The beginning of a new month is always a good time to re-affirm that right now, at this very moment, God is reigning from his throne.

There are just a couple of new Kindle deals today.
(Yesterday on the blog: How We Worshipped on One Sunday in April)
Ten Diagnostic Questions for the Potential Ideologue
There are some good guidelines here that each of us should consider in our online or offline discussions.
Why I Don’t Talk to April But Pray
Peter Witkowski’s wife April died a short time ago and in this article he explains not only why he doesn’t find it helpful to speak to her but why he does, on the other hand, find it very helpful to speak to God.
Anti-Natal Engineering
What I found especially interesting about this article was its description of how the South Korean government worked so hard to reduce birth rates. And that, not surprisingly, has brought about some terrible consequences.
Read the Bible in bigger chunks too
It’s good to read the Bible slowly and in small pieces. It’s also good to read it in much bigger chunks, as Aaron demonstrates here.
5 Practical Points for Preachers
“This past Tuesday, I had the privilege of giving a pastoral charge to two men coming to be licensed to preach within the bounds of our Presbytery. The charge to those being licensed or ordained is a solemn event, happening only once in a man’s life and ministry.” Nick explains what he told them.
Union with Christ: An Unbreakable Fellowship
This is a neat new effort from For the Church. “The Theology in the Everyday series seeks to introduce and explain theological concepts in 500 words or less, with a 200-word section helping explain the doctrine to kids.” It begins with a look at Union with Christ.
Flashback: It Is No More Death, But A Sweet Departure
I have often been comforted by some sweet words written by Thomas Smyth, a man who on one day laid two precious children in the very same grave. Though he writes specifically to bereaved parents, his words will resonate with all of those who have loved and lost.

If we believe that God is gracious and loves us, and that he understands what he is doing, and has a wise design in it all, that should satisfy us as well as if we could find a thousand reasons of our own for what he is doing. —J.R. Miller

Every now and again I like to share one of our worship services from Grace Fellowship Church. I do this to provide just one example of how a church applies the principles of Scripture to its public worship. If there is something you see here that would bless your church, you have permission to pilfer freely!

This service’s cast of characters included Patrick as our service leader, Dwight as the elder who prayed the pastoral prayer and read the Scripture, Allie as the lead worshipper, and Paul as the preacher. Our band consisted of piano and violin with two female vocalists. The various elements of the service are in bold with the name of the person who led the element in parentheses. Items in quotes represent roughly what the person said to the congregation. Items not in quotes are explanatory. The entire service took approximately 90 minutes.
Pre-Service Singing
In order to integrate a little more music into our time together, we often sing an extra song five minutes before our 10:00 AM start time. This year we are singing the same song for four weeks in a row in attempt to grow more familiar with it and to learn to sing it in parts. This week and month we sang “I Surrender All.”
Call to Worship (Patrick)
Patrick began the service with a call to worship. “‘Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: “To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.”’ This call to turn to God comes from Isaiah 45. The right day to turn to God is today. The best time to get right with God is now. Every single person will stand before God and explain their life. There are no exceptions. None whatsoever. So turn to Him now. And praise His holy Name.”
Singing (Allie)

“Come Ye Sinners”
“Grace Greater Than Our Sin”

Corporate Praise (Patrick)
“We have sung of our intention to come to Jesus and our confidence in His abounding grace. What else is true about God that should encourage anyone to approach Him today. He is gracious … what else? What makes us sure that any person can approach Him? What do we know is true about Him from the Bible that should encourage all of us to turn to Him? Just shout those out.”
For a few minutes the congregation shouted out their answers.
“The only thing that holds us back from God is our sin. Let’s use the words of that great Psalm of confession, Psalm 51, to sing our plea for forgiveness and our confidence that He will grant it.”
Singing (Allie)

Psalm 51 (set to Crimond)

Pastoral Prayer (Dwight)
Dwight led the pastoral prayer. Each week we pray for some items that are urgent but also some that are “scheduled.” This week those scheduled items included one like-minded congregation in our city, the war in Ukraine, and one of our church members who was preaching at a nearby church.
Scripture Reading (Dwight)
“Please take your Bible and turn to Judges 2. We will be reading from Judges 2:6 to Judges 3:6. You will find that on page 188 if you are using one of our church Bibles. This is what Holy Scripture says…”
Dwight read the text, then closed with, “This is the word of the Lord,” to which the congregation responded, “Thanks be to God.”
Singing (Allie)

“There is a Foe, Whose Hidden Power”

Sermon (Paul)
Paul preached the opening sermon for a new expositional series on the book of Judges. This sermon was, in my opinion, a master class in how to introduce a book. It was titled “We Need a Savior.”
Singing (Allie)

“There Is A Fountain” (acapella)

Commission (Patrick)
Patrick tied the message of the sermon into a “commission” that challenged the church to live out its truths throughout the week. This commission replaces (and carries some of the content of) what would usually be labelled “announcements” or “notices.” It forces us to tie information we want the church to know into a call to action based on the truths of the Word.
Benediction
The benediction was 2 Corinthians 13:14: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.”

I’d like to express my gratitude to Radius International for sponsoring the blog this week to tell you about their upcoming conference which you can attend in-person or via livestream. I’m grateful for each and every sponsor!

Westminster Books is offering 50% off new editions of a couple of classic books.
Today’s Kindle deals include a few noteworthy titles.
(Yesterday on the blog: 10 New and Notable Christian Books for April 2023)
A New Christian Authoritarianism?
There is a new issue of the 9Marks Journal available and it deals with nationalism and theonomy. It features quite an extensive list of writers.
Should Men Still Pray with Lifted Hands?
“In 1 Timothy 2:8, we read that Paul exhorted men to pray in church while ‘lifting holy hands.’ What’s the connection between lifted hands and holiness? And what about lifted hands and prayer? Is this practice culturally dated, or is it a relevant one we should adopt today in our corporate church gatherings?” John Piper answers.
Dennis Prager’s Troubling Defense of Pornography
Carl Trueman writes about Dennis Prager’s surprising defense of pornography. “Many aspects of Prager’s comment are disturbing, not least his failure to address the dark nature of the pornography industry itself. But it is also instructive, because it exposes the superficiality of some of what passes for conservative thought today.”
Thankful God Is Not a Stranger
“‘I was so thankful, when this happened, that God was not a stranger to me.’ I don’t remember when or where or from whom I heard this. I don’t recall the context or what the ‘this’ was that happened. But this statement has stayed with me for decades.”
Promise
Susan Lafferty writes poetically about God’s sure promises.
The Light and You
“Can you imagine a world without light? A world where you can’t see your hand in front of your face?”
Flashback: Protect Your Church in One Simple Step
Preach. It’s as simple as that one step, that one commitment. The church that remains faithful to God is the church that remains faithful to the Word of God.

Spiritual discernment…distinguishes and separates truth from falsehood, darkness from light, healthy from unhealthy, sound from unsound, and good from evil, based on the Bible’s plumb line. —Mary Kassian

This week’s Free Stuff Friday is sponsored by Radius International. They are giving away a conference package that includes: 2 tickets, a Radius pullover, and 4 books.

The winner will receive two free tickets to The Radius Conference being held June 28-29, 2023, at Grace Community Church, Sun Valley, CA. This event will be live in person or available as a live stream. John MacArthur, Costi Hinn, Ian Hamilton, Wayne Chen, Brooks Buser, Chad  Vegas, and others from the Radius world will be live and in-person to teach on the Great Commission in today’s world.
The winner will receive a Radius International branded pullover. Size and gender options to be selected by the winner from available stock. The winners will also receive four books that Radius International highly recommends:
No Shortcut to Success
A Manifesto for Modern MissionsBy Matt Rhodes
Avoid “Get-Rich-Quick” Missions Strategies and Invest in Effective, Long-Term Ministry Trendy new missions strategies are a dime a dozen, promising missionaries monumental results in  record time. These strategies report explosive movements of people turning to Christ, but their claims are often dubious and they do little to ensure the health of believers or churches that remain. How can churches and missionaries address the urgent need to reach unreached people without falling for quick fixes?
In No Shortcut to Success, author and missionary Matt Rhodes implores Christians to stop chasing silver-bullet strategies and short-term missions, and instead embrace theologically robust and historically demonstrated methods of evangelism and discipleship—the same ones used by historic figures such as William Carey and Adoniram Judson. These great missionaries didn’t rush evangelism; they spent time studying Scripture, mastering foreign languages, and building long-term relationships. Rhodes explains that modern missionaries’ emphasis on minimal training and quick conversions can result in slipshod evangelism that harms the communities they intend to help. He also warns against underestimating the value of individual skill and effort—under the guise of “getting out of the Lord’s way”—and empowers Christianswith practical, biblical steps to proactively engage unreached groups.
Missions By The Book
How Theology and Missions Walk Togetherby Chad Vegas and Alex Kocman
Across the church, there is a rift between theology and missions. Bad theology produces bad missions, and bad missions fuel bad theology.
We wrongly think that we must choose between making a global impact and thinking deeply about the things of God. But the relationship between theology and missions is symbiotic—one cannot exist without the other. They walk hand-in-hand.
What Is the Mission of the Church?
Making Sense of Social Justice, Shalom, and the Great Commissionby Kevin DeYoung and Greg Gilbert
Christians today define mission more broadly and variably than ever before. Are we, as the body of Christ, headed in the same direction or are we on divergent missions?
Some argue that the mission of the Church is to confront injustice and alleviate suffering, doing more to express God’s love for the world. Others are concerned that the church is in danger of losing its God-centeredness and thereby emphasize the proclamation of the gospel. It appears as though the misunderstanding of the mission persists.
Kevin DeYoung and Greg Gilbert believe there is a lot that evangelicals can agree on if only we employ the right categories and build our theology of mission from the same biblical building blocks. Explaining key concepts like kingdom, gospel, and social justice, DeYoung and Gilbert help us to get on the same page―united by a common cause―and launch us forward into the true mission of the church.
John G Paton
Autobiography of the Pioneer Missionary to the New Hebridesby John G. Paton
The autobiography of John G. Paton contains everything necessary to make it a missionary classic. Born into a Christian family near Dumfries in 1824, Paton’s early years were marked by a struggle against poverty. He was self-educated, and the training ground for his life’s work was the slums of Glasgow where he laboured with success as a city missionary. With ‘the wail of the perishing heathen in the South Seas’ continually sounding in his ears, he prepared himself to serve overseas and was ordained as a missionary to the New Hebrides in 1858. This group of thirty mountainous islands, so named by Captain Cook, with its unhealthy climate, was then inhabited by savages and cannibals. The first attempt to introduce Christianity to them resulted in John Williams and James Harris being clubbed to death of his wife and child within months of their arrival. Against the savagery and the superstition, despite the trials and the tragedies,Paton persevered and witnessed the triumph of the gospel in two of these South Sea islands. His life is almost without parallel in missionary annals and his account of it is moving and gripping.
TO ENTER
Giveaway Rules: You may enter one time.  The winner will be notified by email. The giveaway closes on Sunday, April 30th, 2023 at midnight.

It is surprisingly difficult to find a list of Christian books that have been released in any given month—especially if you want that list to be filtered by books released through particular publishers. That’s one of the reasons why I close each month by coming up with my list of New and Notable books. I comb through what I’ve received in the past month (and scour all the publishers’ websites) to come up with a list of titles that are interesting to me—and may just be interesting to you. Here are my picks for April. In each case I’ve included the publisher’s description.

The Wolf in Their Pockets: 13 Ways the Social Internet Threatens the People You Lead by Chris Martin. “We can hardly remember a time when we didn’t feel the influence of that back pocket device. The average social media user spends about two-and-a-half hours a day using social media. That’s more than enough time to shape our values and desires. Pastors, teachers, and parents feel their influence slipping away. We’re seeing increased loneliness, disunity, and self-absorption. But where do we go from here? In The Wolf in Their Pockets, Internet expert Chris Martin examines the many ways we are being changed by social media. With a biblically informed voice, Martin both exposes the ways the Internet is distorting our life in Christ and shows us how to faithfully respond. Martin teaches us how to care for people who are obsessed with followers, views, and likes—and how to love those whose online influences have filled them with cynicism and contempt. Martin looks at how the social Internet is changing how we understand sex and beauty—what to do about the epidemic levels of anxiety—and how to redirect our hearts to worship Jesus Christ. Shepherding and leading people has never been easy, but the social Internet has brought new challenges. We need the miraculous work of the Holy Spirit and a powerful prayer life. Martin provides the biblical wisdom, direction, and hope necessary to combat The Wolf in Their Pockets.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
The Classic Warfield Collection (2-Volume Set) by Benjamin B Warfield, edited by John J Hughes. “In The Inspiration and Authority of the Bible, Warfield says that the Bible is ‘an oracular book . . . the Word of God in such a sense that whatever it says God says’ that all its affirmations are ‘to be esteemed as the utterance of God, of infallible truth and authority.’ Warfield’s incisive scholarship shines in this new and enhanced edition, which has been edited, formatted, and retypeset for modern readers. Its carefully prepared aids include fulsome abstracts at the beginning of each chapter, intelligent headings, smart paragraph breaks, explanatory notes, definitions of obscure terms, discussion questions, recommended reading, complete footnotes and bibliographies, and more. In The Person and Work of Christ, Warfield demonstrates that ‘it is no more possible to have a Christianity without an atoning Christ than it is to have a Christianity without a divine Christ.’ Warfield’s incisive scholarship shines in this new and enhanced edition, which has been edited, formatted, and re-typeset for modern readers. Its carefully prepared aids include fulsome abstracts at the beginning of each chapter, intelligent headings, smart paragraph breaks, explanatory notes, definitions of obscure terms, discussion questions, recommended reading, complete footnotes and bibliographies, and more.” (Buy it at Westminster Books)
Priscilla, Where Are You? A Call to Joyful Theology by Natalie Brand. “‘What we believe about God is the single most important thing about us.’ This is a call to all Christians-but especially to Christian women-to engage more deeply in the joys of theology. Priscilla was a woman of sound doctrine who wasn’t afraid to share what she knew with others. And this is the privilege of every believing woman: we can explore truth and revel in God’s mysteries; we can live as God intended, with real spiritual strength and heartfelt praise. And we too will want to share our discoveries with others. (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
On Theology: Explorations and Controversies by John Frame. “John Frame is remarkable for his ability to pair profound thought with lucid prose. On Theology: Explorations and Controversies gathers concise reflections on wide-ranging matters of theology, philosophy, and ethics, divided into eight parts: Theological Method; The Thomist Controversy; Systematic Theology; Essays from Lexham Survey of Theology; Essays from The Gospel Coalition’s Concise Theology; Philosophy and Apologetics; Ethics and Politics; Personal Reflections. Whether considering age-old questions or current debates, Frame evokes deep thinking about Christian theology in a style that is accessible and engaging.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
Say the Right Thing: How Your Words Can Glorify God and Encourage Others by Carolyn Lacey. “Words are powerful. They sink deep into our minds and our spirits. They can build others up or put others down. Many of us want to “say the right thing” and make a difference to others with our words, but we don’t know how to. Others of us struggle to control our speech and want help to be more godly in this area of our lives. This positive, constructive book delves into the Bible to show us how to overcome specific temptations, such as gossip or angry words. But it also goes much further. It shows us how we can use our speech to bring beauty, hope, truth, and comfort into the lives of those around us—and to give glory to God. Full of gracious words and practical help, this book will help readers to find out how to let the gospel shape their speech and enjoy the blessings that flow from this. (Buy it at Amazon)
Sharing the Gospel with a Mormon by Tony Brown. “How do you share the gospel with those who believe it’s their mandate to evangelise to you? Mormons are eager to talk about their faith with anyone who will listen, so encounters with them are a great opportunity to discuss what the Bible really says. But if we’re not familiar with their beliefs, it can feel safer to avoid these conversations, and we can miss out on the chance to share the true gospel with them. Tony Brown spends his time conversing with and evangelising to those caught in New Religious Movements. In this thorough guide to sharing the gospel with a Mormon, he lays out the foundations of the Mormon faith and explains how their doctrines are not reconcilable with the Bible, despite their claims. He does so with a great love for Mormons, concluding that they are a lost people who need to hear the true gospel. If you’ve ever wondered how to share the gospel with a Mormon, then this book will give you the practical knowledge you need to start those conversations and point Mormons to the Jesus of the Bible.” (Buy it at Amazon)
When People Are Big and God Is Small: Overcoming Peer Pressure, Codependency, and the Fear of Man (Second Edition) by Edward Welch. “Five college students pitch a tent by their car one dark night, not realizing they’ve set up camp by a military runway. They awake from a deep sleep to the shaking of the earth and a roar like mountains falling―the sound of a military transport plane taking off right over their heads. Can you imagine the visceral terror of that moment? For author and biblical counselor Edward Welch, it was a glimpse of what the Israelites experienced in God’s presence at Mount Sinai. Our God is a consuming fire. His holiness and relentless love put our sin, our weakness, and our fears in perspective. If we can learn the fear of the Lord―a fear that in Christ is filled with gratitude, love, and devotion―we can break free of the fear of other people that so easily entangles us. We can experience joy in our Christian lives as we need other people less and love them more. This groundbreaking work has helped countless numbers of people to confront their fear of man and live in freedom. The new edition features clarifying additions, new material, and revisions throughout.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
Stronger Together: Seven Partnership Virtues and the Vices that Subvert Them by Dave Harvey. “Networked churches are the primary church planting force in evangelicalism today—but what makes them so effective, why do they remain so under-appreciated, and what are the common pitfalls that can ensnare them? In Stronger Together, veteran church planter and pastor Dave Harvey draws from his experiences and study of networks to walk Christian institutions, church leaders, and planters through tested strategies for starting and sustaining healthy and biblical church partnerships. By focusing on key virtues and shedding light on the pitfalls that oppose them, Harvey unpacks seven dichotomies that offer a practical roadmap to healthy patterns. When churches are vitally connected to other churches, they thrive, multiply, and last longer. Scripture exemplifies this, and research proves it. Stronger Together—part of the Exponential series on ministry growth and discipleship—will teach you exactly how to pursue biblical collaboration that will allow your church to flourish and your ministry to grow.” (Buy it at Amazon)
True to His Word: 100 Meditations on the Faithfulness of God by Jon Bloom. “The Bible teaches that God is always faithful, that He’s always TRUE to HIS WORD. Saints throughout history have affirmed it, and hymns and worship songs celebrate it. But what if it doesn’t look that way to you? You’re not alone. The Bible is full of examples of God’s children struggling to trust him in seasons of disappointment, discouragement, danger, disaster, depression, and deep grief—only to see God’s faithfulness to them manifest in surprising ways. These meditations are designed to help you grow in your ability to recognize God’s faithfulness in places you may not typically look, at times you don’t expect, and in providences— especially the most disturbing and devastating ones—that often don’t look like God’s faithfulness. Because the more you see it, the more wonderful God’s faithfulness becomes to you. And the more you’ll realize that ‘all the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness’ (Psalm 25:10). (Buy it at Amazon)
Unconventional by Sharon Dickens. “Discipling women is vital in every church. But it’s all very well knowing the theory — how do you actually get on and do it in practice? Unconventional is an honest look at beginning and sustaining a vibrant women’s ministry that works. Author Sharon Dickens shares how she started a women’s ministry from scratch — with all the frustrations and joys along the way — enabling you to learn from her mistakes and benefit from her extensive experience.” (Buy it at Amazon)

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you today.

The FAQs: Anglican Group Calls on Church of England’s Leader to Repent
Joe Carter has one of his FAQs about what’s been happening lately with the Anglican Church.
What Does ‘Salvation” Mean?
“Almost no word so well captures the heart of the message of Scripture as does the word salvation. It appears more than 170 times in our English translations of the Old and New Testament. The related word, saved, appears approximately one hundred times throughout the pages of Scripture. But what is salvation? What does it mean for someone to be saved?” Nick Batzig answers.
Register Now For TRC23 *EARLYBIRD DISCOUNT ENDS APRIL 30 TH *
June 28-29, 2023, with John MacArthur, Costi Hinn & others. Throughout Christian history, the fight for the clear true gospel has existed. Paul warned the Galatian church of a new “gospel” that was no gospel at all. Augustine, Luther, Jan Hus and many others down through history fought for the one true unadulterated gospel. As ambassadors of the gospel go to the ends of the earth, uppermost in the minds of their sending churches should be the question, “What gospel are they preaching?” (Sponsored Link)
Should You Accommodate A Person’s Requests?
“Christians are routinely pressured to compromise their convictions. Sadly, it’s other Christians who leverage a good-faith principle to achieve an unfair end. I want to encourage you, though. If you’re feeling pressured to accommodate a request from an LGBT person that violates your conscience, know that there’s a line you do not have to cross.”
God Delights in You
Lara considers our love for our children and the Father’s love for us.
Themelios
There is a new issue of Themelios available in a variety of formats for those who would like to do some academic reading.
Flashback: Whatever Is Not Christ
When we come to Christ in repentance and faith, we surrender ourselves to the purpose of God and submit ourselves to the hand of God. We are the block of marble and he the artist, we the medium and he the one who must remove from it whatever is not Christ.

How…could God remain equally faithful to His love for us and His just judgment of our sins? The glory of the cross, its unimaginable wisdom lies in the way God has devised to provide salvation for His people. —Sinclair Ferguson

Good morning from Fort Worth where the Called to Counsel conference will begin a bit later in the day. I’m pleased to be able to lead a new track on the subject of grief.

(Yesterday on the blog: All, Every, and Not One)
Pornography Poisons Everything
Phil Cotnoir has an insightful article about “how pornography poisons everything it touches, individually and corporately, inside the church and out.”
Autism In The Church – A Parent’s Perspective
There are some good pointers here for churches that want to help those with autism be part of the church (and to help their families).
How can we persuade someone that church membership is important? (Video)
Sinclair Ferguson considers what the Bible says about belonging to the church—and why it knows nothing of those who won’t belong to a church.
Think Little
Though we are usually encouraged to think big, there is a lot of value in thinking little. “The problem isn’t our desire to do something great with our lives. The problem is with our definition of greatness.”
It Never Gets Old
“My conversion was a simple one, perched on a log there by Strawberry Creek. The transformation, not so much. The steps leading from there to here as convoluted as any, I suppose. And yet here I am, five decades later, still in awe of it all. In awe of Him—the One who saw me. Who loved me. Who loves me still.”
Ethical challenges posed by biological neuronal networks
With every new technology comes new ethical challenges…
Flashback: One Way To Know You’re Being Persecuted
If we experience hardship at the hands of men—suffering, trials, injustices—and find our hearts rejoicing rather than embittered, thankful rather than spiteful, satisfied rather than grumbly, we may well take this as evidence that we are suffering persecution and being filled with God’s Spirit to endure it well, to endure it for his glory.

If, by faith, we consecrate our work to God and aim to love both our coworkers and our customers, we serve the Lord and he remembers it. —Daniel Doriani

We live out our Christian lives in a place between Egypt and the Promised Land. We have been justified but not yet glorified—we have been delivered safely through the Red Sea but have not yet forded the Jordan and arrived on its far bank. We may not physically wander as did the Israelites of old and we may not actually follow pillars of fire and cloud, but we no less make a pilgrimage and we are no less dependent upon the goodness, the grace, and the guidance of our God. We are no less reliant upon his promises to sustain us when the path is uncertain, when our enemies rise up, when the way before us seems to stretch on interminably.

The Israelites were prone to doubt God—to doubt his strength, his power, his intentions. They were prone to doubt that he would prove true to his promises and lead them to the land that flowed with milk and honey, the land that would be their home and their rest.
In so many ways the story of the Pentateuch is the story of God proving his faithfulness over against his people’s faithlessness. It is for good reason that so few who saw God parting the sea between Egypt and the wilderness were permitted to see God parting the river between the wilderness and Promised Land. There were consequences for their doubt and for its many manifestations in grumbling, rebellion, and idolatry.
But then, as promise gives way to fulfillment and winter gives way to spring, the Pentateuch gives way to Joshua. And now we see the mighty warrior at the head of a great army. He leads the people across the Jordan where, fighting in the strength of the Lord, they experience victory after victory. Bit by bit and battle by battle they stretch the boundaries and expand the borders until war at last fades to peace. By chapter 21 we read a stirring summary of their success and, even more so, an inspiring summary of God’s faithfulness. Here is what we find in its many superlatives:

Thus the LORD gave to Israel all the land that he swore to give to their fathers. And they took possession of it, and they settled there. And the LORD gave them rest on every side just as he had sworn to their fathers. Not one of all their enemies had withstood them, for the LORD had given all their enemies into their hands. Not one word of all the good promises that the LORD had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass. (Joshua 21:43–45)

God drove out the inhabitants, he protected his people, he gave them a home and a land of their very own. In short, he did all he said he would do. He proved true to his every promise. Not one word was broken, not one was left unfulfilled. He showed himself to be truly, perfectly, sublimely reliable.
As God made many promises to his people, he makes many promises to you and me. Just as he promised to lead his people to the safety of the Promised Land, he has promised to lead us safely to heaven. Just as their clothes did not get full of holes and their shoes did not wear out, so the Spirit will preserve us with joy intact, character intact, godliness intact.
The day will come when the history of our lives will be summarized with just such superlatives. One day it will be said of me that the Lord gave to me all that he had said he would give and that he delivered me to the sweetest and fullest rest. One day it will be said of you that not one of the good promises God made to you in his Word failed, but that each and every one came to pass. One day it will be said of all those who are his that God was faithful to his every word and true to his every promise. And together we will praise the name of the Lord our God.

If you’re in the market for some kids’ books, be sure to take a look at this sale at Westminster Books.

End of the Global South? Updating the State of World Missions
“What we are witnessing today through the work of globe-trotting researchers and travel-worn academics is the glorious drama of God’s unfolding worldwide redemption. The Spirit is blowing where he pleases, the kingdoms of the world are continuing to enter the kingdom of the Lord from the east and the west, the north and the south, and the nations are singing the praises of God.” This is a long but valuable read.
GAFCON IV: Lessons from a Communion in Birth Pains
And in perhaps a similar vein, here’s another encouraging report from the Anglican world.
“Caste and Church Growth Assessment” by Aubrey M. Sequeira
Come to TRC23 to hear Aubrey on “Emptying the Cross of Its Power: Honor/Shame and the Gospel of Christ.” While honor/shame concepts can be helpful for cross-cultural workers to know, it remains the handmaiden to the doctrines that Scripture sets forth for all cultures and times. (Sponsored Link)
Stop calling faithfulness a sacrifice
“We need to stop calling obedience and faithfulness to the commands of Christ ‘sacrifice’. There, I said it. It is not sacrifice to do what Jesus asks us to do. Full stop.” It’s probably worth hearing him out.
7 Biblical Truths Countering the False Gospel of “Emotional Health & Wealth”
Bob Kellemen: “Today’s post is not about the false health & wealth gospel. Everyone posts against that. Today’s post is about a much more subtle, much more insidious, much more hidden false gospel—a gospel that all too easily creeps into the Evangelical world: the false gospel of emotional health & wealth.’”
Should We Use the Words “Old Testament”?
Should we use the words “Old Testament” or is there a better option?
Present at Their Passing
Rebekah Matt writes about the times she has been present as someone passed from life to death. She writes also about some of her regrets in those moments.
Flashback: Being the Answer to Prayer
We must pray for deliverance and then take hold of the means of deliverance that God provides to us—pray and then labor to see the prayer answered.

The man who attempts Christianity without the church shoots himself in the foot, shoots his children in the leg, and shoots his grandchildren in the heart. —Kevin DeYoung

Blessings to you today.

We once again have a good number of Kindle deals to look through.
Yesterday on the blog: Ask Me Anything (Habitual Sin, Women Taking the Initiative, Drag Shows, Escaping Laziness)
How J. K. Rowling Played, then Lost, the Polarization Game
Samuel James: “Rowling, more so than almost any other author, leveraged the expressive individualism intrinsic to the social media age to craft, and sell, a narrative about herself and her stories. In an age in which activists will cancel and decry pop culture artifacts for being insufficiently political, Rowling’s history illustrates the danger of pandering to this phenomenon and the way both art and political discourse suffer accordingly.”
God Wants Us to Serve the Undeserving
Dave tries to address a common misunderstanding among Christians: That “while the Bible teaches that we are to serve and help the weak and poor, we should only serve and help those who deserve it.”
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When I Was Losing My Marriage, Jesus Taught Me to Forgive
“Seven months pregnant with our second son, I sat at the desk in our living room, devastated by the letter I had just read. My husband didn’t want to be married anymore.” Sheila Dougal tells how she learned to forgive, even in such a difficult circumstance.
Caring for Families with Cross-Dressing Children
John Piper takes on a very urgent question. “We have a young couple in our local church congregation that lets their small son wear dresses. They seem to let him choose most of what he wants to do. We, of course, see a lot of danger in this parenting method. They were asked to leave a previous church over this issue. What would be your approach to helping these parents with Scripture on this issue?”
Exalted above all things
“In this climate of deconstruction, deconversion, and apostasy I can be tempted to downplay the importance of God’s word. Am I elevating God’s word too much? I can feel my heart desiring the praise of men, and I can elevate the wisdom of men as a replacement for the wisdom that comes from the mouth of God.”
Were the Apostles converted before the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost?
Sinclair Ferguson and Derek Thomas provide good answers.
Flashback: Why Do Billionaires Want to Live Forever?
Why is it that billionaires always seem to want to live forever? I am convinced it isn’t because their lives are so satisfying but because their lives are so very dissatisfying. I am convinced it isn’t because their hearts are so full but because their hearts are so very empty.

No one spoke about hell more than Jesus . . . because he, more than anyone, saw the true frightfulness of it. —Dane Ortlund