guess that Ezra is not commonly read or studied by modern Christians. I get it—among other barriers, there are long lists of names in chapters 2, 8, and 10. Yet, this little book has much to offer!” It does, indeed, as this article explains so well.
Flashback: Success Beyond What We Can Handle
When they gained the thing they had longed for, they lost the progress they had labored for. I have seen far more people ruined by success than by failure.

There is more in Christ to save you than there is in yourselves to condemn you. —Christopher Love

I have been asked to do quite a number of interviews recently and, as a courtesy to those who have invited me, wanted to link to some of them: Real Truth for Today (audio); Bible Gateway (written); Guilt Grace Gratitude (audio); LIFE Today (video).

The other day I mentioned that Westminster Books has launched a site specifically for kids’ books. They’ve done a great job of it and provide an explanation here.
Today’s Kindle deals include a few interesting books.
Progressive Views on Sexuality Will Ultimately Fail
Trevin Wax says, rightly, that “we’ll likely see more churches and denominations adopt the revisionist view of sexuality, but over time, the bankruptcy of this position will be evident.”
Two Hundred Years Ago, the Rosetta Stone Unlocked the Secrets of Ancient Egypt
This is a neat telling of the discovery and importance of the Rosetta Stone.
I Want to Be Baptized — My Husband Opposes It
John Piper answers a question from a woman who wants to be baptized, but whose husband is opposed.
A Lesson from Liz Cheney’s Loss
Kevin DeYoung: “This is not going to be a deep dive into electoral politics. That’s not my lane. But I do want to reflect on one lesson from Liz Cheney’s 37-point defeat in Wyoming’s Republican primary. I don’t say the lesson, because there are many, but a lesson, because I believe this is one cautionary tale that many of us in leadership would do well to consider.”
Moths & Beetles in Slow Motion Flight! (Video)
It never ceases to amaze me that, despite all our technological advancements, God’s designs are a million miles ahead of our own.
Finding Courage and Resolve When a Line In the Sand Demands It
“Sometimes lines happen between good and evil, right and wrong. Oftentimes those lines in the sand reveal who or what we worship. Always they bring opportunity to grow our faith.”
Flashback: Death to the One-Year Rule!
It’s a sad reality that at times a man will need to be removed from his ministry. When that happens, we do well to carefully consider the unwritten “one-year rule” and whether it will be helpful or harmful. A year may be a long time, but as often as not, it will not be long enough.

Calvary supplied the most solemn and awe-inspiring display of God’s hatred of sin that time or eternity will ever furnish. —A.W. Pink