Skip to content ↓

Weekend A La Carte (December 3)

Those who check out the daily Kindle deals may be interested to see that I changed up for the format. I hope this format proves more effective for skimming over the deals. Unfortunately it still cannot display pricing, though I’m working on it.

The Best Day of the Week

This is a good one: ” If we’re to use it rightly and call the Sabbath a delight (Isaiah 58:13), we need to think about how we can cultivate that delight instead of dread in our children’s (and our own) hearts on the Lord’s Day. Here are eight ways we can help our children view Sunday as being the best day of the week…”

Why All World Maps Are Wrong (Video)

Yup, all of them are wrong.

If Your Right Hand Causes You to Sin

Desiring God has an excellent article on masturbation. “With the blood-bought, Spirit-empowered, new-covenant work of enablement in mind, I offer the following thoughts about the practice of masturbation in the life of a believer. These are for the pursuit of holiness, that we might know how to control our own bodies in holiness and honor…”

Who Was Athanasius? (Video)

Here’s a brief video introduction to a key Christian figure, as well as suggested resources to get to know him better.

You Could Be Doing So Much

This is fun.

Mesmerizing Commute Maps

Fascinating: “Complete with colorful and compelling maps, their research shows that Americans’ commutes aren’t defined by city and state lines. Rather, commuters move within megaregions—massive blobs that center on major metropolitan areas, paying no mind to political borders.”

This Day in 1929. 87 years ago today Jerry Bridges, who served with The Navigators for sixty years and authored ‘The Pursuit of Holiness,’ was born. He died last March. *

Love Is Never a Waste

“Whatever happens, whenever it happens, your love is not in vain. You are not alone, for God loves you and has approved your love through the sacrifice of his Son. Cast off despair; cast all your cares on him. Love never fails. Love is never a waste.

Using Self-Examination for Spiritual Formation

Joe Carter: “The closing of the year and the beginning of a new one is an opportune time to reflect on our spiritual formation and to develop habits to help us become more like Jesus. In this weekly series of articles we’ll consider eight spiritual habits to develop for 2017.”

Flashback: No, I Won’t Pray For You

I’ve sometimes started to say, “No, I won’t pray for you.” I am still not entirely comfortable with it, but I think it’s the right thing to do.

challies_nov27-dec3-06

God who pardons him that repents, hath not promised to give him tomorrow to repent in.

—Thomas Watson

  • The Phrase that Altered My Thinking Forever

    This week the blog is sponsored by P&R Publishing and is written by Ralph Cunnington. Years ago, I stumbled repeatedly on an ancient phrase that altered my thinking forever.  Distinct yet inseparable. The first time I encountered this phrase was while studying the Council of Chalcedon’s description of the two natures of Christ. Soon after,…

  • Always Look for the Light

    Always Look for the Light

    For many years there was a little potted plant on our kitchen window sill, though I’ve long since forgotten the variety. Year after year that plant would put out a shoot and from the shoot would emerge a single flower. And I observed that no matter how I turned the pot, the flower would respond.…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (March 18)

    A La Carte: God is good and does good—even in our pain / Dear bride and groom / Sin won’t comfort you / Worthy of the gospel / From self-sufficiency to trusting God’s people / The gods fight for our devotion / and more.

  • Confidence

    God Takes Us Into His Confidence

    Here is another Sunday devotional—a brief thought to orient your heart toward the Lord. God takes the initiative in establishing relationship by reaching out to helpless humanity. He reveals himself to the creatures he has made. But what does it mean for him to provide such revelation of himself? John Calvin began his Institutes by…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    Weekend A La Carte (March 16)

    A La Carte: I believe in the death of Julius Caesar and the resurrection of Jesus Christ / Reasons students and pastors shouldn’t use ChatGPT / A 1.3 gigpixel photo of a supernova / What two raw vegans taught me about sharing Jesus / If we realize we’re undeserving, suddenly the world comes alive /…

  • Ask Pastor John

    Ask Pastor John

    I admit it: I felt a little skeptical about Ask Pastor John. To be fair, I feel skeptical about most books that begin in one medium before making the leap to another. Books based on sermons, for example, can often be pretty disappointing—a powerful sermon at a conference can make a bland chapter in a…