There are several books on sale for Mother’s Day: Give Them Grace by Elyse Fitzpatrick ($5.99); Five Conversations You Must Have With Your Daughter ($4.99) and Five Conversations You Must Have with Your Son ($4.74) by Vicki Courtney; Beyond Bath Time by Erin Davis ($1.99); Comforts From Romans by Elyse Fitzpatrick ($3.99); Feminine Appeal by Carolyn Mahaney ($3.99); Disciplines of a Godly Woman by Barbara Hughes ($4.99); Through HIs Eyes by Jerram Barrs ($5.99). (More Kindle deals at the bottom of this post)

The Struggle To Trust - Every parent can identify with the struggle to trust the Lord with your childrens’ salvation. “The way I hope my kids will come to salvation is quite narrow. I want them to soak in God's word and truth by osmosis until one pretty spring day while we're sitting under a big oak tree and enjoying a picnic, their little eyes open to the truths of God.”

Crossway Flood - In the aftermath of a devastating flood, Crossway is looking for your assistance. “Your willingness to stand with us today will help Crossway recover and carry forward our not-for-profit ministry and our strategic efforts to reach the world with the gospel and the truth of God's word.”

Top Preaching Mistakes - Julian lists the top mistakes he makes in preaching, both in preparation and delivery.

A Close Encounter With Abortion - Marlin Stutzman: “Recently, after speaking on the House floor about the horrors of Dr. Kermit Gosnell's abortion clinic in Philadelphia, I began wondering if my mother had ever thought about ending her unplanned pregnancy. My parents never gave any indication that it was ever a consideration, but was it?”

License Plate Readers - The sheer volume of information being collected and archived these days is amazing. License plate readers are just one of the most recent and most troubling.

What! Get to heaven on your own strength? Why, you might as well try to climb to the moon on a rope of sand! —George Whitefield

Remember that the Kindle editions of the NIV Application Commentary set are on sale for just $4.99 each. This is considered a very good popular-level series. I've asterisked volumes especially recommended by the various experts I rely on to help me sort through commentaries: Genesis*; Leviticus, Numbers; Deuteronomy*; Joshua; Judges and Ruth*; 1 & 2 Kings; 1 & 2 Chronicles*; Esther*; Job; Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs*; Isaiah; Jeremiah, Lamentations; Ezekiel*; Daniel*; Joel, Obadiah, Malachi; Hosea, Amos, Micah; Jonah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah; Haggai, Zechariah; Matthew; Mark*; Luke*; John; Acts*; Romans*; 1Corinthians*; Galatians; Ephesians; Philippians*; Colossians & Philemon*; 1 & 2 Thessalonians; 1 & 2 Timothy & Titus*; Hebrews*; James; 1 Peter*; 2 Peter & Jude*; 1, 2, & 3 John*; Revelation*.

There are a couple of new Kindle deals that may interest you. A couple of weeks ago I reviewed Joni & Ken; it has now been marked down to $3.79. Couples of the Bible by Robert & Bobbie Wolgemuth was in my recent list of New & Notable books and is now just $3.99.

More Than Half of Humanity - This map shows something incredible: that more than half of the people on earth live in a very, very small area.

Do We Have to Mention Jesus? - I like John Koessler’s answer to the question, Do we have to mention Jesus in every sermon?

You Won’t Remember This Article - “Do you understand and remember more after reading from a page than reading from a screen? As Ferris Jabr reports for Scientific American, the book itself binds your understanding.”

Plosky Tolbachik Volcano - “Plosky Tolbachik is a massive basaltic volcano. On November 27, 2012, the remote Russian volcano Plosky Tolbachik erupted and as of today (February 6, 2012) fluid lava continues to erupt from the volcano.” This is an amazing 360 degree aerial panorama of it all.

Ian and Larissa - DG: “It's been one year since we released this video, very simply titled: "The Story of Ian and Larissa." The response was (and continues to be) stunning -- over 1.5 million plays online from viewers around the world. But such impressive numbers only faintly echo the measure of grace in the lives of Ian and Larissa Murphy. And to mark the one-year anniversary of the video release, we wanted to reconnect with them for a quick update through this written interview.”

We must not conceive of prayer as overcoming God's reluctance but as laying hold of his highest willingness. —Richard Trench

Discipleship as Network - Yancey Arrington has a very helpful look at discipleship. “Let me very clear, I think one-on-one discipleship is a legitimate, beneficial avenue of discipleship. I've done it and will do it in some fashion in the future. However, I would argue that more than merely one-on-one ratios, most discipleship is found in a network of relationships.”

A Hated Minority - An article at CNN considers that Christians’ view of homosexuality may soon make them a hated minority. “Sprigg and other evangelicals say changing attitudes toward homosexuality have created a new victim: closeted Christians who believe the Bible condemns homosexuality but will not say so publicly for fear of being labeled a hateful bigot.”

Cameristas - Here is an article and a video from the New York Times. The video displays and describes some of the most iconic photographs from the Civil War.

The Snowstorm and the Suffering Servant - “In a raging storm in a rural town on the coast of Japan, a man and his daughter huddled against a warehouse. They held one another, they felt the fury of the wind and the snow, and they fought for life. In early March of this year, a major snowstorm hit northern Japan. In the rural town of Yubetsu (in Hokkaido), it stranded a father, Mikio Okada, and his daughter, Natsune, in a snow bank.”

Who Really Runs Wikipedia? - Wikipedia’s success, and even its existence, continues to baffle me. This article from The Economist asks who really runs and controls the site.

The Supremacy of Christ - This is a fantastic presentation of the gospel.

If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who did most for the next. —C.S. Lewis

The Stigma of Mental Illness - Brad Hambrick has written an important article for the Biblical Counseling Coalition. He looks at the role of language in our discussions of mental illness. “Consider the breadth of meaning that can be contained within the simple sentence, ‘I'm depressed.’ That's what we say after a bad math test, the end of romantic relationship, the death of a parent, after prolonged isolation, and when we're hung over from alcohol (a depressant). Then there is clinical depression which has some relation to these experiences, but may or may not be present in the down mood associated with the list of experiences above.”

Your Church Is Too Small - Hillsong is a growing movement and I found it helpful to read this ground-level perspective on their most recent conference. It draws attention to both the strengths and the weaknesses of the movement, its conferences, churches and music.

The Pro-Life Home - Rachel Jankovic: “The Gosnell situation shines light on the darkness of abortion in a way that nothing else has in a long time. Stories like this one (and the recent video sting of that clinic in the Bronx) make me realize that I am just far enough away from the reality of abortion to forget to fight it, and that I needed this kind of reminder. Let me try to explain myself.”

Kindle Fire HD - I share a lot of deals on Kindle books, so I guess it makes sense to also share deals when the Kindle itself goes on sale. The Kindle Fire HD is $20 off until Mother’s Day with the coupon code FIRE4MOM.

Cities Behind Walls - I enjoyed this gallery of cities that were built behind walls. It makes for an interesting contrast between the modern and the ancient.

What Is Hesed? - God’s hesed is his loyal love. “God loves His people genuinely, immutably, loyally. Both the love and the loyalty are, of course, tightly bound together. That is, just as one cannot love capriciously so one cannot be loyal without love. God is for His people, and will never cease to be for them.” Be sure to read down to the personal applications.

I have never won an inch of the way to heaven without fighting for it. —C.H. Spurgeon

Proud vs. Broken People - “Most of the Christian books, sermons and theological material that my father gave me as a boy failed to catch my attention; but, for some reason, I've never forgotten Nancy Demoss' chart contrasting proud/broken people. I need this more today as a husband, father, pastor and friend than when I was young.”

Busyness Is Not a Virtue - Some time ago I resolved never to say I’m busy and never to consider myself busy. This article helped reinforce that: “Going on about how busy you are isn't conversation and doesn't lead anywhere—except making your conversation partner bored, or worse, peeved. People who act super busy send the same message, making time spent with them never feel quite whole.”

Kim Jong-un Looking At Things - Because it is the weekend I think I can get away with posting something this ridiculous. It’s simply a collection of photos of the dear respected leader looking at things. Apparently he looks at things a lot. And while we are on the subject of North Korea, Frontline Missions has a persecution update to guide you as you pray for the nation.

Churches Cooperating in Discipline - Jonathan Leeman says “Yes, autonomous local churches really can cooperate in church discipline. No, they typically don't. But, yes, they should!” 

The Twidiocracy - This is a long article, but worth the time commitment. He’s up-front about his bias: “I'm not a Twitter fan. In fact, I outright despise the inescapable microblogging service, which nudges its users to leave no thought unexpressed, except for the fully formed ones (there's a 140-characters-per-tweet limit).”

The method of the evil one is to obscure himself behind some other object of worship. —G. Campbell Morgan

Why You Should Not Listen to Me - Thabiti Anyabwile: “Influence. It's a funny thing. It's inescapable-someone will always be perceived to have it or not have it, to either use or misuse it. We complain about it, but we also want to be influenced.” Be sure to read why you shouldn’t listen to him.

Dear Mr. President - Here’s an excellent blog post. A mother simply writes a letter to the President, explaining how she told her children about the reality of abortion.

Google Glass - Here’s the great line from this article on Google Glass: “Google Glass, like the Segway, is what happens when Silicon Valley spends too much time talking to itself. Maybe that's even overstating the case: The rhetoric around Google Glass is what happens when important tech people spend a little too much time congratulating each other.” Also on the subject of technology, I don’t know much about the book, but this quote is worth pondering: Our Trust in Technology.

The Inevitability of Sanctification - Elisha looks at the outdoors and (just as God wants us to, I’m sure) learns a lesson there about spiritual growth.

The Sanctifying Work of Parenthood - “Many people describe marriage as the laboratory where our spiritual growth is fostered and developed. I find it to be equally true of parenting as well. God has used parenting in my life to refine and change me in ways I had not anticipated. He's given me a child who requires more than I was trained to handle so that I would depend on him and not my own strength.”

$5 Friday - Ligonier has a few good deals in this week’s $5 Friday: The Intimate Marriage by R.C. Sproul, Economics for Everybody by R.C. Sproul Jr., a couple of biographies, and a $10 gift certificate for $5.

Marriage is not a concession to our sinfulness; marriage is a provision for our holiness. —J.A. Motyer

Mrs. B.B. Warfield - Fred Zaspel: “Believe it or not, since the publication of my The Theology of B.B. Warfield: A Systematic Summary in early 2010 I have received more inquiries regarding Warfield's wife, Annie, than any other single Warfield subject.” In this article he dispels some of the myths.

6 Discontinuities - This is a helpful little chart that displays six discontinuities between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant in Jesus.

4 Sermon Types to Avoid - Derek Thomas gives four sermon types that we ought to avoid.

Commentaries Written By Women - May we use commentaries written by women? Jared Wilson answers with a resounding yes. “I love John Piper, as I assume has been evident over the years, but I found his answer to this question lacking at best and unhelpful at most. To some extent, he was directed to go to the biblical outline of gender roles by the phrasing of the question itself. But I think a better answer would be simply to step back, redirect, and consider the nature of a book.”

Mere Apologetics - The Kindle edition of Alister McGrath’s Mere Apologetics: How to Help Seekers and Skeptics Find Faith has been marked down to $4.99.

God Wins - “Ever since Jen McManus was first diagnosed with a malignant tumor, she's been fighting--fighting against cancer, and fighting for hope. However, far from being rooted in the vagueness of wishful thinking, Jen's hope is anchored in the certainty of Christ's love. ‘Cancer has made death more real--and the gospel more real,’ she says. ‘I'm joyful because of the gospel and because of the story God is telling through my life’.”

God cannot give us happiness and peace apart from himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing. —C.S. Lewis

Before I get to today’s links, I’d like to take a moment to thank you. There were more visitors to this site in April than in any other month in its history, so thank you for visiting and for making it a part of your online travels. I count it both a joy and a privilege to be able to do this day after day.

And now for those links. The Kindle editions of the NIV Application Commentary set are on sale for just $4.99 each. This is considered a very good popular-level series. I’ve asterisked volumes especially recommended by the various experts I rely on to help me sort through commentaries: Genesis*; Leviticus, Numbers; Deuteronomy*; Joshua; Judges and Ruth*; 1 & 2 Kings; 1 & 2 Chronicles*; Esther*; Job; Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs*; Isaiah; Jeremiah, Lamentations; Ezekiel*; Daniel*; Joel, Obadiah, Malachi; Hosea, Amos, Micah; Jonah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah; Haggai, Zechariah; Matthew; Mark*; Luke*; John; Acts*; Romans*; 1Corinthians*; Galatians; Ephesians; Philippians*; Colossians & Philemon*; 1 & 2 Thessalonians; 1 & 2 Timothy & Titus*; Hebrews*; James; 1 Peter*; 2 Peter & Jude*; 1, 2, & 3 John*; Revelation*. Beyond the commentaries, also consider Come to the Waters, a daily devotional by James Montgomery Boice ($1.99), Unfriend Yourself by Kyle Tennant (free) and Counsel From the Cross by Elyse Fitzpatrick ($3.99).

Let the Word Dwell In You - It's Wednesday, and Sunday is coming. This excellent article asks how you are preparing yourself.

A Passion for God - This month’s free book from ChristianAudio is A Passion for God by Lyle Dorsett, an excellent biography of A.W. Tozer.

Eight Symptoms of False Teaching - Here, from the pen of J.C. Ryle, are eight symptoms of false teaching.

Orthodoxy Is Winning - From TIME: “The sexual revolution has accomplished what even the fractious Reformation could not. It has divided Protestantism so deeply that traditionalist Anglicans now have more in common with traditionalist Lutherans or even Roman Catholics, say, than with the reformers in their own denominations. And as the proliferation of stricter Anglican churches of Africa go to show, this traditionalism has gone global.”

Free Speech - I really enjoyed this really long article about the future of free speech and how in many ways it is in the hands of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. That is worth thinking about.

Christ has taken our nature into heaven to represent us, and has left us on earth with his nature to represent him. —John Newton

A Deeply Needy People - “Have you ever considered why there are so many diverse spiritual gifts in the body of Christ? … As I've reflected on this diversity of gifts, it comes to my mind how significant they are to the promise of Christ to build His church. His ongoing work extends through the ministry of His Spirit to and through His body in order to minister to the needs of the saints, strengthening them in faith. Simply put, the diversity of spiritual gifts reveals the incredible depth of our need.”

What If Life Was Complex? - I love it when Carl Trueman roasts us (all of us!) and he does it well in this thought experiment.

Playing It Safe? - I enjoyed reading Darryl’s reflections on a famous parable. “For the past couple of years, I’ve been thinking a lot about Jesus’ famous parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30). It’s been one of those passages I can’t get out of my mind.”

The Tender King of Kings - “Sometimes in conversation we hear ourselves describe a person that we love, and as our unedited thoughts leave our lips we realize anew why it is that we love this person so.”

Surveillance after Boston - “We were living in an age of surveillance before the Boston Marathon bombing, but the event and its investigation produced calls for much greater monitoring of our cities and our lives.” Time will tell what laws and rules come about as a result of the bombing.

If People Don’t Remember Your Sermons - This is a bit of a cheeky look at preaching, but I think he’s on to something. He wants you to know that it doesn’t matter if people don’t remember your sermons.

The Alien World of the Bible - This short reflection is well worth reading. It takes issue with a statement like this: “The world of the Bible is not our world--its context, language, customs, knowledge, beliefs and social systems are far from those we experience in the twenty-first century. It is in many respects an alien world, where it is easy to become lost or confused.”

Love is not an affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person’s ultimate good as far as it can be obtained. —C.S. Lewis

Here are a handful of new Kindle deals you may have missed over the weekend: Journey to Joy by Josh Moody, a brand new book, ($0.99); Who Do You Think You Are? by Mark Driscoll ($3.99); What Jesus Demands From the World by John Piper ($3.99); Faith on Trial by Martyn Lloyd-Jones ($2.99); Touched by Greatness by Dorothy Patterson ($2.99); The Goodnight Book by Richard Bewes ($2.99).

The Socially Acceptable Sin - This is a well-written and thought-provoking article: “In practice, there are some sins that are socially acceptable, even in the Church. There's one sin in particular that has pervaded our society and churches so silently we hardly give it a second thought, and that is the constant hunt for more over what is enough.”

Rejected by a Deaf, Dirty, One-Handed Man - A dispatch from Asia: “As I was driving home through a nearby mountainous region, I passed by a homeless man walking uphill in the opposite direction. I remembered passing him earlier that day farther down the mountain as I was rushing to complete various tasks in a nearby city. On my way back, however, I was free from any time constraints and my conscience quickly convinced me to pull off and try to help him.”

Is This History’s Darkest Hour? - Randy Alcorn has an answer for those who ask, “Is this history’s darkest hour?” “I have no sympathy with people who tell us today that these are the darkest days the world has ever seen. The days in which we live are appalling, but they do not compare with conditions in the world when Jesus came into it…”

All About Him - Steve DeWitt reflects on finally seeing Jesus as he is.

Raising Bubble Babies - Clint Archer has some wise words about parenting. “Parent, you cannot break your child; they come broken. Likewise, exposing them to worldly vices will not make them sinful; they come that way already. I'm not saying kick your kid out of the protective bubble to fend for himself or herself. I'm saying, employ a strategy of slow, incremental education of how to deal with sin by relying on the Savior.”

The Man Who Keeps Falling in Love - I enjoyed reading this article from a few years ago. “When a virus destroyed part of his brain, Clive Wearing was left with no memory. He is still trapped in an eternal present. Yet he does remember that he loves his wife, Deborah. Here she tells their heartbreaking story.”

It is the Spirit’s ministry to bring the sinner to the Savior and to make the sinner like the Savior. —John Blanchard