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

Marriage brings us many joys. But since it exists in this world and not some other, it also brings its share of sorrows. It is like everything else in that way—there are times we marvel at its beauties and times we lament its difficulties. A divine gift that was meant to be only good is now attended with sore struggles and many griefs.
When Aileen and I were about to be married, we were told to ready ourselves to face those three most common sources of marital discord: money, sex, and in-laws. Yet as time has gone by and as our marriage has matured, I have learned there are foes far more insidious than these—foes that creep up on me in quiet moments and lurk around me on hard days, that are on my mind as I pray for my marriage and on my heart as I confess my shortcomings.
The greatest challenges to my marriage haven’t come from without but from within. The greatest discouragements haven’t stemmed from circumstances but from character. The greatest difficulties haven’t arisen from other people but from myself. I have learned that the greatest enemies of my marriage are the unholy trinity of me, myself, and I. When I consider my marriage with honesty and with whatever humility I can muster up, I have to admit that it’s me.
Sure, our relationships with our parents have been challenging from time to time, but not nearly as challenging as the reality that I have grown so much less than I would have thought, would have hoped, and have even intended. Money has often brought opportunities to bicker and disagree, but not nearly as many as my own gracelessness and short-temperedness. And sex—well, every married couple can attest that for all its pleasure and significance, sex also causes many struggles. But aren’t most of those struggles less about satisfaction than about sanctification, less about the longings of our bodies and more about the demands of our idols? All these external challenges simply prod the internal enemies that are always so ready to be provoked.
I wasn’t hopelessly naive going into marriage and never believed it would only ever be easy. But what has taken me aback is that my greatest griefs would come from within, from my own lack of love, my own lack of gratitude, my own lack of sanctification.
It has surprised me that I wouldn’t marvel every day at the incredible honor it is that Aileen was willing to join her life to mine, willing to take on my name, willing to pass through this life with me at her side. It has surprised me that I would so often think so little of the gift that God entrusted to me in one of his precious daughters. It has surprised me that I would so often choose my own comfort ahead of her comfort, that I would so often follow the desires of my heart instead of ceding to the desires of hers. It has surprised me that I would so often contend against her instead of loving her, assume the worst instead of the best, and act in frustration rather than compassion. Neither money, nor sex, nor in-laws have brought near the trouble to my marriage than the enemies who have always been hidden in plain sight.
Neither money, nor sex, nor in-laws have brought near the trouble to my marriage than the enemies who have always been hidden in plain sight.Share
Yet I do not despair. I serve a God who forgives and am married to a woman who does the same. I follow a God who is patient with my shortcomings and I live with a woman who imitates him in that way. I am grateful that both he and she provide opportunity for me to grow, to become who I long to be. I rejoice when I see evidences of God’s sanctifying grace that is molding and shaping me.
And so my counsel to those who are young and considering marriage or those who are just entering into marriage is this: Your marriage will inevitably come under attack. It will face many concerted onslaughts. And while it is good to be aware of the enemies that will approach from outside, you would be remiss to ignore the enemies that already exist on the inside—the enemies that lurk with your own heart, your own mind, your own longings and desires. And I am quite certain the day will come when you will admit: the most vicious enemies of all have been me, myself, and I.

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