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Weekend A La Carte (December 5)

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Women in Combat

You know we’re living at a time of seismic change when allowing women full access to military combat seems like a minor change. Denny Burk offers his comments. (See this also.)

On ‘Thoughts and Prayers’

Andy Crouch writes about the inevitability and goodness of “thoughts and prayers” following a tragedy.

Is Your Church Racist?

Ray Ortlund asks some good diagnostic questions about racism in the local church.

When Some Turn to Church, Others Go to CrossFit

When religion fades, people inevitably find something to replace it.

The Most Essential Life Skill

I think David may be right when he suggests the most essential life skill: Teachability. “No matter how much talent and gifting we have, if we are, or become, unteachable, we will never reach anywhere near our full potential in our careers, our callings, or our relationships.”

Weekend Java Awards

No one does a better weekly “A La Carte” feature than Nick. (Note: This week he includes a mini-review of Do More Better which I really appreciate.)

This Day in 521. 1,494 years ago today, Columba was born. He became an Irish monk, educator, bishop, and missionary in Scotland and Northern England, founding a monastery on the isle of Iona. *

The 40-Year-Old Seminarian

Josh Harris has penned a small article on why he decided to become a 40-year-old seminarian.

How To Make Christmas the Best of Times

Thanks to The Good Book Company for sponsoring the blog this week with “How To Make Christmas the Best of Times.”

Henry

The devil visits idle men with his temptations. God visits industrious men with his favors.

—Matthew Henry

  • 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.…

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    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…

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    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…