Good morning. Grace and peace to you.

(Yesterday on the blog: What Jesus Sees Even When Others Do Not)
How An Attempted Car Theft Taught Me To Love Where I Live Even More
“Being a human is hard enough without the burden of not being able to trust other humans. Without the burden of not being able to trust locks. If the would-be robbers had genuinely needed something, they could have asked and I would have been willing to help, or at least try. But I don’t think they needed anything as much as they needed a new way of thinking about the world and the people around them.”
A Message to Intentionally Childless Millennials
I think this article proves why longform writing is so often more helpful than writing that has been sized for social media (and, even worse, for Twitter). Here Shane Morris explains a tweet he made expressing his concern for the many millennials who are deliberately choosing not to have children.
Where do we draw the line on hate speech?
Jason Thacker: “Christians, in particular, should affirm many of these guidelines because of our belief in the innate value and dignity of all people as created in God’s image and the freedom of conscience that flows from our understanding of the imago Dei (Gen. 1:26-28). But when hate speech is broadened to include speech that makes one feel uncomfortable or that one simply does not like, we have set a dangerous precedent for public discourse.”
What’s wrong with swearing?
Is there anything wrong with swearing? If so, what?
10 Important Personal Lessons I Learned From Adopting a Child with Special Needs
“I tell people that it was against my better judgment to say ‘yes’ to the adoption of our special needs daughter, Anah. Unlike the many kind-hearted and compassionate people who adopt for godly reasons, I adopted to alleviate my guilt and fear. You can do the right things with completely sinful motives, and I say that to make sure you don’t give me more credit than I am due.” Yet, as Vera Christian explains, the Lord has done such good things.
Encouragement for the Trials We Face
“There is a bright tomorrow coming when Christ returns. On that day, we will live in the world we’ve always longed for—a place of perfect joy, a home where hard times will never come again. In the meantime, it is through many tribulations that we must enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22). As we await an imperishable inheritance, we will be, for a little while, grieved by various trials (1 Peter 1:6). How should we think about the trials that are sure to come?”
Flashback: Gospel Weariness
Gospel weariness…stirs within us a holy longing to be done with this life and to enter into the life to come. It fixates on God’s promises, promises of deliverance, of restitution, of eternal peace…It is a weariness that cries with the saints of all the ages, “Come, Lord Jesus!”

A holy life will make the deepest impression. Lighthouses blow no horns, they just shine. —D.L. Moody

It’s a detail that is easy to overlook, a detail whose importance may be lost in our many readings and re-readings of the story. But it’s a detail that is full of significance and flush with encouragement if only we will notice it and if only we will meditate upon it.

In the first chapter of John’s gospel, he tells of two men, two brothers, who became followers of Jesus. Andrew was the first to encounter him, to hear his words, and to believe that he was the One who had long been promised. In his excitement he tracked down his brother and told him, “We’ve found the Messiah!” Andrew led Simon to Jesus so he, too, could meet this man and hear his words. And it was at this point that an unexpected event transpired: “Jesus looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas’ (which means Peter).”
Jesus looked at this man and immediately gave him a new name. He was no longer to go by the one his parents had given him, but by the one this Teacher had assigned. He was no longer Simon, but Cephas (in Aramaic) or Peter (in Greek).
The significance of this change can be lost in the modern Western world, for we attach little importance to the meaning of names, but only to whether we like the way they sound or if we have known someone by the same name. And it can be lost in the English language, for neither “Peter” nor “Cephas” mean anything else in our language. But when Jesus looked at Peter and said, “You shall be called Cephas” everyone knew what he was saying: “Your name will be Rock.”
Jesus looked at this young man, this tradesman, this fisherman, and said “You shall be called Rock.” Then as now rocks symbolized strength and stability. Rocks made up foundations that could withstand the fiercest of storms and walls that could endure the most withering of bombardments. There’s no reason to believe Peter had a history that made Jesus say, “You have been a rock.” There’s no reason to believe Peter was currently living a life that made Jesus understand, “You are a rock.” No, Jesus gazed down the corridors of time and, with his mind on the future, said, “Rock.”
Jesus saw something in Peter that no one else saw. He saw something that had gone unnoticed by even his dearest friends and closest family members. Jesus saw what lay latent in this man, he saw what was beyond his impulsiveness, what existed past his weakness, what was possible on the far side of his wavering. He set aside all that was bad to focus instead on what was absolutely best, all that was unworthy to focus instead on what was noble and lovely and good.
Jesus saw who Peter would be. Or perhaps better, Jesus saw who he would make Peter to be. He saw that as Peter spent time with him, his strengths would grow stronger and his weaknesses grow weaker. He saw that as Peter walked with him, his vices would be diminished and his gifts amplified. He knew that as Peter followed him, his desires would be transformed and his character refined. He knew who and what Peter would become. He knew this was the man to whom he would soon say, “upon this rock I will build my church.”
And so it is with you and me. Jesus looks at us in our weakness, he looks at us in our fallenness, he looks at us in the middle of all the messes we’ve made and he says, “follow me.” He looks beyond our habits and patterns of sin, he looks beyond our immaturity of character and lack of accomplishment, he looks beyond our self-importance and self-aggrandizement. He sees in us what nobody else sees and nobody else can see because he looks beyond who we are to what we will be. He sees who he will make us to be as we spend time with him, as we walk with him, as we follow in his footsteps.

Inspired by J.R. Miller

Westminster Books is offering a great discount on a beautiful new edition of a true classic—Charnock’s The Existence & Attributes of God.

There are several new limited time Kindle deals.
The Four Quadrants of Church Life in the Gray Zone
“By summer of 2021, like many churches, our people started emerging from the pandemic more regularly, but they weren’t emerging in the same way that they went into it. And even though it was time to rev the engine of church programming again, we experienced no small amount of emotional or attendance resistance to normal church programming that we had offered in the past.” This leads to quite an interesting reflection on effective church programming.
5 Myths about How We Got the Bible
This article addresses some common myths about how we got the Bible.
Golden Bowls Filled with Prayer
“Revelation gives us a fascinating picture of golden bowls filled with our prayers at the throne of God. What is this telling us? Why would our prayers be presented this way? Let us look at the basic biblical interpretation of this passage and then close with one point of speculation.”
Wise Anger
Not all anger is good because not all anger is wise. “The Bible teaches us to be careful around anger. It’s often been said that ‘anger’ is one letter away from ‘danger.’ So, how can we be more cautious with our anger? How can we steer away from foolish and unjustified anger? At the same time, how can we ensure there’s a place for wise and justified anger in our lives?”
Algorithmic Money Faucet
Chris explains why Instagram has made some significant changes and why it is making so many people unhappy.
What the Gospel Says to Those Who Suffer
Christina Fox describes what the gospel says to those who are enduring a time of suffering.
Flashback: 5 Bad Substitutes for Discipline
As a Christian parent you will want your children ultimately to choose good behavior for its own sake. If you habitually bribe them you are effectively denying the child the opportunity for finding out that good behavior is its own reward.

Jesus cannot fit around our lives, brought in when he’s convenient. He’s either Lord of everything we have, and are, and ever will become—or he is not. —Rebecca McLaughlin

Blessings to you today.

ChristianBook.com is having a pre-Christmas sale with lots of good deals including: New Morning Mercies and Come Let Us Adore Him by Paul Tripp, One Faithful Life by John MacArthur, and Hidden Christmas by Tim Keller.
(Yesterday on the blog: There Are Different Kinds of Tired)
How Do People Shipwreck Their Faith?
How do people shipwreck their faith? John Piper offers five different ways here.
There’s No Growth without Death
“I’m sure you’ve heard good Christians say things like I want to know God more this year. I want to be more prayerful. To read my Bible more regularly. To be more committed at church. Perhaps even give more. The problem is like with many new year resolutions they don’t see beyond February. Why? Because with most good intentions we don’t really think they have a cost.”
How To Be Gracious When Haters Gonna Hate
How can you be gracious when the haters are hating? Mark Ward has some ideas.
What to Say to Someone Suffering like Job
Eric Ortlund: “The book of Job does not directly tell us how to address Job-like suffering. But I think we can sketch what a helpful answer would be, if we take an approach exactly opposite from his friends.”
Sent ones
This article speaks about sending off and letting go.
When Is It Wrong to Complain?
I think we’d all agree that some complaining is wrong and some is not. This article helps distinguish between them.
Flashback: Pastoring Is So Much More Than Preaching
Can a shepherd care for his flock if he doesn’t know his flock? Can he be faithful to his charge if he doesn’t really know his sheep? Can he keep watch over all the flock if he is not familiar with the individual lives and challenges of the flock?

What should surprise us is not that God would judge sinners (that actually makes sense) but that he would save any of them. Heaven, not hell, is the real mystery of Scripture. —Michael Kruger

This week the blog is sponsored by Reformed Free Publishing Association. This post is about their brand new picture book, I Belong: Heidelberg Catechism Question and Answer 1 for Children, written by Joyce Holstege and illustrated by Meagan Krosschell.

We all know the importance of doing daily devotions, not just individually, but at a family level, too. We all have busy lives, but we know that the end result of setting aside a time for family worship each day will be an encouragement for both ourselves and for our children.
The Two Struggles
On the other hand, sometimes we can become discouraged when it comes to devotions. Do you face either of these two struggles in your own family worship?

We want to rely solely on the Bible in our family devotions, but when we’re honest with ourselves, we confess just how difficult it is to apply biblical doctrine to our youngest children’s lives.
Or with good intentions we might purchase a highly-rated children’s devotional book, eagerly opening it up with our family members when it’s time for daily devotions. But after a few pages of reading and a few minutes of reflection, we realize that this is not quite the devotional we are looking for. We can appreciate its goal of instilling readers with good character traits like courage and honesty. But what we do not see is a strong focus on the nurturing of children’s faith in Jesus Christ or the comfort they find in belonging to him.

The Solution
A new devotional resource from Joyce Holstege, a veteran Christian school teacher, provides a solution to both struggles. I Belong: Heidelberg Catechism Question and Answer 1 for Children is a picture book that explains and applies the first question and answer of the Heidelberg Catechism to children ages four to eight.
Why did Joyce base her devotional on the Heidelberg Catechism and on this question and answer? When the Heidelberg Catechism was first written in 1563, it was designed to be a teaching tool for parents and teachers seeking to instruct their children in the fundamental doctrines of the Reformed faith. It’s a beautiful confession that is still widely used in Reformed churches today. And question and answer 1 emphasizes the comfort we have as children of God, the theme woven throughout the entire Heidelberg Catechism.
Using I Belong in your family devotions will benefit your children (and you!) in at least these three ways:
Your children will learn biblical doctrine: Just like the question and answer itself, Joyce’s book is doctrinally rich. From spiritual adoption, to atonement, to a life of good works, children are taught not just about the love of God generally, but about how much he loved his people, sending his only begotten Son Jesus to redeem them from their sins. 
Your children will understand what you are reading to them: Doctrine is absolutely necessary for our children, but if they don’t understand it, chances are they won’t be able to draw comfort from it later in life. I Belong explains the doctrines of the Christian faith in a way that even young children understand. Consider how Joyce explains the comforting concept of atonement:
God promised Adam and Eve that he would send his perfect lamb Jesus to pay for their sins. God promises that Jesus paid for all your sins, too. When Jesus died on the cross, his blood paid for your sins. He bought you with his blood, so that you can be called his child. This is called atonement.
Your children will enjoy what you are reading to them: I Belong is a devotional that will hold your children’s attention as you read. Joyce frequently addresses her audience of young children (“you”), reminding them that the comforting promises contained in this question and answer are for them. Your children will also love the book’s twenty-two beautiful, full-color illustrations created by talented young artist, Meagan Krosschell.
You can purchase your copy of I Belong: Heidelberg Catechism Question and Answer 1 for Children here.

There are different kinds of tired. There are different kinds of weary. There are different kinds of fatigue that may overwhelm the body and overcome the mind as the sun sets, as the skies grow dark, as day gives way to evening and evening gives way to night. There are different kinds of fatigue because there are different ways you may spend a day.

You may spend a day in idleness, in procrastinating your tasks, in ignoring your responsibilities. You may spend a day in indolent selfishness, in giving yourself over to laziness, slothfulness, shiftlessness. You may come to the end of a day having accomplished nothing meaningful because you have attempted nothing meaningful, having performed nothing significant because you set out to undertake nothing significant.
At the close of such a day your mind will be cloudy, your eyes drowsy, your body heavy. But your heart will be uneasy and your conscience will be troubled, for you will have squandered a day—you will have misused what God gave you in trust, failed to steward what God gave you as a gift.
You may also spend a day in activity, in accomplishing your tasks, in embracing your responsibilities. You may spend a day in purposeful motion, in diligently carrying out the duties God has assigned to you. You may come to the end of the day having accomplished much that is meaningful because you attempted much that was meaningful, and having performed much that was significant because you undertook much that was significant.
At the close of such a day your mind may be weary, your feet aching, your body drained. But your heart will be light and your conscience will be clear, for you will have embraced a day—you will have made the most of what God gave you in trust, faithfully stewarded what God gave you as a gift.
A day squandered and a day embraced—both will leave you weary. A day spent in frivolous idleness and a day spent in purposeful activity—both will leave body and mind worn and tired. But a day spent purposefully, a day spent in bringing glory to God by doing good to others—this is a day that will bring pleasure, even as it brings fatigue, this is a day that will bring joy, even as it brings weariness. This is a day you can close by sleeping the sleep of the just, a day you can close with God’s promise fixed in your heart: “when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet” (Proverbs 3:24).

Grace and peace to you.

Today’s Kindle deals are all about Francis Schaeffer.
(Yesterday on the blog: What You Can Take With You Into Eternity)
The Case For Kids
Kevin DeYoung makes the case for kids. “The most significant thing happening in the world may very well be a thing that is not happening: Men and women are not having children. The biblical logic has been reversed, and the barren womb has said ‘Enough!’ (Prov. 30:16). The paradigmatic affliction of the Old Testament is now the great desire of nations. If ­Rachel wanted children more than life itself (Gen. 30:1), our generation seems to have concluded that nothing gets in the way of life more than children.”
Spirit of Light
“The Reformers placed tremendous stress on the gifts of the Spirit to the whole body of Christ. John Calvin himself has rightly been described by B.B. Warfield as ‘the theologian of the Holy Spirit.’ Yet Reformed Christians always have been given a ‘bad press’ for their views on the gifts of the Holy Spirit.” But this should not be!
What Is Eastern Orthodoxy? A Reformed Perspective and Response
This article explains some of the key distinctions between Eastern Orthodoxy and Protestantism.
Are There Many Ways to God? Most “Evangelicals” Say Yes. (Video)
This video from Ligonier explains.
The Birth of Narnia and Why Tolkien Hated It
Here’s why Tolkien hated Narnia. “His criticism went beyond evaluation and suggestion to the level of insult.”
How Is the Trinity Vital for My Christian Life?
Danny Hyde explains why understanding the Trinity is vital for a healthy Christian life.
Flashback: What I Want From the News
It’s gotten so I almost hate the news. I want to know what’s going on in the world, but I’ve lost confidence that there’s as much as a single organization out there communicating it in a trustworthy way.

It is not hard to deceive ministers, relatives and friends. But it is impossible to deceive Christ. —J.C. Ryle

We’ve all heard it said that no one has ever seen a hearse towing a trailer. We’ve all been challenged to consider that we leave this world as we entered it—with empty hands. As Job exclaimed in the depths of his misery, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return.” But as J.R. Miller reminds us in this old quote, there actually is one thing we can take with us.

There are virtues, fruits of character, treasures, spoils of moral conquests which men carry with them out of this world.
Someone says, “The only thing that walks back from the tomb with the mourners and refuses to be buried, is character.” This is true. What a man is survives him. It never can be buried.
His character lingers about his home when his footsteps come there no more. It lives in the community where he was known. And that same thing—what a man is—he carries with him into the next life. Money and rank and circumstances and earthly gains, he leaves behind him, but his character, he takes with him into eternity!

That being the case, perhaps you should ponder this today: How are you shaping your character? How are you shaping and forming that one thing that you will take with you into eternity?