The God of love and peace be with you today.
There continue to be at least a few Kindle deals pretty well every day.
(Yesterday on the blog: On Being a Heroic Man)

Rachel Ware puts out the call for students to consider getting an education overseas for the sake of the nations. She offers six reasons to pursue a degree while helping a healthy church in a foreign country.

This author makes a compelling argument. “Ubiquitous pornography does not simply lead to privatized vice, but also destabilizes human culture and civilization to such a degree that the state should seek to degrade and destroy it as a menace to society. Such a proposal will likely find opponents among libertarian republicans and centrist liberals for whom individual autonomy is the highest political good. But opposition to pornography should command overwhelming support from religious conservatives on the right and opponents of misogyny from the most progressive portions of the left.”

Nicholas Lewis draws some lessons from Tolkien’s world and applies them to our own.

Jen Oshman analyzes a popular contemporary axiom: “new year, new me.”

This article asks an important question based on a biblical parable: “Do you view God as a hard man? I know that I am tempted in this way. Especially in times of trial, it is easy to acknowledge God’s sovereignty, but what about his goodness? Does he truly have my good in view? Does He love me?”

“Whatever changes await us in the year ahead, there is one solid foundation we can stand on that never moves: ‘I the LORD do not change.’ He won’t go back on his promises. He won’t revoke his offer of salvation, or quietly update his terms of service. He won’t adjust his commands to suit the sensibilities of the masses, and then adjust them again when the masses change their minds.”

Books on marriage can be wonderful, and I have benefitted from reading many of them. But the best and most helpful books on marriage are the ones being lived out by husbands and wives in your family, in your neighborhood, and especially in your church. Read them longer and more thoroughly than any other.

…if you want to be much less of a follower of Jesus Christ five years from now, make church marginal in your life. If you make church an afterthought, you won’t be thinking about centering your life on Jesus five years from now.
—Kevin DeYoung

There is something deep inside a man’s heart that longs to be heroic. I don’t know what little girls dream of, but I do know that little boys dream of carrying those girls out of a burning schoolhouse so they can be admired as strong and brave. Teenaged boys dream of fighting in a war not so much to blaze away at the enemy as to perform an act of heroism that will mark them as tough and noble and worthy of honor. Though older men may no longer be prone to such fantasies, they, too, are drawn to heroism and are convinced that they would be equal to the challenge, that they would stand where others fall, that they would run forward when others run back.
The reality, though, is that few men will ever commit the kind of acts they have so often pictured in their dreams. Few men will ever find themselves facing grave peril and impossible odds to emerge victorious and heroic. Few men will ever live the kind of lives that will even afford them the opportunity. Yet many men choose to sit idly by, wishing they would encounter the field of battle or the place of challenge so they could finally prove themselves.
To such men I have two things to say. First, I urge patience and second, I urge action.
Patience
First, I urge patience. If you wait and allow life to unfold, you will eventually come to an opportunity to prove your character. At some point, a great challenge, a great sorrow, or a grievous loss will come to you and you will need to decide how to respond.
I know many heroes who have never dashed into a burning building or tackled an armed man. One man’s heroism was shown when his child became terribly and mysteriously ill and he led his family prayerfully and faithfully as together they passed through their darkest valley. Do we not regard it as heroic to lead through the darkness when the enemy lurks on every side? This man led his most precious people through their most difficult hour. That’s heroism.
Sometimes the truest hero is the one who learns to braid a little girl’s hair.Share
For another man, it was shown when his wife fell ill and he was more attentive to her than any doctor or any nurse. He fed her, he bathed her, he clothed her, he loved her. It was shown again when his wife finally succumbed to that illness and he had to take on all the roles she had left behind. Sometimes the truest hero is the one who learns to braid a little girl’s hair.
For still another man it was shown when he himself fell ill and he determined he would live out his final days as a trailblazer. He would set an example before his wife, children, and friends of how to live out the final days well, of how to approach death bravely and victoriously. And in so doing, he left behind an inspirational legacy that has caused them to honor him all the more. He is a hero to each one of them.
So first I urge you to be patient, for the time will come when you will be called to display heroism of that kind.
Action
Second, I urge you to take action now. I urge you to behave heroically in front of the people who most need you to help them and bless them. Rather than waiting and pining for an opportunity to display your heroism on a world stage, be willing and eager to display it on a small stage. Be heroic before your wife. Be heroic before your children. Be heroic before the few people God has called you to serve.
Your wife doesn’t care if you never have a medal to pin to your chest or a plaque to fix to your wall. But she does care deeply about how you live before her today. She cares deeply about whether you are living before her in a way that expresses love and care, whether you are leading her as a servant, whether you are growing in godliness and grace, and whether you are becoming more and more like Jesus Christ.
Your children don’t care if your name is never present in the headlines, but they do care whether you are present in their lives. It concerns them a great deal whether you are active or uninvolved, whether you treat them as a joy or a burden, a mere responsibility or a tremendous privilege. Any dad can be a hero to his children when he relates to them as God calls him to—with love and joy, with tenderness and servant-heartedness. Why care whether you are loved and lauded by others when you are loved and respected by them?
If you come to the end of your days and your wife says that you loved her well and that you led your little family with grace, you have the highest commendation you can receive on this side of the grave. If your children honor you as a faithful father, if they acknowledge that you blazed the way through the darkest of valleys, you have been as heroic as any man is called to be. There may be no crowds to cheer you, but I’m sure the hosts of heaven stand and applaud. There may be no medal for bravery, but I’m certain there will be reward in heaven. For you have been heroic in the most important field of life.

Logos users, you’ve got a lot to look at today. You’ve got until January 6 to save through the 12 Days of Logos sale. Then you’ve also got a New Year’s Sale and this month’s free and nearly-free books which include some really solid titles. So have at it!

“I heard you set a goal for the new year to read Scripture more faithfully. That’s great! But I was also told that now you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed. You want to be in the Word, but you’re just not quite sure how that’s going to work. I get it; and if I could, I’d like to offer you a couple of pieces of advice.” The advice is good!

Andy Stearns writes about the worst year of his life and helpfully distinguishes between the cloud and the crowd of witnesses. “2023 was a terrible year for me and my family. One of the worst things that could happen, did. Yes, I recognize that every bad situation could be worse. I recognize that others have gone through even more terrible and grievous situations. And at the same time, for my family, 2023 really has been the worst thing to take place. But I say that while trusting God.”

You should still have some of your monthly free articles available to read this important column at World magazine. “Like many young professional athletes, Edwards is wrestling with the trappings of wealth and fame. Recently, an Instagram model, Paige Jordae, published, on her social media account, screenshots of a text conversation she had with the NBA star.”

I keep running across the book The Great Dechurching but haven’t yet gotten around to reading it. This review by Michael Lawrence seems to cover its main strengths and weaknesses very well. This insight is one I need to think about more: “Moving is one of the most dangerous things a churchgoer can do.”

“Lately this question has been challenging my heart: would I rather have a knowledge of the future and an ability to control it in some way; or will I be content with the opportunity to learn to trust in and know Jesus in deeper ways?” This is a question all of us would do well to ponder.

This article will probably mostly apply to the Type-A personalities! But it includes a good structure for starting this new year with strength.

…we inhabit a world of sin where any trait or quality can be used for God-glorifying ends or for self-glorifying ends. Not only that, but God calls us to be always willing to deny our desires in order to serve others.

Reading the Bible isn’t just reading words on a page but listening to one who loves us more than life itself, and who has a very clear agenda for our lives and our world.
—Gary Millar

This sponsored post was provided by Guidelight, a ministry designed to shine a light for the world to see Jesus and the works of God in the lives of families and individuals experiencing disability. It was written by Greg Lucas, author of Wrestling with Angel, Bible teacher, and advisor for Guidelight.
“As Jesus passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind?” (John 9:1-2)
One of the darkest and most difficult parts of being a special needs family is personal, cultural, and even spiritual isolation. For the person or family affected by disability it is much easier to stay hidden in obscurity than to be judged by the watching world. Isolation not only provides protection from the silent stares of spectators and onlookers, it keeps the messes, smells, and noises in-house where they are easier to deal with, and don’t have to be shared. For those struggling with disabilities, sometimes it is safer to remain unseen.
But Jesus will not leave us alone. He will not allow his people to be isolated. He will not permit his Church to pick and choose who is best suited—in body, mind, speech, and ability—for the Kingdom of God. He will not leave us blind to the works of God. It is of eternal importance, not only that we see, but that we are seen. 
In John chapter 9 we are introduced to a man who was born blind. He was “blind from birth”, so blindness is all he has known. And being blind is all he is known for. Up to this point, he has lived his entire life isolated, marginalized, and judged for his disability. But in the providence of God, Jesus passes by, and in the blink of an eye, everything is changed. 
“As Jesus passed by, he saw a man…”. And this seeing changes everything. 
Jesus not only saw the man who could not see, he saw the man no one else took the time to see. The man was blind to the world and the world was blind to him. This man had no identity except for disability. He is given no name except that of the “blind beggar”. People looked through him, much like we look through modern day beggars today. Much like we often look through people with special needs today. 
When faced with disability, it’s easier to keep moving, to look away, to be blind to the awkward interactions. But Jesus didn’t turn away.Share
When faced with disability, it’s easier to keep moving, to look away, to be blind to the awkward interactions. But Jesus didn’t turn away. Jesus stopped, and “…he saw a man”. He looked past the disability and saw the humanity. He looked past the problem and saw the person.
The disciples also saw a man, but they only saw his limitations. They saw his inability. In dramatic irony, they could only see his blindness. They looked past the humanity to try to find a reason for the disability. And with careless words from calloused hearts, they made a judgment of the man. “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Their far sited theology blurred the Imago Dei that stood right before their eyes.
And like he does for all who dwell in darkness, the Light of the World focuses their vision and illuminates their hearts. “Jesus answered, ‘It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.’” 
Jesus sees something no one else can see. And he wants his followers to see it too. He wants the hurting world to see that there is purpose in the pain. He wants his Church to see that fearfully and wonderfully made is a promise to every image-bearer of God. He wants the Body of Christto see that isolation is like amputation, andthe parts of the body that seem weaker are actually indispensable. He wants every parent of every child with every form of disability to see his power and love—that the God who made man’s mouth, also in his providence, makes him mute or deaf or seeing or blind, in order that that the works of God might be displayed.
The meaning of Jesus in John 9 is crystal clear. He is saying to the disciples, and he is saying to the blind man, and he is certainly saying to his Church: This blindness, this autism, this cerebral palsy, this down syndrome, this fill in the blank—this disability, exists so that more and more of the greatness of God can be seen.
Perhaps this story isn’t about the blind man at all. Perhaps this story is about our own blindness to see what God is doing all around us. And maybe the greatest gift he can give us is not to heal our physical disabilities. Maybe the greatest gift he can give us is to heal our own spiritual blindness so we can see more of Jesus, and more of the great works of God. 
Guidelight is a ministry designed with that purpose in mind—to shine a light for the world to see Jesus, and the works of God in the lives of families and individuals experiencing disability. One of our most important ministry missions is to lead families out of the darkness of isolation and into the body of Christ. Through bible teaching, respite, counseling, and care, Guidelight encourages families with the hope of the gospel and the purpose of God in disability “in order that the works of God might be displayed.” 
Won’t you join us in carrying this light to the world? Visit theguidelight.org to learn more.

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Good morning. May the Lord be with you and bless you today.
Today’s Kindle deals include several books that will be on sale through the end of January.
(Yesterday on the blog: New Year, New Joys, New Sorrows)

“The pressure is growing for everyone quietly to conform.  More than that, the pressure is growing to affirm openly and celebrate what we know to be false.  Surely, it would be better to speak the truth now instead of growing our tendency to fit in and play it safe as the stakes mount.” With this in mind, Peter Mead decides to revisit some classic Solzhenitsyn.

How would you counsel someone who has been experiencing troubled dreams? This is sound advice from an old source.

“Dealing with naturalism can be daunting, until we realize we have a powerful ally working in our favor: Reality is actually on our side.” Greg Koukl explains.

Karen Hodge: “Thinking biblically about productivity includes remembering my identity is rooted in the finished work of Jesus Christ on my behalf rather than in finding my worth in how many things I have checked off my to-do list. In this tension, we may tend towards two extremes.”

“I do not know my father, or even if he is alive or dead. He beat and abused my mother for twelve years until we broke into our own home, packed a few bags, and drove away, never to return. So you can see why ‘Father’ was a loaded term for me when, as an adult, I investigated the God of the Bible. Every time I read this dreaded word – ‘Father’ – it rekindled feelings of fear and abandonment.”

Stephen Nichols shares a brief but important lesson from American church history.

Without a doubt, the most impactful book I read last year was A Book of Comfort for Those in Sickness…I’ve collected some of my favorite quotes from the book, hoping they comfort you and perhaps compel you to read the book yourself or hand it to someone who could benefit from it.

I saw more clearly than ever, that the first great and primary business to which I ought to attend every day was, to have my soul happy in the Lord.
—George Mueller

As the calendar turns from December to January and as 2023 gives way to 2024, a new year is laid out before us. We may have already drawn a few lines and circles on some of the dates—appointments here, vacations there. We may have slotted in a few dreams and plans for certain days and weeks. But mostly the year lies open before us, opaque, mysterious, unknown. What will it be? What will it bring? How may Providence direct?
What is certain is that 2024 will bring both joys and sorrows, both gains and losses. There will be good days and bad, joyful seasons and grievous. Some circumstances we will look forward to and some we will dread. That’s the nature of life here between Genesis chapter 3 and Revelation chapter 22—between sin’s entrance and abolition, between the first tears and the last.
Today I find myself thinking especially about those hard days and difficult times. As 2023 drew to its close, I witnessed an unusual number of friends endure the most trying of circumstances. I had a close-up view of Christians passing through dark valleys. And, to my encouragement and joy, I was able to watch them pass through those trials unbroken and triumphant. Even with hurting hearts and crying eyes, they remained victorious, unwavering in their love for God and unswerving in their commitment to his cause.
What is left when a Christian man is forced to bid farewell to the wife of his youth, when she comes to the last of her days? What remains when death finally separates two hearts that had for so long beat as one? Faith remains. Hope remains. Love remains. There is grief, too, of course, and many tears. But faith, hope, and love live on and shine all the brighter in the darkness of loss.
What is left when investments collapse and a Christian man’s wealth is destroyed in a moment? What remains in the wake of a financial disaster of that magnitude? Honor remains. Praise remains. Thanks remains. There will be sorrow, too, and much uncertainty. But the loss of money will not cause the loss of the honor, praise, and thanks that so naturally flow from the heart of one who has been redeemed.
What is left when a husband packs up his possessions and leaves his wife on her own? What remains when vows are broken and hearts are shattered into a million little pieces? Trust remains. Prayer remains. Peace remains. There will be difficult days and sleepless nights, to be certain. There will be deep pain and sorrow, to be sure. But trust and prayer and peace cannot fall prey to even the most grievous of circumstances.
No matter what may be added to us in the year ahead, we know that the greatest gain on earth is as nothing compared to what already awaits us in heaven.Share
None of us know what 2024 will bring. It may be a year of great gain or a year of great loss. It may be a year of great gain and great loss—of triumphant gains and shattering losses. Only God knows. Only God exists outside of past, present, and future and only God knows them all at a glance.
Yet no matter what may be taken from us in the year ahead, we know that we have possessions beyond measure that are ours in Christ. No matter what may be added to us in the year ahead, we know that the greatest gain on earth is as nothing compared to what already awaits us in heaven. And this means we can live with open hands, becoming neither idolatrous toward our gains nor defeated by our losses. We can trust God in all he gives and all he takes, in whatever his providence decrees we must receive and must surrender. We can trust him with our future as we did our past. He will lead us as surely to the end as he has from the beginning. He will prove himself true to us in 2024 and he did in 2023. And with all that in mind, we can confidently say, “Happy New Year.”

Good morning. Grace and peace to you today and for the duration of the year that has just begun. May this be a year in which you know so many of the Lord’s sweet blessings.
Today’s Kindle deals include a selection of 2023’s bestselling books from Crossway.
(Yesterday on the blog: The Happiest Year You Will Ever Know)

This is a strong column from Andrew Walker. “Has anyone else noticed that many Christian journalists have gone more or less silent on issues of cultural controversy that intersect with the so-called culture war? For example, I haven’t heard an affirmation of the exclusivity of Christ, the inerrancy of Scripture, or biblical views on abortion or sexuality in years from many who write at these outlets. When was the last time one of these writers picked up their pen or used their platform to defend the interests of conservative Evangelicals in any meaningful way, even if it put them at odds with their cosmopolitan readership?”

Ed Welch considers ways we may unintentionally hurt the very people we are trying to comfort.

“What will your New Year’s resolution be for 2024? It’s a question probably equal parts hated and anticipated. Some people look forward to this season every year as an opportunity to reflect and reset. Others feel guilt from the hauntings of failed resolutions past and would rather glide into the new year without disruption to the status quo. But how should the disciple of Christ treat this season?”

I enjoyed this conversation between Greg Koukl and Amy Hall. They discuss whether the fact that Christianity isn’t necessarily easy to understand or defend means that it’s not true.

Andrew Kerr offers comfort for people who may be experiencing sorrow. “If God’s heavy hand weighs heavily on your heart, or the sweet narrative of your life has been soured by a bitter taste, recall, precious lamb, your story isn’t finished yet – the author of your tale, from birth, through death, to life, knew how your story concluded before the beginning of the age.”

Dayo Adewoye: “The African Christian has a distinct challenge. He (and she) stands amidst two different systems which daily war against his soul. And in his desire to be faithful to Christ, he must faithfully and discerningly wage the war against them.”

Happy New Year! Here is a prayer I found in Heart Cries to Heaven by David Campbell. It seemed very appropriate for the start of a new year.

The happiest home is not one which has never known grief—but one whose songs of gladness have in them a minor strain.
—J.R. Miller

There are some hymns that disappear because they are simply not very good. There are some hymns that disappear because they are too tied to a particular niche. And there are some hymns that disappear because their language becomes antiquated. I think this hymn/poem by John Newton spans the latter two categories. It is closely tied to New Year’s, so likely to be sung for only one Sunday out of every 52. And then some of the language has become just a little bit old-fashioned.
Still, it is worth dusting off, reading, and pondering as one year fades into another. In it, Newton marks the year that has gone and celebrates the year to come (though possibly not right now)—the year that will prove to be the best of your life.

See! another year is gone!Quickly have the seasons passed!This we enter now uponMay to many prove our last.Mercy hitherto has spared,But have mercies been improved?Let us ask, am I preparedShould I be this year removed?
Some we now no longer see,Who their mortal race have run;Seemed as fair for life as we,When the former year begun;Some, but who God only knows,Who are here assembled now,Ere the present year shall close,To the stroke of death must bow.
Life a field of battle is,Thousands fall within our view;And the next death-bolt that flies,May be sent to me or you:While we preach, and while we hear,Help us, Lord, each one, to think,Vast eternity is near,I am standing on the brink.
If from guilt and sin set free,By the knowledge of Thy grace;Welcome, then, the call will beTo depart and see Thy face:To Thy saints, while here below,With new years, new mercies come;But the happiest year they knowIs their last, which leads them home.

You’ve got just a couple of days left to save 80% on a giant list of great commentaries from some of the most important series. There’s also a giant list of other books from Eerdmans that will go off sale on December 31. I also added a substantial list of standard Kindle deals both today and yesterday.
My gratitude goes to TMAI for sponsoring the blog this week. TMAI is one of those organizations I’ve seen in action all over the world! They are asking you to help them make an impact in 2024 and beyond.

Sarah tells about the New Year’s resolution she is adopting next year. She also encourages you to consider the same one.

Keith Mathison: “Rather than hate that lost person because he or she is doing what any biblically informed Christian should expect a totally depraved sinner to do, namely sin, we should pray for them. Show them the compassion and love of Christ. Tell them that life is not meaningless. Tell them that with Christ, there is light at the end of the tunnel, eternal light. We cannot simply assume that a lost person is a lost cause.”

I found this a really helpful video on getting over anxiety triggers. Kudos to CCEF for creating excellent video content like this.

Stephie shares what she calls a “psalm of collective lament.” Consider it an adaptation of several biblical laments.

Kevin explains that “as one year ends and a new one begins, I can’t help but ask two questions to myself, ‘Will Jesus Christ return in 2024?’”

John Piper has counsel for those whose Bible reading feels a mite flat.

Here is a great promise about the extent of God’s forgiveness. God blots out our transgressions so he can forget our sins. He deliberately erases from his accounts every record of what we have done wrong.

Prayer delights God’s ear; it melts his heart; and opens his hand. God cannot deny a praying soul.
—Thomas Watson

This week’s Free Stuff Fridays is sponsored by The Master’s Academy International (TMAI). They are giving away the 42-volume Essential MacArthur Library set.
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, as they are now under the most significant demand for student enrollment in their history. For example, in places like Ukraine—while many seek to flee to safety—the TMAI training center saw the largest incoming class in its history this academic year. These men are not only serving their families, comforting hurting communities, and shepherding their churches in times of war, but many are risking their lives each and every day for the sake of proclaiming the name of Jesus Christ.
The central focus of TMAI is training indigenous men in how to study, preach, and live out the word of God. TMAI recognizes that the most effective missions strategy is not primarily for Western missionaries to go and preach in every nation—rather, to train indigenous men to effectively serve and minister in Japan, Myanmar, Croatia, Ukraine, Argentina, Malawi, and many other places. This is why funding student scholarships is necessary for missions and a strategic effort for TMAI. To provide maximum opportunity for impact, TMAI aims to raise $1.9 million by December 31st to help fund indigenous student scholarships. As you fill out the form below, consider making a year-end gift to help these efforts.
Giveaway: The Essential MacArthur Library
The Master’s Academy International (TMAI) is giving away a 42-volume Essential MacArthur Library. This set includes key resources designed to help believers better understand the Bible, the most important resource for anyone. The Essential MacArthur Library remains one of the top translation projects for TMAI as they seek to resource the global church with God-honoring books. To learn more about TMAI’s indigenous publishing efforts, go here.
The Essential MacArthur Library includes:

The MacArthur New Testament Commentary series (33 vols.)
The MacArthur Study Bible
The MacArthur Bible Commentary
Biblical Doctrine
Essential Christian Doctrine
The Master’s Plan for the Church
The MacArthur Pastoral Library—4 vols. (Preaching Pastoral Ministry · Counseling · Evangelism)

To win the Essential MacArthur Library (in English), please enter below. One winner will be selected.
TO ENTER:
Giveaway Rules: Entries are limited to 1 per person. U.S. Addresses only. 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 5th, 2023. Enter your information into the form below or HERE.