There are no new Kindle book deals today. However, the Kindle Fire HD is on sale if you are in the market for a Kindle. Use code DADSFIRE and you’ll get $20 off. 

Everything I Know About Pastoral Ministry - Thabiti Anyabwile: “Nearly everything I think I know about pastoral ministry I've learned from someone else. Usually the learning has come in one-sentence statements mentioned in almost throw-away lines. Often it's been driving along in the car talking about life and ministry.” He shares some of those lines.

Our 2 Nearest Galaxies - “NASA is determined to bring the final frontier closer than ever — or at least a small, photographic slice of it. Using NASA’s Swift satellite, astrophysicists at Goddard Space Flight Center and Pennsylvania State University were able to create a stunningly detailed survey of the two galaxies closest to us: the Small and Large Magellanic Clouds.”

Weakness Is the Way - Carl Trueman reviews J.I. Packer’s new book Weakness Is the Way and highly commends it.

8 Quirky Houses - Here are 8 quirky houses from around the world.

Randy Alcorn on Money - Through books, interviews and other media, Randy Alcorn has mentored me on the way I understand and use money. This is another helpful interview with him.

Where Are the Cures? - “Have you noticed that there's not much news about embryonic stem cell research these days? … Ten years on, where are the cures? There are none. Not one person has been cured. Instead, as Michael Cook reports over at Mercator, there is grossly under-reported failure and fraud…”

Canada & the USA - Here’s the weird story of the border between Canada and the US of A.

A religion that gives nothing, costs nothing, and suffers nothing, is worth nothing. —Martin Luther

Here are a few new Kindle deals: Jack by George Sayer is an excellent life of C.S. Lewis ($4.99); Joseph by Liam Goligher ($3.99); Jonah by Colin Smith ($3.99); Daniel by Sean Michael Lucas; Bryan Liftin’s fantasy trilogy: The Sword, The Gift, The Kingdom ($3.99 each); Riches Increased By Giving To The Poor may sound like a prosperity gospel kind of book, but it’s actual a Puritan classic that has been recently released on Kindle ($0.99).

A Hundredfold - This is a powerful article. “Homosexuality is an issue I have battled with my entire Christian life. It took a long time to admit to myself, longer to admit to others, and even longer to see something of God's good purposes through it all. There have been all sorts of ups and downs. But this battle is not devoid of blessings, as Paul discovered with his own unyielding thorn in the flesh. Struggling with sexuality has been an opportunity to experience more of God's grace, rather than less.”

“Radical” Three Years Later - David Platt reflects on Radical three years and a million copies later.

Struggle Theology - Steve Cornell read Monday’s article on pornography and offers some helpful comments on “Struggle Theology.”

Reaching Muslims - Tabletalk magazine has an interview with Abdul Saleeb, who converted from Islam to Christianity. I was particularly interested to read his answer to this question: “Many Muslims claim to have seen Jesus in their dreams, and, as a result, some have professed faith in Christ. What are your thoughts on these widespread reports of Muslims seeing Jesus in their dreams?”

Ben Zobrist - Ben Zobrist is a major league baseball player and a guy who really gets the gospel. Here he talks about success, failure, and heart idolatries. (HT)

Every yielding to sin is a welcoming of Satan into our very bosoms. —Thomas Brooks

A Christian View of Suffering - “In a recent lecture delivered at Houston’s Lanier Theological Library titled “Going Beyond Cliches: Christian Reflection on Suffering and Evil”, Don Carson proposes six pillars to support a Christian worldview for stability through suffering”

Afraid of Thunder - As a fan of the Blue Jays, I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed watching the Yankees and the Red Sox react to a clap of thunder.

Commentaries as a Ministry - This is a good article from Douglas Moo as he writes about the joy and importance of writing commentaries.

Evangelicals Find Perils Abroad - The New York Times writes about Evangelicals and adoption and some of the challenges they face.

Deadly, Dull, Boring - “My early preaching disasters all followed the same deadly pattern. Parishioners would shake my hand at the door with a thin smile and a kind word, but the unvarnished truth always came out in the car trip home. I already knew what my wife, Louise, was going to say. (I saw her slump sideways during the fifth sub-point.) ‘It looked great when I read through it yesterday--but today it was just so... boring.’ And I knew she was right.”

The Jargon of Junk Food - I really enjoyed the book Salt, Sugar, Fat. Here’s a bit of what it contains.

I Hate / Love Being Busy - Here are some thoughts on being busy. Always busy.

Sexual Distinctiveness - “If you want to start an online fire today, there's a simple recipe: suggest that men and women are distinct. Erick Erickson just did this.”

Next to Christ I have one joy: to preach Christ my Lord. —Samuel Rutherford

Here are the current Kindle deals I’m aware of: The Masculine Mandate by Richard Phillips (Free); Everyday Prayers by Scotty Smith ($1.99); Discovering Jesus by T.D. Alexander ($2.99); Scandalous by D.A. Carson ($3.99); The Man Christ Jesus by Bruce Ware ($5.99); The Pilgrim's Progress (modernized) ($3.20); The Promised One by Nancy Guthrie ($5.99); Four Views of the End Times by Timothy Paul Jones ($3.47); Preach by Mark Dever ($4.74); The Church by Mark Dever ($4.74); Subversive Kingdom by Ed Stetzer ($4.74); I Am a Church Member by Thom Rainer ($4.74); What Baptists Believe by Herschel Hobbs ($2.99); Doxology & Theology by Matt Boswell ($4.74); The Baptist Way by R Stanton Norman ($2.99); Manhood Restored by Eric Mason ($4.74); You, Your Family, and the Internet by David Clark ($0.99); A Place for Weakness by Michael Horton ($3.99).

The Explicit Gospel - Matt Chandler's book The Explicit Gospel is free this month at ChristianAudio.

Bart Ehrman Is At It Again - “Someone turned my attention to an article in the Huffington Post by Bart Ehrman called ‘Who Wrote the Bible and Why it Matters.’ The essence of the article is an argument that the Bible contains lies. Most specifically, these lies surround the authorship of individual books of the Bible which claim to be written by one person and, in fact, are not.”

Judge Not - What did Jesus mean when he said “Judge Not?” Sam Storms answers.

Persecution Update - Frontline Ministries has a persecution update from Afghanistan. This jumped out at me: “There are 48,000 mosques in the country—but not a single church building.”

A Break Through the Clouds - Here’s a great article for a pastor to read on a Monday. Pastor Tim Bridges reflects on a month’s vacation and what it taught him about the ministry. Also for the pastor, St. Helen’s Bishopgate has posted their most recent Preaching Matters interview.

Top Ten Newly Discovered Species - National Geographic has information about ten new species of plants and animals discovered in 2012.

The Gospel in Our Jerusalem - Matt Chandler: “Why do we struggle so much with heralding the gospel in Jerusalem? Why are we comfortable with hopping on a plane and sharing the good news to a people we've never met yet uncomfortable with sharing the good news to our neighbors and co-workers, those we know and see every day?”

There is little virtue in the beauty which calls attention to itself; modest beauty is the last to extol its own charms. —C.H. Spurgeon

The Mirror of Parenting - “For a parent, sometimes looking at our children can be like looking in a mirror. There are some moments when a glance in this mirror can bring amazed joy, and other moments, an ashamed ache. In many ways children reflect both what is lovely and what is ugly in the original and, when we’re watching with careful honesty, we’re sure to see moments when the reflection shares uncanny resemblance to ourselves.”

The Explicit Gospel - Matt Chandler’s book The Explicit Gospel is free this month at ChristianAudio.

Self-Inflicted Wounds - This is quite an interesting (and exasperating) article from the Chronicle of Higher Education. It discusses how and why the study of English is dying from self-inflicted wounds.

Burden of Proof - “Today, as a Christian who has been involved in the examination of evidence for the past 25 years, I understand that atheists also have a burden of proof. All of us, in attempting to explain the world around us, move from a plethora of questions to a single responsibility…”

Accepting “No” As God’s Will - “Away with such distortions of biblical faith! They are conceived in the mind of the Tempter, who would seduce us into exchanging faith for magic. No amount of pious verbiage can transform such falsehood into sound doctrine. We must accept the fact that God sometimes says no. Sometimes He calls us to suffer and die even if we want to claim the contrary.”

The Stones of Death Valley - Fascinating! “These Death Valley stones seem to move by themselves, but no one has ever seen it happen”

Outsourcing Our Job Description - I appreciated reading many of Michael Horton’s thoughts in this article meant primarily for pastors.

Don’t pray when you feel like it. Have an appointment with the Lord and keep it. A man is powerful on his knees. —Corrie Ten Boom

Two Kinds of Funeral - Gene Veith reflects on two funerals he went to and the differences between them. “Our culture does not know how to handle death. We insulate ourselves from it. The dying pass away out of sight. We are terrified of death. And so we sentimentalize it.”

You, Your Family and the Internet - This book, one for parents to consider reading, is just $0.99 on Kindle.

The New Purpose of Marriage - Collin Hansen: “Long before same-sex marriage, no-fault divorce and birth control drastically shaped attitudes about marriage by eroding social stigmas against unmarried parenting, cohabitation, and sex outside marriage. Gay marriage may be a big step, but it’s only the next step in a staircase that doesn’t end here.”

The Spokesman - I enjoyed this short movie. “I simply had to make this video after meeting ‘James’ a very enigmatic man who has taken it upon himself to collect one bicycle from each developmental epoch for future generations to enjoy , a kind of time capsule if you will!”

Does Preaching Have a Future? - “Here are 14 statements about current trends and guesses as to the future of preaching.” There are some interesting things to ponder there.

When Will You Have Kids? - This blogger has a helpful view on what can be a very painful question.

33 Reasons to Abstain from Porn - Here is a list of 33 good reasons to abstain from indulging in pornography.

It was well done of Paul to reprove Peter to his face, and it was well done of Peter, to praise Paul in his absence. —Thomas Adams

Reformed Expository Commentaries - The Reformed Expository Commentary set is my favorite commentary set. I use the volumes for both sermon preparation and devotion. To mark the release of the newest volume (Philippians) Westminster Books has all of them on sale at 50% off (52% off if you buy the whole OT or NT). You don’t need to be a pastor to benefit from them!

Reflections from a New Dad - I will admit some bias here since David is one of my favorite people, but I really enjoyed these reflections on becoming a dad again (just a couple of weeks before he turned 47).

How Were Old Testament Saints Saved? - “What if you lived during a time when Jesus hadn't arrived, namely, the period of the Old Testament? Were you saved by your obedience to the Law? Did God just give everyone a ‘free pass’ until Christ arrived? How did salvation work for those who were still waiting for the gospel of Jesus?”

Everest - “How did the first Everest expedition come about, how many people have climbed since, and what routes did they take?” Here’s an interactive presentation that marks the 60th anniversary of the first ascent.

The Church’s Great Challenge - Al Mohler writes about the church’s great challenge today: “We sin if we call homosexuality something other than sin. We also sin if we act as if this sin cannot be forgiven. We cannot settle for truth without love nor love without truth. The Gospel settles the issue once and for all. This great moral crisis is a Gospel crisis.”

Congregational Worship vs a Concert - Justin Taylor rounds up a couple of excellent quotes about congregational worship.

Blood, always precious, is priceless when it streams from Immanuel's side. —C.H. Spurgeon

Here are a bunch of new Kindle deals for you (Something SBC must be going down because almost all the books are by or about Baptists): Discovering Jesus by T.D. Alexander ($2.99); Scandalous by D.A. Carson ($3.99); The Man Christ Jesus by Bruce Ware ($5.99); The Pilgrim’s Progress (modernized) ($2.99); The Promised One by Nancy Guthrie ($5.99); Four Views of the End Times by Timothy Paul Jones ($3.47); Preach by Mark Dever ($4.99); The Church by Mark Dever ($4.99); Subversive Kingdom by Ed Stetzer ($4.99); I Am a Church Member by Thom Rainer ($4.99); What Baptists Believe by Herschel Hobbs ($2.99); Doxology & Theology by Matt Boswell ($4.99); The Baptist Way by R Stanton Norman ($2.99); Manhood Restored by Eric Mason ($4.99).

Five Lies Sin Tells Me - Stephen Altrogge offers up five lies that sin tells us.

Why Coffee Is Called Joe - I learned this a few days ago when listening to a biography of FDR. Why is coffee called Joe? Now you’ll know…

A Grassroots Movement in My Church - Kevin DeYoung: “At a recent conference the three of us on the panel (all pastors) were asked the question, ‘As a layperson, should I start a grassroots movement to change my church?’ All three of us basically said, ‘No’.” He explains himself…

Christians and Suicide - “Christians sometimes live in a cloud of denial. This can be especially true if we are a member of a smaller church, where demographics may protect us from some of the worst pain the world experiences on a daily basis. Surely a real Christian wouldn't commit suicide would they? Surely a real Christian can't get depressed?”

Quit Calling Your Wife Hot - I’m definitely with Barnabas Piper on this one: Stop calling your wife hot (at least in front of the rest of us)! “Do you really want us trying to determine if your wife is, in fact, hot? I'm glad you think she's a 10. You should. But calling attention to her hotness doesn't honor her as much as it creates an opportunity for others to judge. And that's just awkward.”

Fallen man is not simply an imperfect creature who needs improvement: he is a rebel who must lay down his arms. —C.S. Lewis

Firestorm - Here’s a fascinating site: “The photograph of the Holmes family hiding from a violent bushfire in Tasmania was shared around the world. But what became of them? In a unique multimedia project, the family speak exclusively to the Guardian about the day their community was devastated, and the new breed of bushfire that is impossible to fight.”

When Your Sermon Is Only a Single - Here’s one for the preachers: “Each week, we hope that our sermon will be a homerun. However, I've hit a lot more singles and doubles than triples. I've hit even fewer homeruns. In all honesty, there are many Sundays my sermon feels like a poorly executed bunt that I have to hustle out to first base. So what are you to do when you just hit a single?”

Ghost Army - A little piece of World War 2 history: “Blass and his brothers in arms were recruited from art schools and ad agencies. They were sought for their acting skills. They were selected for their creativity. They were soldiers whose most effective weapon was artistry.”

Surviving a Cultural Crisis - Mark Dever: “In all this, Christians are tempted to become panicked or to speak as alarmists. But to the extent we do, to that same extent we show we’ve embraced an unbiblical and nominal Christianity. Here, then, are seven principles for surviving the very real cultural shifts we’re presently enduring.”

Is Your Child's Cell Phone Stunting Their Growth? - “Instead of healthy, functioning adults, are we raising a bunch of co-dependent, anxious, namby-pambies? The article suggests that the cell phone is functioning as an eternal umbilicus that we are all too happy to continue coddling our children through.”

It is not hard to deceive ministers, relatives and friends. But it is impossible to deceive Christ. —J.C. Ryle

Here are a few Kindle deals for you: A Place for Weakness by Michael Horton ($3.99); A Week in the Life of Corinth by Ben Witherington ($2.99); The Radical Disciple by John Stott ($2.99); Five Conversations You Must Have With Your Daughter by Vicki Courtney ($0.99).

Last Inspection - “The soldier bent to his work, careful as a diamond cutter. He carried no weapon or rucksack, just a small plastic ruler, which he used to align a name plate, just so, atop the breast pocket of an Army dress blue jacket, size 39R.” Here is the precise ritual of dressing America’s war dead.

Apple Worship - David Murray: “Who can look at an apple and not worship God? Who can look at an Apple and not worship God?”

Like a Black Hole - “People are wired to compulsively seek unpredictable payoffs like those doled out on the Web. And the Internet’s omnipresence and lack of boundaries encourage people to lose track of time, making it hard to exercise the willpower to turn it off.”

The Unmarked Tomb of a Well-Known Soldier - “Not to be confused with Veterans Day (November 11), which honors all military veterans (both those who died in service and those who did not), Memorial Day has become an occasion, over time, for broader expressions of memory, including deceased relatives, not only those who died in service.” David Mathis goes to the unmarked tomb of a well-known soldier.

Sin Is Why - Last week I wrote about the murder of Tim Bomsa. Here’s another reflection on Bosma that I found helpful. The author reflects on the nature of sin and says that we shouldn’t expect sin to make any sense.

There are no disappointments to those whose wills are buried in the will of God. —Frederick Faber