I believe that discernment matters. I believe that spiritual discernment is a necessary mark of spiritual maturity while a lack of spiritual discernment is a concerning mark of spiritual immaturity. As the book of Hebrews tells us, “solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil” (Hebrews 5:14). There it is, the connection between maturity and discernment.
There are many reasons I find myself at home among those who hold to Reformed theology, but one key reason is that the tradition places high value on discernment. Many of those who come to appreciate Reformed doctrine do so after finding a critical lack of judgment in their previous traditions. Disturbed by a blend of good teaching and bad, sound doctrine and unsound, they look for churches that care about diligently separating truth from error and right from wrong. They soon find themselves in a Reformed church.
Yet as I have reflected on discernment over the past 20 years, I continue to find myself perplexed by a strange conundrum: Sometimes the people who most value discernment in doctrine are the people most prone to neglect discernment in character. They can display a kind of credulity that makes them especially susceptible to listening to and believing untrustworthy sources. Ironically, their emphasis on discernment leaves them vulnerable to lies.
We all need to understand a hard truth: there are people out there who make stuff up. It may seem hard to believe, but it’s reality. There are people who fabricate facts, who create accounts of events that did not happen, and who write up conversations that never took place. There are people who act as if they have exhaustive knowledge of other people’s inner motives and desires when they do not and cannot. And even if some do not go that far, they may deliberately exaggerate matters and spread as truth what is no more than rumor or hearsay.
Aside: If you ever get the chance to spend time with the popular Christian you most admire, ask that person and I expect they will tell you that someone has publicly told lies about them. No matter who they are or how they line up on the major issues, ask them and I expect they will be able to tell of a time that someone, in the name of discernment, spread information that was absolutely false.
Those who value spiritual discernment need to account for doctrine, of course—they need to distinguish between doctrines that are true and doctrines that are false. But they also need to account for human nature, and this is where so many prove themselves easy prey. They assume that anyone who emphasizes sound doctrine has a sound life or that anyone who defends truth necessarily speaks truth. Somehow their discernment extends as far as distinguishing between good theology and bad theology, but it ends before it distinguishes people of upright character from people of dishonorable character. That’s especially true when the people who lack character are within the bounds of the same theological tradition.
The devil seeds liars, thieves, and deceivers into every tradition, including our own. Share
We would like to think that the people who tell lies exist outside the bounds of Reformed theology. We would like to think that once we have crossed the border between other traditions and our own, we have entered into a kind safe space in which everyone is on the side of truth and light. But sadly, that’s simply not the case. That’s not the way the world works. That’s not the way the flesh works. That’s not the way the devil works. The devil seeds liars, thieves, and deceivers into every tradition, including our own.
My encouragement, then, is to press on in spiritual discernment—to be deliberate in separating truth from error and right from wrong. There is never a time to relax your guard when it comes to this critical discipline. At the same time, it’s also to avoid the kind of naiveté that assumes everyone who lays claim to sound doctrine is truly concerned about defending and living out the Christian faith, not to mention concerned about the kind of unity Christ calls us to pursue. For if we are truly discerning, we will know that Satan is a master of disguise. That being the case, “it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness” (2 Corinthians 11:15). Servants of righteousness, that is, and experts in discernment.

As I was putting together today’s A La Carte, I was struck by what a privilege it is to be able to collect such good articles day by day and them share them with you. So my gratitude goes to both the writers and the readers!
Today at Westminster Books you can get a good deal on a book meant to help you both memorize and retain Scripture.
There are some new Kindle deals today.

This is a fascinating and thought-provoking article about AI. It calls Christians to be aware that there are forces of darkness in this world that are more than merely passive spectators in this world and its new technologies.

Can you hate the sin and love the sinner? And can God? Mark Jones swims in some deep theological waters in this article.

Michael Kruger: “What are we to do with this pesky Old Testament? Some pastors (as hard as it is to believe) have insisted that the best option before us is to kick it to the curb. The quicker we get rid of the OT the better. Others are less strident in their solution. While we shouldn’t kick the OT out of our Bibles, maybe we can at least ignore it or play it down. In the mist of these discussions, I think it’s worth taking a deep breath and stepping back for a moment to remind ourselves of the big picture.”

Casey McCall shares some helpful thoughts on those times you feel spiritually lifeless. “As people of faith, we recount times in our lives when we felt especially close to Christ and found intense delight in disciplines like prayer and Bible reading. We grow puzzled when those same disciplines feel like drudgery, and forces in life seem to conspire together to hide the joy of Christ’s presence and make those earlier experiences a distant memory.”

Amanda Duvall shares some of the encouragement she has gained from intergenerational relationships. “I am privileged to have friendships with women who live out the example of Titus 2 that I’ve longed to see. And it is not their own brilliance or expertise that shines, but the way they lift my eyes from the false hope of self-focus to behold what is truly good—Jesus Christ.”

Sandra Jantzi celebrates an undeserved gift and a humble servant.

Some days we have all the boldness of Peter and other days all the hesitation of Thomas. On some days we proclaim, “I believe” but on others we plead, “please help my unbelief.” 

When grief is really bad, it’s a reflection of a love that was really great.
—Granger Smith

Good morning. Grace and peace to you.
(Yesterday on the blog: Life Without Romans 8:28)

I guess John Piper recently caused a bit of a brouhaha when he tweeted about sipping coffee in the church sanctuary. Here he explains what he meant and why he sees coffee as a relatively inconsequential symptom of something bigger. “Let me try to get right to the heart of the matter. The heart of the matter is not coffee in the sanctuary. That’s only a symptom, and there are lots of other symptoms of what I’m concerned about.”

I think a lot of people will identify with Melissa’s thoughts about aging peacefully. “Here, in the middle of a department store, my eyes filled with tears, and I was embarrassed. Embarrassed that I cared so much that I’m never going to wear a dress like that again in my life. I was embarrassed that I haven’t transcended these ideas of what it is to be a woman, that I haven’t devoted more of my mind and my heart to purely spiritual endeavors instead of physical ones.”

I’m glad Thomas Kidd asks and answers this question at the WSJ. (I used a link that should unlock the article for you.) Essentially, he means to show how the media uses “evangelical” as a political term rather than a Christian one.

“All of us have a conscience, but the problem is that we have a conscience while living in a fallen world where sin has affected all that we are—including the conscience we possess.” Mitch Chase goes on to explain how dangerous it is to reject a good conscience.

I appreciate the point Rebekah makes here—that God works through us if we make the commitment to show up. That’s true of a lot of areas of life!

Peter Mead: “I have noticed something strange.  Many Christians will acknowledge the existence and the general agenda of Satan.  They will affirm that he is alive and active on planet Earth.  Yes, they recognize that he hates God and God’s people.  Yes, he hates truth and wants to steal, kill and destroy. … And yet, oddly, as quickly as those affirmations are made, that awareness seems to evaporate just as quickly.”

Every day, we are all building the house we will live in when old age comes. Some of us are building a beautiful palace. Some are building a dark prison. What are you building?

God’s love is not as ours, a sudden passion, but a resolve from eternity.
—Stephen Charnock

This week the blog is sponsored by Open the Bible. If you’re looking for small group video resources that are Bible-centered, accessible, and applicable, look no further!
Led by Pastor Colin Smith and select teachers, Open the Bible Courses provide small groups the perfect resource to equip the hearts and minds of growing believers.
Courses include:

Watch Your Life with Pastor Colin Smith – Our lives can adorn the doctrine of the gospel or take away from it. For our lives to reflect God’s character and will for us, we must watch our lives closely (1 Timothy 4:16). Geared for leaders but accessible for every believer, Watch Your Life will equip you to grow in godliness, cultivate your walk with Christ, and battle key challenges that confront us.

For our lives to reflect God’s character and will for us, we must watch our lives closely (1 Timothy 4:16)Colin SmithShare

Watch Your Doctrine with Pastor Colin Smith – The aim of Watch Your Doctrine is to give you a good grasp of the core doctrines of the Christian faith. You will see what we believe about God, what we believe about ourselves, and what we believe about the salvation God has accomplished in Jesus Christ. Understanding these truths is vital for every believer and leader alike.
Sustaining a Lifetime of Ministry with Pastor Colin Smith – If Jesus offered to tell you “secrets of the kingdom of heaven” for your ministry, would you listen? In this module, Pastor Colin Smith draws from Jesus’ Kingdom Parables in Matthew 13 to share foundational truths about what ministry in Christ’s kingdom is like. This is essential teaching for any gospel worker who wants to persevere in ministry over the long haul.
A Flight Through the Bible Story with Pastor Colin Smith – This 3-session journey through the Bible that will introduce you to 5 people from the Old Testament, 5 events from the life of Jesus, and 5 gifts God gives to every Christian. It doesn’t matter how much or how little you know about the Bible, “The Flight” is a great place to begin.
Pray the Bible with Author Kevin Halloran – We all face obstacles in prayer. Some are theological; we forget why prayer matters or don’t feel heard by God. Other obstacles are practical; we don’t know what to say or we simply can’t focus for prayer. Kevin Halloran believes that if we pray the Bible, we can bypass many of our struggles and go straight to fruitful prayer and deeper communion with God. The course Pray the Bible will introduce you to the benefits of praying the Bible as well as tools for doing so.

Why consider using an Open the Bible Course in your small group?

Courses are free. Group members don’t need to spend money on books or curriculum. Everything you need is online at no cost with no login required.
Courses are video-based. Your people will love our engaging videos and teaching approach.
Courses are designed for discussion. There’s no need for a lot of prep work when our discussion questions will help cultivate fruitful conversations.
You can go deeper with extra resources. Each session has a downloadable transcript, optional reading, and assignments. You could even turn these courses into a full-fledged lay leader training course at your church.
The content is transferable. The practical teaching and application make this a great resource to pass on to others.

What people are saying:
I have enjoyed what otherwise would have been a very difficult theological study. I would say, “THEOLOGY MADE SIMPLE.” Thank you very much for taking me to another level in my spiritual growth. —Isaac J. On Watch Your Doctrine
I gained SO MUCH WISDOM in Watch Your Life. I will certainly be using the wisdom and notes to help equip others. Every church leader should take these courses! —Alma E.
Preview a session of Watch Your Life titled “Discerning God’s Will.” Download a transcript or discussion questions.
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Visit OpentheBible.org/courses today to get started.

I have often heard it said that Romans 8:28 is the wrong verse to bring to the attention of those who are grieving, that while it is true in our especially difficult moments, it does not necessarily become helpful until some time has passed. And while I can only speak for myself, it has been my experience that in my lowest moments I have feasted on Romans 8:28, I have run to it like a starving man runs to a meal and I have drunk from it like a parched man drinks from an oasis. I have needed Romans 8:28 and it has both comforted my soul and directed my grief.
The verse says, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” It is for good reason that this is one of the most familiar verses in the entire Bible and for good reason that so many have memorized it. And I wonder if you have ever paused to consider a world without Romans 8:28?
Without Romans 8:28 we would not have confidence that our experiences in this world “work … for good.” We might believe that some of what we experience works for harm, that Satan and God are cosmically slugging it out with first one and then the other gaining the upper hand. We might be tempted to believe that some of what we experience works for nothing, that there is an arbitrary element to life in which things happen that have no purpose, no meaning, and no redemption. We might gaze at our sorrows and sufferings and think, “There is no goodness in this and no way goodness could ever come from this.”
Without Romans 8:28 we would not have confidence that “all” things work for good. We might believe that some of the things we experience ultimately work for good while others ultimately work for our harm. Or we might believe that some things work for good while other things are empty and meaningless, black holes in God’s providence.
Without Romans 8:28 we might not see the hand of God working in our suffering, for where things “work together for good,” there must be someone who is working them. Work requires a worker! We might assume, as do so many today, that an impersonal force like the universe is ultimately behind our circumstances. We might even assume that there is no deity and no intelligent being who acts out his providence within this universe, but just cold impersonal fate.
Without Romans 8:28 we might neglect to meditate on the fact that our purpose in this world is to serve God’s purpose—that we have been “called according to his purpose.” We might fail to ponder the truth that if we are called to experience trials it is because God has purposes to accomplish through them and that we can bring glory to him if we meet these trials and pass through them with our faith strong and intact.
Without Romans 8:28 our suffering would be intolerable and we might rightly conclude that our sorrows are meaningless.
But we do have Romans 8:28. God has given it to us a gift of his grace. Of course, we need to exercise good judgment when we bring comfort to God’s people as they suffer. Of course, we need to choose the truth that fits the circumstance. Of course, we need to ensure we are not forcing a harsh or inaccurate interpretation of the passage as so many have done with this verse. But as for me, there are few verses more comforting and more encouraging than this one.
God is working out his good will not despite dark days, difficult trials, and broken hearts, but through them.Share
Because Romans 8:28 exists, those who love God and are loved by him can have confidence that he is working through all of life’s circumstances to bring good out of bad, light out of darkness, joy out of sorrow. It’s not that God is especially agile, a kind of cosmic PR man adept at manipulating circumstances, but rather that he is the Planner, the Engineer, the Designer who has ordained the means just as much as the end. He ordains the calm and the storm, the darkness and the dawn, the famine and the feast. This being the case, no event is meaningless, no situation purposeless, no condition ultimately hopeless. God is working out his good will not despite dark days, difficult trials, and broken hearts, but through them. Such circumstances are the raw material he uses to form and shape his good plans, his perfect purposes.
God’s specialty is not bringing good from good, but good from bad and Romans 8:28 gently tells me that if I trust him through my tears, he will give me reason to laugh; if I trust him through my pain, he will teach me to praise; if I trust him through my grief, he will afterwards show me all the good that came with it and through it. He will show me the precious flowers in the dry desert, the beautiful blooms against the sharp thorns, the gentle petals beneath the vicious skies. For behind every black cloud is a yellow sun, behind every dark night a bright day, behind every frowning providence a smiling face—the smiling face of the God who works all things for good for those who love him and are called according to his purpose.1

Good morning. I have had a wonderful time in Mexico City and have enjoyed meeting so many people. Today I head home, and just like that, all the travel for Worship Round the World is complete!
Today’s Kindle deals include a very long list of titles from a couple of different publishers.
(Yesterday on the blog: Because We Are Drawn)

This is a very thought-provoking article on pastoral salaries in a changing cultural context. It asks good questions about what churches should expect of pastors and vice versa. “The death of the single-income family is not simply an economic fact. It is a social one—and an enormous one at that, with some significant moral implications. Even if we can do little about it, its demise should not simply be shrugged at.”

You’ll enjoy reading this meditation on promises that are certain.

This article is meant to give you greater confidence in evangelism. Many Christians have tried to share their faith, it says, “and it just doesn’t seem to go anywhere. Again and again, they’ve sought to build relationships and share the gospel with others, only to bump up against apathy or antagonism. Soon, sharing their faith begins to seem like a waste of time.”

In many ways, the beginning of knowledge is to admit how little you know.

This video from CCEF speaks to the husband who can’t seem to do anything right in his wife’s eyes.

This missionary explains why it can be so hard to really understand a foreign culture. He also considers why Christianity seems not to take root and spread in some regions.

…these two simple questions have directed me through so many theological storms and through so many major decisions.

Sin may open bright as the morning. It ends dark as the night!
—De Witt Talmage

It is good to contemplate God’s work in our lives—to contemplate the wonderful reality that we are children of God only because God took the initiative and drew us to himself. F.B. Meyer once considered this in light of Hebrews 7:25 which proclaims that Jesus is “able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him.” Here is how Meyer rejoiced in that fact.

We draw near because we are drawn. As the sun is ever exerting a drawing power on each planet and each particle of stardust in the solar system, so God is ever attracting us to Himself. To all eternity we shall be ever drawing nearer to Him, though there will be ever an infinite distance to traverse. When Jesus was lifted up on the Cross He began to draw all men unto Himself, and that magnetic attraction has continued through the centuries.
There is no reason for us to be afraid of God. He is Love! He is a consuming fire to our sin, but His Nature is essentially lovely. Moses exceedingly feared when he ascended Sinai, amid the trembling of the mountain and the heavy clouds that enclosed the Divine Light. But, as we learn from the 12th chapter of this Epistle, when we approximate to God, we encounter three circles. The innumerable Hosts of Angels, including the Cherubim and Seraphim, with their burning love and purity! The Church of the First-born, the purest and noblest of elect spirits! The Spirits of the Just made perfect, inclusive of our own beloved ones that have passed over. Surely where these are, we may venture without fear. The God in whom they live and move and have their being cannot be other than infinitely beautiful to know and love. Lord, Thou hast been the dwelling-place of all generations, and Thy secret place shall be our home for ever. “Draw us, and we will run after Thee!”
Our fears are met by the Risen and Living Saviour. First, He will ever live to make intercession for us; but next He will go on sanctifying us lower down, even to the uttermost. To the depths of our nature, He will carry His gracious work. Salvation has three stages. It begins with deliverance from the penalty of the past. Our sins are blotted out. The penalty is remitted or turned to benediction. Then we are saved lower down. The process of purification goes deeper and deeper into our nature. Finally, our body is renewed through the resurrection-grace of Christ. And surely there is a sense in which the grace of Christ will ever sink deeper, giving us a profounder realisation and participation in the things that will open before us in the eternal progress. Here we see in a glass darkly, there face to face. Here we know in part, there we shall develop in the knowledge and love of God. Salvation to the uttermost!

My gratitude goes to TMAI for sponsoring the blog this week. They are inviting you to attend their annual symposium where you’ll hear from Paul Washer and Steve Lawson. “What exactly is needed for effective missions work? Which components are necessary? Where are the best books, best programs, or best examples for missions?” This is what they will consider.
Today’s Kindle deals include some newer books and some older ones.
(Yesterday on the blog: Love the Ones Who Drive You Crazy)

Kristin writes movingly of her daughter and her upcoming wedding. She celebrates her daughter and also offers her some wise counsel.

Kevin DeYoung has written a long-awaited followup to his article from a few years ago in which he argued “that many of the old networks and alliances had fallen apart and that four new ‘teams’ had emerged.” He offers a lot to think about!

Caz Dodds considers and counters “a story that our culture loves to tell: that success in the world means presenting your truest self, pushing off what society tells you to be, to be you. It’s almost like that’s the meaning of life. You are free to be yourself.”

“I’m thankful God that has sustained me, but sometimes I don’t want to just be sustained, I want to be delivered,’ I confessed to my husband. It’s difficult to admit such thoughts because as a Christian, I know that God is working in my trials and I do believe he has a purpose. But there are days when I struggle to see beyond the pain and, in my humanity, my present feelings cloud my eternal perspective. Some days – I want to be rescued, rather than sustained. I want relief now.”

Gary Edward Schnittjer explains why the Bible doesn’t skip from creation and fall directly to Calvary. In other words, he explains why we need to know all that bad news about Israelite history.

I think this article would benefit from less “should”—a word of moral right and wrong. That aside, I do think there is wisdom in ensuring that pastors have easy access to the resources they need to really thrive in their preaching ministry.

It has been my observation that churches tend to invest a fair bit of effort in preparing couples to begin a healthy marriage, but perhaps a little less in helping couples sustain a healthy marriage.

The gospel is as free as the air you breathe.
—C.H. Spurgeon

This week’s Free Stuff Fridays is sponsored by The Master’s Academy International (TMAI). They are giving away ten free tickets to their 2024 international symposium.
The Master’s Academy International (TMAI) is a worldwide network of pastoral training centers that equip indigenous church leaders to preach the word and shepherd their people. They have 19 Training Centers around the world, with dozens currently in development. To strengthen the global church in proper missiology, TMAI hosts an annual missions conference with speakers from around the world. This year’s key speakers are Steven Lawson (President of OnePassion Ministries), Paul Washer (Founder of HeartCry Missionary Society), and Mark Tatlock (President of The Master’s Academy International). At this year’s international symposium, they want to help churches and individuals recognize the unlimited, sufficient resource the Bible is for missionaries, supporting missions, and all of life. To help you and your church become more Bible-focused and mission-minded, enter below to win ten free tickets.
Giveaway: Ten (10) Tickets to the TMAI 2024 International Symposium
To Enter:
Giveaway Rules: Entries are limited to 1 per person. By submitting your information, you agree to receive regular updates about the ministry of The Master’s Academy International. The winner will be notified by email. The giveaway closes at midnight on Friday, January 19th, 2023. Enter your information into the form below or HERE.

An election year is upon us and with it all the debate, suspicion, and rancor that is sure to accompany the culmination of another four-year cycle. Though the election is still months away, I’m already dreading the inevitable interpersonal struggles that will come with it and even the strains it may bring to the unity of my local church. What’s crazy is that we don’t even live in the country that will be holding the election. Yet because America is so close, so powerful, and so culturally dominant, its debates inevitably extend above the 49th parallel and across the world.

Love the Ones Who Drive You Crazy

My concern is less for the unity of my nation than the unity of my church. An election like this one, or an election like the one Canada will face in 2025, provide a context in which people can easily begin to distrust and antagonize one another. Of course, there are many other issues that can provoke trouble—pandemic regulations, educational decisions, not to mention age-old issues like the discipline of children or the consumption of alcohol. In so many ways Christians are challenged to maintain a strong unity despite deep differences.
But I wonder if we often think wrongly about the challenges to our unity, and especially our unity within the local church. In Love the Ones Who Drive You Crazy, Jamie Dunlop insists that our differences are not so much a bug within the local church, but a feature, and not so much a problem but an opportunity. “The differences and disagreements that threaten to tear your church apart are filled with potential to proclaim the glory of our good and gracious God.” That’s the burden of his book.
That’s the burden of his book and he defends his position well. Leaning heavily on the words of the Apostle Paul, he shows that God means for the unity we have in Christ despite our differences to be a primary means God uses to display his goodness and glory. This means that

the differences that threaten to tear your church apart are opportunities to demonstrate that being “in accord with Christ Jesus” is all we need to be in “harmony with one another.” That’s how “with one voice” we “glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” If your church is about Jesus and immigration reform, you rob him of glory. If your church is about Jesus and homeschooling, you rob him of glory. Just as God gets greater glory through redemption than through creation alone, the glory he receives in your church’s unity is greater in disagreement and difference than if everyone were in the same place to begin with.

This perspective changes so much about the way we relate to our fellow Christians. It means we must center our church on Christ alone so that instead of pursuing complete conformity, we learn to tolerate differences (in the classical definition of the word “tolerance”). While obviously there are boundaries to our unity—we would not tolerate differences in the core doctrines of the Christian faith—we are to see other differences as opportunities to display the glory of God by loving each other despite them, through them, and even because of them. “Too many of us have never really grappled with the implications of a church centered on Christ alone. We applaud diversity in our churches and pray for more diversity, never contemplating the cost and challenge that comes when God answers our prayer.”
Dunlop unfolds his perspective and his challenge across eight chapters, each of which provides a thematic examination of a different section of Romans. He shows that unity has a unique way of displaying the glory of God; that the kind of love we must extend toward others flows from the mercy God has shown to us; that disunity in the local church tells lies about Jesus; that divine justice empowers us to extend full forgiveness; that people we dislike often act in faith and our worthy of our love and friendship; and so on. “Jesus is creating a stunning picture of his glory in your church, and no matter your flaws and failings, he will succeed,” he insists. “Jesus is creating a stunning picture of his glory through the faith of those you struggle to love, and he will succeed. Jesus is creating a stunning picture of his glory through your faith-filled love, as imperfect as it may be. And he will succeed. This is the hope we have through faith in Christ.”
Whether we are facing a year of political turmoil, a year of pandemic regulations, a year of outright persecution, or even just a very normal year, this book provides crucial instruction and encouragement for every Christian. I would be hard-pressed to find a book that is more likely to benefit you and your church in the year ahead.