Today’s post is sponsored by the Banner of Truth and reflects on a new collection of writings from J.C. Ryle, edited by Andrew Atherstone.
‘What does Christmas mean to you?’ This is a question you hear often during the months of November and December. For some it’s, ‘The best of times’, for others ‘the worst of times’ (to borrow from Charles Dickens). But consider this; many may hear and think of the name of Jesus than at any other time of the year. Christmas can still provide a timely opportunity for the church to share timeless truths to the world at large – as J.C. Ryle did to the people in his villages.
In his introduction to a new collection of writings, Christmas Thoughts, from J.C. Ryle, Andrew Atherstone writes:
‘John Ryle was a warm-hearted pastor and preacher in rural Suffolk, vicar of the little villages of Helmingham and Stradbroke. Often at Christmas and New Year, he wrote an exhortation to his parishioners in the form of a short tract, distributed from house to house. These tracts were hugely popular, eagerly read in towns and villages across England, each running into multiple editions in tens of thousands of copies. Christmas, and New Year, are excellent moments to pause and reflect—as scattered families regather for the national holiday, and as the calendar turns over again, with another year gone forever. Ryle urges us—in the midst of our feasting and festivities and family reunions—to make time to consider our spiritual state and our relationship with God. How is it with our souls? What do we make of Jesus Christ? What will be our future, when all our Christmases are passed?
This little book contains five of Ryle’s most popular Christmas tracts, originally published during the 1850s and 1860s. They have not been issued in this Christmas form since they were first printed more than a century and a half ago. Ryle writes in classic Victorian style, but with a freshness and crispness and direct appeal to readers in every generation. The spiritual wisdom of these Christmas Thoughts is timeless. Ryle challenges us—while we enjoy the wonderful delights of mince pies and mistletoe and mulled wine and music and merriment—to make the most of every Christmas, to consider seriously the person of Jesus Christ and questions of eternal significance.’
Don’t miss this excellent evangelistic resource, especially during a season where the world already has an ear slightly turned to the truth. Order a copy for yourself and one for a friend this Christmas.

Black Friday is behind us and that brings us to Cyber Monday, another opportunity to track down some good deals. I spent a good bit of time hunting around for deals and wanted to share them here.

Amazon
As you’d expect, Amazon has a massive selection of deals that span just about every possible category. Use the filters in the left sidebar to focus on the ones that are interesting to you. The one everyone’s talking about is $50 off the new AirPods Pro; AirTags are also on sale—in case you’re going to be doing some travel coming up; this charger at $25 off is a good value. Also, the all-new Kindle, Paperwhite, and Oasis (which I find the best of them all) are all deeply discounted. Then there’s a nice selection of board games as well.
Westminster Books
Westminster Books has ESV Bibles deeply discounted. That includes:

It looks like (at least as of this moment) their excellent Black Friday deals remain available as well.
Christian Book Distributors
CBD has lots of good deals in their Cyber Monday sale. They include:

Logos
Logos has a selection of Cyber Monday deals. Among them you’ll find:

ESV Expository Commentary series (11 vols.) – 50% Off
Teach the Text Commentary Series (21 vols.) – 68% Off
Prophets, 8 vols. (NIV Application Commentary | NIVAC) – 50% Off
New Studies in Biblical Theology Series Collection | NSBT (53 vols.)
Studies in Historical and Systematic Theology (SHST) (25 vols.) – 50% Off
Bible Survey Video Series: John – 50% Off
Select Commentary Mini-Bundles – 50% Off

And much more. Additionally, they are offering an additional 10% off the sale products for anyone who has already purchased or upgraded to Logos 10, or purchases/upgrades.
10ofThose
10ofThose has discounts on a wide variety of books with some reaching as high as 76%.
Accordance
Accordance is offering 25% off everything. Just enter coupon code 25-all at checkout to SAVE 25% off all items in your cart. You can use the code as often as you like.
Banner of Truth
Banner of Truth has a good number of books and other items discounted up to 50%. You can view the PDF flyer here.
Crossway
Crossway is offering 60% off Men’s and Women’s Study Bibles.
Getty Music
Getty Music has deals on physical and downloadable products as well as tickets for their upcoming Christmas concerts.
Ligonier
Ligonier is having a 3-day sale that offers significant discounts on a lot of books, commentaries, and teaching series.
Missional Wear
Missional Wear has select products at up to 50% off, plus all items marked as in-stock and shipping now at 15% off using code CHALLIES15. That includes shirt deals, stocking stuffers, drinkware, etc.
Truth for Life
Truth for Life has deals on book bundles, Alistair Begg devotionals, and an ESV that is marked down from $199 to $35.

Good morning. Grace and peace to you.

There are a few new Kindle deals that are well worth a look.
Be sure to check out this long list of Cyber Monday deals that may be of interest.
When God’s Sovereign Will Seems Inscrutable
“Sometimes God’s sovereign will seems inscrutable, especially when it involves His allowing overwhelming trial or crushing disappointment. Or when He permits the thwarting of what consecrated Christians had become thoroughly convinced was in keeping with His plan and would bring great glory to Him.” Vance Christie illustrates this from Elisabeth Elliot’s life.
Not-Really-Already-But-Definitely-Not Yet
Samuel James: “For the last few years I’ve thought much about what happens to our relationships, our beliefs, and even our minds when the whole range of human experience is translated to a digital medium.”
Nothing is Impossible…
“When you face things that are impossible it can bring up many questions. What will happen if we cannot make ends meet? Will my wayward child ever come back to the Lord? Will I always be alone? Will I get better? What if my friend or family member never comes to know Jesus?”
Benefits of Giving Thanks
Barbara Harper: “Though our US holiday of Thanksgiving is over, giving thanks should continue. This year I saw some benefits to thanksgiving, some of which I don’t remember noticing before.”
External bodies are advisory, not authority
This is common-sense but important. “If you are an independent, the independency of the local church is something you kind of camp out on. It’s not some side issue. It is fundamental to what you believe about the church and, therefore, fundamental to who you are as a church. This is never more true than when it comes to matters of church discipline.”
Injustice: The Gratitude Snatcher
This would be good to ponder post-Thanksgiving. “No one wants to walk in ingratitude, and yet gratitude can be so quickly snatched from us.”
Flashback: The Sad, Sad Story You Need To Tell God
“You have lost the light of God’s face, not because He has arbitrarily withdrawn it, but because your iniquities have come between you and your God; and your sins, like a cloud before the sun, have hid His face from you.”
Every time you get angry, you make your values and point of view explicit. —David Powlison

Sometimes we all need just a little bit of help when we pray. Sometimes it is good for us to borrow the prayers of other people and put them to use ourselves. And for just that reason, here’s a lovely prayer from St. Augustine (as found in the excellent little book Fount of Heaven. Perhaps it will give you words to pray today.

Great are you, O Lord, and greatly to be praised.
Great is your power. Your wisdom is infinite, and we praise you.
We, who are just a particle of your creation. We, who carry our mortality with us—the witness of our sin, and the witness that you resist the proud.
Yet we praise you.
You awaken us to delight in your praise. For you made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it finds its place of rest in you.
Grant me, Lord, to know and understand which is first: to call on you, or to praise you? To know you, or to call on you? For who can call on you, not knowing you? Whoever does not know you might call on you as someone other than you really are.
Or rather, do we call on you so that we may know you? But how do they call on him in whom they have not believed? Or how will they believe without a preacher? (Romans 10:14).
And whoever seeks the Lord will praise him: for they that seek will find him, and they that find will praise him.
I will seek you, Lord, by calling on you. And I will call on you, believing in you, because you have been preached to us.
With the faith you have given me, I will call on you. That faith has inspired me, through the incarnation of your Son, through the ministry of the preacher.
Amen.

My thanks goes to Christian Focus for sponsoring the blog this week with news of an excellent new biography on John Ross.

There are a few new Kindle deals today.
Westminster Books continues their deals today with discounts on children’s books.
(Yesterday on the blog: Black Friday 2022 Deals for Christians)
David French and the Future of Orthodox Protestantism
This is an important one from Carl Trueman. “It is now clear that orthodox Protestants, specifically evangelicals, do not own the country. Whether they ever did is a matter for debate; that they thought they did is indisputable.”
Is Islam Really the Fastest Growing Religion in the World?
You have probably heard that Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the world. But is it really?
The search for authenticity
“Churches in hard places may seem full of people being authentic, but people often recoil from the authenticity on display because it is, well, too authentic. The sins on display, that with the church’s help may be repented of, are too much for some to wear. How can professing believers do that?”
A Workaday Faith
“We all want to do great things for Jesus. That’s normal and healthy. But we’re not all going to get to.” Indeed. But this isn’t a bad thing!
The Embattled Pastor
“Disagreement, misunderstandings, frustration, and disunity can tear at the seams of Christ’s church. Conflict leads to hurt feelings, judged motives, and flared tempers. Church members might take sides. Gossip and whispers spread like wildfire, and soon the forest is raging. If criticism is like a sprained ankle, conflict is the fracture.”
When Your Spouse Suffers from Chronic Pain or Illness
Those who are accompanying their spouse through a time of chronic pain or illness may benefit from this two-part article at Biblical Counseling Coalition.
Flashback: How I Review a Book
This is a loose format I follow in many of my reviews and I have found it quite effective in reaching a general audience with an interest in popular-level books. I hope you find it helpful!

The most rebellious thing we can do in a world that prioritizes nonconformity above all is to stand out from the crowd by deliberately conforming our soul, mind, and body to a truth bigger than ourselves and our desires. —Trevin Wax

This week’s Free Stuff Friday is sponsored by Christian Focus Publications. They are offering copies of The Power and the Glory: John Ross and the Evangelisation of Manchuria to five winners.

Born in the northeast of Scotland, John Ross arrived in Manchuria in 1872 and spent 40 years of his life there. He left behind an amazing legacy of culturally sensitive evangelism, established presbyterian churches, innovative missionary principles, valuable publications, and a rich vein of translations, including the first version of the New Testament in Korean.
John S. Ross’s riveting biography tracks not only his life, but also the social, political and spiritual influences which shaped his life and work. God is still using John Ross’s labours to grow his Kingdom in South and North Korea today.
What People Have Said:
This is a thrilling story, taking the reader through the God–given successes of Ross’s labours, as well as the immense challenges he faced, including the Boxer Rising. It is a thoroughly worthy memorial to Ross, the missionary and translator, but supremely a timeless and inspiring testimony to the fruit which follows the faithful sowing of Gospel seed.
Donald Meek: Professor Emeritus, Scottish and Gaelic Studies, Edinburgh University

Packed solid with carefully documented information, the author has written in a narrative style which draws you to read on. With its many helpful theological and cultural insights, it is a book set to become a classic.
David Ellis: Engineer, former minister of the Church of Scotland, and Director of OMF International UK

… goes well beyond a simple biographical statement of his life, but thoroughly sets him and his missionary work in the church, social, and cultural context of his time, both in the Scotland, and in China. This is a must-read for anyone interested in missions and Christianity in East Asia.
James H. Grayson: Professor Emeritus, School of East Asian Studies, The University of Sheffield

This is a meticulously researched and immensely readable book that weaves together the fascinating biography of the man John Ross with the social, religious, and imperial history and context which shaped him and his mission. We are told of the ways he relied on and empowered local Chinese and Korean coworkers in the work of the Gospel, the intellectual contributions he and his collaborators made—not least the first Korean New Testament—and the enduring legacy which has been left behind. This is such a wonderfully captivating read.
Alexander Chow: Senior Lecturer of Theology and World Christianity, School of Divinity, University of Edinburgh, and editor of Scottish Missions to China (Brill 2022)

… an inspiring, engaging and realistic portrait of a missionary namesake who left a profound legacy in the Chinese and Korean churches.
Donald John MacLean: Adjunct Professor of Historical Theology, Westminster Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Newcastle

Enter Here
Again, there are five copies to win. And all you need to do to enter the draw is to drop your name and email address in the form below, which will add you to Christian Focus’ mailing list.
Giveaway Rules: You may enter one time. Winners will be notified by email. The giveaway will end on December 2nd, 2022.

While there are many places you can go today to find deals on electronics and other big-ticket items, I like to provide a place for Christian retailers to make their deals known to Christians who are trying to kick-start their Christmas shopping (or to just buy great resources at significant discounts). I will update this list regularly throughout the weekend, so you may want to return to a few times. Be sure to check back on Monday for Cyber Monday deals.

Amazon
Amazon has a huge variety of products discounted. From electronics to toys to games, there are deals across almost every category. Perhaps of greater interest is Kindle devices: the all-new Kindle, Paperwhite, and Oasis (which I find the best of them all) are all deeply discounted.
Westminster Books
Westminster Books has a lot of deals listed in their 2022 Christmas Gift Guide and Black Friday Deals which has discounts up to 68% off. Top deals include:

Christian Book Distributors
CBD has a wide-ranging Black Friday Sale that covers some really good books (and some really bad ones). I’ve sorted through it all to try to pull out some of the highlights. Separately, you can find a long list of Bibles that are on sale.

Logos
Logos has a number of deals you’ll want to look at if you are a user of their software. Among the highlights:

The Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series is down to $4.99 per volume (an ideal series for pastors or non-pastors alike)
The Pillar New Testament Commentary series is down to $9.99 each (this is my favorite and most-trusted commentary series)
There are lots of other books, bundles resources, and Mobile Ed products deeply discounted

10ofThose
10ofThose has discounts on a wide variety of books with some reaching as high as 76%.
Accordance
Accordance is offering 25% off everything. Just enter coupon code 25-all at checkout to SAVE 25% off all items in your cart. You can use the code as often as you like.
Banner of Truth
Banner of Truth has a good number of books and other items discounted up to 50%. You can view the PDF flyer here.
Crossway
Crossway is offering 60% off Men’s and Women’s Study Bibles.
Getty Music
Getty Music has deals on physical and downloadable products as well as tickets for their upcoming Christmas concerts.
Ligonier Ministries
Ligonier has a $5 Friday which a huge variety of books and teaching series available.
Missional Wear
Missional Wear has select products at up to 50% off, plus all items marked as in-stock and shipping now at 15% off using code CHALLIES15. That includes shirt deals, stocking stuffers, drinkware, etc.
New Growth Press
New Growth Press is offering 40% off many of their products with coupon code BLACK40.
Reformation Heritage Books
RHB’s Thanksgiving Week Sale has up to 65% off on a selection of great titles including Simonetta Carr’s Church History, a number of volumes from the Lectio Continua commentary series, as well as a number of book sets (like R.C. Sproul Signature Classics, etc).
The Gospel Coalition
TGC is offering a discount on conference registration along with 4 free books.
Truth for Life
Truth for Life has deals on book bundles, Alistair Begg devotionals, and an ESV that is marked down from $199 to $35.
Wretched
Todd Friel’s Wretched has 50% off Wretched products. If you spend $50 you’ll get free shipping and a free copy of season one of the series Transformed.
Visual Theology
Visual Theology has some solid Black Friday Deals going on right now. All Advent materials are 25% off, and all memberships are 50% off with code black2022. It’s an excellent opportunity to download every poster, slideshow, handout, workbook, and more! These deals run through the end of the month. Also, since Advent starts in just two days, you can grab the annual countdown poster from Visual Theology in either full color or a version you can color each day. And new for this year is a complete coloring book! For 29 days, you’ll follow the Christmas story as told in four distinct aspects of the Gospel. Both for kids and adults, start your Advent countdown today! Subscribe to their newsletter, and you’ll get the first week of coloring pages for free.

Good morning. Grace and peace to you.

Don’t forget to check today’s Black Friday Deals for Christians roundup. I’ll be updating it through the day as I find new deals.
Your Spouse Is God’s Creation
I enjoyed Paul Tripp’s reflection on marriage and, even more, on his call to accept and embrace your spouse as he or she is. “God created every aspect of your spouse’s personhood. He administrated every choice of hardwiring, tone of voice, innate personality, natural gifts, and whether he or she is mechanical, analytical, or relational. Neither you nor your spouse chose any of these qualities.”
Two Powerful Skills You Already Have
Seth Lewis writes prose and poetry about two powerful skills you already have.
Visual Theology Advent Resources
Advent starts in just two days! Grab the annual countdown poster from Visual Theology in either full color or a version you can color each day. And new for this year is a complete coloring book! For 29 days, you’ll follow the Christmas story as told in four distinct aspects of the Gospel. Both for kids and adults, start your Advent countdown today! Subscribe to their newsletter, and you’ll get the first week of coloring pages for free. (Sponsored)
Operation Pedestal: Two Lessons for The Contemporary Spiritual Battle From The Relief of Malta in 1942
John Stevens: “Two things struck me from the account of this audacious and costly operation that are relevant to gospel ministry in our current context.”
‘I Will Grieve but not Grumble, Mourn but not Murmur, Weep but not Whine’
I’m grateful to Christianity Today for running this interview in the December issue of their magazine.
African Christianity Thrived, Long Before White Men Arrived
“Over 685 million people in Africa are associated with Christianity in some way. But amongst this broad acceptance, there’s a murmuring that this ‘religion of the Colonists’ shouldn’t have a place on the continent anymore; that Christianity isn’t African.” The reality, though, is that African Christianity existed and thrived long before that time.
God’s Wrath
Alistair Roberts was asked to review a book about God’s wrath in the Old Testament and I enjoyed reading his thoughts on the subject.
Flashback: Oh, How I Love the Law!
If we don’t love the law and don’t want to do the law, we don’t love the God who gave the law. Do we love the law of God like David did? Do we treasure it as he treasured it?

Discontent never made a rough path smoother, a heavy burden lighter, a bitter cup less bitter, a dark way brighter, a sorrow less sore. —J.R. Miller

Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! Happy Thanksgiving to my many American friends and family members. Enjoy your holiday today and then check in tomorrow for my annual round-up of Black Friday deals.

(Yesterday on the blog: Revival)
Four Tips for Having Good Conversations
Perhaps you’ll find this helpful today. “What if I told you it’s possible to have great conversations with almost anyone without wasting your time, getting bored, or even offending anyone? Here are four tips to help you do just that this holiday season.”
What Is Thanksgiving Day?
Stephen Nichols reflects on the history, meaning, and joy of Thanksgiving.
A Visual Theology Sale
Visual Theology has some fantastic Black Friday Deals going on right now. All Advent materials are 25% off, and all memberships are 50% off with code black2022. It’s an excellent opportunity to download every poster, slideshow, handout, workbook, and more! These deals run through the end of the month. (Sponsored)
Chosen Isn’t So Special if You Are a Turkey
This is a fun one. “My kids used to say I should write a how-to-hide-the-turkey-recipe book. We ate a lot of turkey when we lived in Italy. Affordable and easily available, I disguised wings, thighs and breast, every possible way. But turkey, as often as it showed up at our house, didn’t come whole.”
The Spiritual Discipline of Thanksgiving
Though giving thanks is not always easy, it is never merely optional. “Nowhere does the Bible say thanking God is easy. But nowhere does the Bible say thanking God is optional. It’s not a practice reserved only for the good times. It’s a spiritual discipline necessary at all times.”
Fleeing the love of money
If you want to be truly thankful you’ll need to cast out certain sins—sins like greed. “Greed is so normal and acceptable that we don’t see the need to flee. We feel Jesus and Paul were overstating things by saying things like you cannot serve both God and money; we’re prepared to give it a go!”
Flashback: When Was the Last Time You Just Enjoyed Your Money?
When all you want to do with your money is seek indulgence, it will deliver ever-diminishing pleasures. But when you faithfully steward it, those small pleasures are far richer and far sweeter.

Lord, I cannot hope to sit on your right or your left in your kingdom, but permit me to sit at your feet and hear your Word. —F.B. Meyer

I’m very thankful for the recent rise of the Christian documentary. Over the past few years we’ve been treated to quite a number of excellent productions that focus on key Christian characters, on important topics, and even on the whole sweep of Christian history. We are blessed to have access to this bounty of riches.

New to the field is Revival: The Work of God. Directed by Dan Pugh, written and presented by Jeremy Walker, and backed by Reformation Heritage Books, this film documents the history of revival. Better said, it documents the history of true revival, for the term is used in ways that are precise and imprecise, ways that speak of an unusual act of God and ways that speak of methods manufactured by men.
What is revival, or true revival? Revival is a supernatural, unexpected, deeply desired work of the Holy Spirit in which God’s people hunger for his Word and long for his glory. It is accompanied by an unusual sense of the presence of God, a deep awareness of sin, an overwhelming joy at forgiveness, and a passion to reach the lost. Though such revivals are rare, they have happened at a number of points in history and have often been carefully documented by those privileged to have experienced them.
Revival is essentially a journey through church history that pauses at a number of the incidents of revival to consider what happened and what we can learn from it. Though the film does offer passing reference to the early church, the Waldensians of the 12th century, the Lollards of the 14th century, and the Hussites of the 15th, it really begins with the Reformation, itself a revival, and then proceeds forward from there.
As the film progresses, Walker travels to each of the key locations, often filming in the very churches or buildings where revival broke out. Meanwhile, a good number of pastors and historians offer their own thoughts on the particular events or the subject as a whole. These guests include Geoff Thomas, Ian Hamilton, Joel Beeke, Sinclair Ferguson, Steven Lawson, Stuart Olyott, and a number of others.
There are many good takeaways from the film, though perhaps the two that stand out to me are the sovereign work of God in creating revival and the link between revival and suffering. To the first point, it is clear that revivals occur when God deems them good and necessary, not when mere humans do. Though we can and should cry out for revival, we need to be aware that they are rare and sovereignly-ordained. We should never attempt to manufacture them by our own efforts. And then while it is good to long for revival, we need to be aware that they are often accompanied by suffering, for God often purifies the church by suffering even as he blesses it with an awakening. Hence to plead with God for revival may also be to invite him to allow the church to endure a season of hardship. For that reason we ought to be aware what we are praying for when we pray that God would act in this particular way.
Revival: The Work of God is a good and helpful and well-made film. I might wish it looked at revivals beyond Europe and the United States, but, having been involved in a documentary project, I understand there are often constraints related to budget or even historical evidence. There is much we can learn from the history of revival and, hence, much we can learn from this film. I’m thankful to those who made it and am glad to commend it.