The Lord be with you and bless you today.

Westminster Books has a deal on the new book by Mark Jones, Knowing Sin.
(Yesterday on the blog: A Family Update and a Some Thoughts on Those Canadian Truckers)
The Necessity and Danger of Mercy Ministry
Mez McConnell: “While a church may do a lot of different things in the service of [its] mission, everything that it does should be aimed at those final goals: proclaiming the gospel and helping people to grow in their obedience to God. Starbucks sells coffee, Listerine makes mouthwash, and the church holds out the gospel and trains people to obey by doing the work of ministry. If we don’t do it, no one will. If we do anything else, we are getting off track.”
The Remedy for the Church’s Post-COVID Malaise
Trevin Wax offers some thoughts about remedying the church’s post-COVID malaise. “It’s been almost two years since COVID altered our lives. I hear pastors and church leaders talk about surviving the pandemic spiritually and emotionally, and then enduring the fallout in their congregations. Many harbor grave concerns about ministry right now and about the long-term sustainability of those who have been tasked with leading the church.”
Why We Need the Local Church
Speaking of the local church, “the culture continues to be hostile to the Christian worldview. Social media outlets are becoming more aggressive towards us, and cancelations by the culture of confusion continue to increase. Where do we turn? The answer isn’t clever or new. We turn to the local church. Here’s why.”
The Necessity of Sound Doctrine
“Sound doctrine is fundamental ‘so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes’ (Eph. 4:14). Paul isn’t mincing words here but distinctly points out that without sound doctrine, the church is susceptible to being carried away by cultural ideologies, false teaching, and deceptive methodologies.”
The Nearness of God is Not Always Good News
“A good portion of modern Christian praise songs emphasize nearness to God.” Well and good, but God’s nearness isn’t always good news…
Should I or Shouldn’t I?
Here’s a bit of a guide to determining whether or not to engage in a conversation.

He never began to love us for anything in ourselves, nor will he cease to love us because of what he discovers us to be. The love of God, which is in Jesus Christ our Lord, is unassailable by change or shock. —F.B. Meyer

If you’re in or near Tasmania, I’d love to see you at the Grace and Truth Conference in October.

Today’s Kindle deals include a number of excellent books.
(Yesterday on the blog: God of Every Grace – The Story Behind the Song)
Thinking and Emotions in the Christian Life
“Human beings are people of extremes. The pages of history give testimony to our ability to diagnose a problem and then overcorrect to an opposite error. Children raised under the pressures of legalism often gravitate toward licentiousness. Reacting against an overemphasis in logic, some have gone to the opposite error of relative truth. The church is not immune to such pendulum swings.”
Give Humble Counsel
“Isn’t it interesting that the less you know, the more willing you are to give counsel?” Yes, it’s interesting. And it’s not commendable.
When to seek justice or bear injustice
Stephen Kneale considers when to seek justice and when to bear injustice. “What do we do about injustice? Options range from setting up campaigns and waging unrelenting war against it right the way through to actively encouraging it ourselves. But what should be our response as believers? I think there is a time to pus back against injustice and there is a time to wear it. The big question is, how do we know when to do either?”
God Made Sabbath an Equipping Tool for Suffering
“I was eight years into a rocky marriage. I didn’t know it, but I was living the last months with my husband still sleeping in our home. By the end of that summer, he would be gone. One and a half years later, the divorce papers would be signed. As I sat waiting for the winner to be announced, God was planning to continue what he had started in me. He knew I would need him in the months and years ahead. He knew the way I was living was not sustainable, and he intended to change it. He was about to provide all the grace I needed for the suffering ahead, with the primary equipping tool being sabbath.”
With Cheerfulness
“There’s an idea out there that good works hardly even count if you enjoy them. That the enjoyment tarnishes the purity of the deed by bringing an immediate personal benefit to the one who does it.” But does the Bible support this?
All About Jesus: Tim Keller’s Memorial Service
Here’s a little report from TGC on the recent memorial service in honor of Tim Keller.
Flashback: It’s Only Money
Just like we can care too little about money and spend it too freely, we can care too much about money and hold it too tightly. As usual, there is peril on both sides.

Prayer is knowing work, believing work, thanking work, searching work, humbling work, and nothing worth if heart and hand do not join in it. —Thomas Adam

We are spoiled—spoiled by having so many talented Christian artists creating so many excellent songs. With 2023 now halfway in the books, I decided to make up a list of my favorites from the year so far. Hopefully there’s something here you’ll want to add to your own playlists…

He Calls Me Friend by CityAlight
As it happens, I am heading to Australia today to spend some time with CityAlight and their church. They have just released a couple of new tracks from their upcoming EP and both are wonderful. The first, “He Calls Me Friend,” rejoices in our friendship with Jesus.
I have a friend, a faithful friend / And Jesus is His name / I have a friend, a Saviour friend / And Jesus is His name / He will not leave, / He stands by me / My Shepherd He remains.
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My God is All I Need / My God is So Big by CityAlight
The second new track is “My God Is All I Need” which is a song of comfort.
He is my strength when I cannot go on / Peace when all my power is gone / Hope, although the night is long and deep / He is my song for He has rescued me / Joy now He has set me free Praise! / Praise to my Father be / My God is all I need.
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All My Boast Is in Jesus by Matt Boswell, Matt Papa, Keith & Kristyn Getty
Getty Music has also released a couple of new tracks, both of them from the partnership of Matt Boswell & Matt Papa.
All my boast is in Jesus / All my hope is His love / And I will glory forever / In what the cross has done.
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Our God Will Go Before Us by Matt Boswell, Matt Papa, Keith & Kristyn Getty
And then there is this song of comfort and encouragement which we introduced at Grace Fellowship Church last Sunday.
Our God will go before us / And guide us by his presence / What confidence this promise is / We will never walk alone.
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When We Pray [Acoustic] by Citizens
I don’t usually prefer acoustic versions of songs more than standard ones, but in this case I am glad to make an exception.
For the mothers and the fathers on their knees / For the sons and daughters trapped in slavery / For the anxious heart that’s fighting for some peace / In Jesus name, you are free / In Jesus name, amen / In Jesus name, amen / In Jesus name, there’s nothing He can’t / When we pray in Jesus name.
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Find Your People by Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors
I suppose there may be little that’s distinctly Christian about the lyrics to this one, but I like it as a celebration of the best kind of friendships.
In a world of strangers, you don’t know who to trust / All you see is danger, trying to find what you lost / You can’t go it alone, everybody needs help / You got to find your people then you’ll find yourself.
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New Creation [Live From Red Rocks] by Mac Powell
Mac Powell is best known as the former lead singer of Third Day. This song appeared on his last album, though this live version is new. I appreciate it as a celebration of God’s salvation.
You brought me blessings out of a tragedy / You turned my old song into a symphony / And with Your Spirit living inside of me / I’m a new creation.
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Make Your Own Mistakes by Wilder Woods
Wilder Woods is the stage name for Bear Rinehart, the lead singer of the band Needtobreathe. This song from his solo project is a call for the coming generation to avoid making the mistakes of the previous one.
‘Cause I don’t want you to follow me down those / Same crooked roads to the same old places / I just want you to / Go your own way / You don’t have to chase down the same dreams I did / A heart like yours is hard to break / So go and make your own mistakes.
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Running Home by Cochren & Co.
This is another salvation story.
It wasn’t where I thought we’d meet / Outside of a dorm room on Franklin Street / With tears in my eyes in the driver’s seat / That’s just the place God came for me.
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I’ll Fly Away [Live] by the Gray Havens
The Gray Havens have been releasing a series of covers. My favorite so far is this live version of “I’ll Fly Away.”
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