Don’t Be Engulfed - This is a brilliant quote on both the allure and danger of so many of our new technologies. It begins this way: “I would suggest that modern technology and entertainment have done great damage to young people's sense of vision and purpose-especially among young men. I'm not anti-technology. But never before in the history of the world has triviality and mind-numbing shallowness been so tantalizingly seductive and so pervasively omnipresent.” (In a similar vein, you may like to read this article by Seth Godin.)

Reading Luther Wisely But Well - I enjoyed reading Carl Trueman’s article on Martin Luther. This line is pure brilliance: “Does it not seem only yesterday that Mel Gibson’s film, The Passion, was being trumpeted by evangelicals as ‘the greatest outreach opportunity of the century’? In retrospect, The Passion surely stands somewhere between A Muppet Christmas Carol and Dave and the Giant Pickle in the honour roll of celluloid contributions to world evangelisation.”

Fierce Women - Fierce Women by Kimberly Wagner has been marked down to $1.99 in the Kindle edition. I haven’t read it, but it comes with endorsements by Carolyn McCulley and Mary Kassian among others.

Our Messy Individualism - There are some very interesting thoughts in this article. “I've been looking into adoption numbers over the last several decades, and there's a general pattern across Australia, the UK, and the US. The numbers and dates are slightly different in each country due to differing legislation, although the overall trends are similar.”

Joy in the Task - This is a little off the beaten path for A La Carte, but interesting nonetheless. “Even the finest restaurants are serving coffee made with capsules. Have we completely lost faith in the human touch?” Turns out those machines crank out pretty good coffee.

A Roomful of Yearning - The New York Times has a powerful article about the awful cost of an affair. “What you don't know, or perhaps what you don't allow yourself to think about, is that your life will become an unbearable mix of yearning and regret because of it. It will be difficult if not impossible to be in any one place with contentment.” (HT)

You Can Change Our Culture’s Mind - From Stand to Reason: “Making the pro-life case is completely within your ability, I promise you. You just need to arm yourself with some information, a game plan, and some tools to help you get started. So I've put together a short list of resources, chosen for their simplicity, clarity, and accessibility.”

Works make not the heart good, but a good heart makes the works good. —Stephen Charnock

In case you missed it on the weekend, Christian Focus has several Kindle deals: J.I. Packer's 18 Words ($2.99); Art Azurdia's Connected Christianity ($2.99); Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Magnify the Lord ($2.99); Alan Stibbs' His Blood Works ($0.99). And don’t forget about Crossway’s long list of titles: What Is the Mission of the Church? by Kevin DeYoung and Greg Gilbert ($3.99); Word vs Deed by Duane Liftin ($3.99); Biblical Theology in the Life of the Church by Michael Lawrence ($3.99); Bryan Liftin's trilogy of novels: The Sword, The Gift and The Kingdom ($3.99 each); Sex, Dating and Relationships by Hiestand and Thomas ($3.99); Work Matters by Tom Nelson ($3.99); The Liberal Arts by Gene Fant ($2.99); Community by Brad House ($3.99). Finally, remember that RC Sproul’s Abortion is still free.

A Weapon of Mass Destruction - Aaron Armstrong shares a couple of powerful quotes on abortion from John Ensor. He calls abortion “the greatest weapon of mass destruction ever unleashed” and warns, “Our capacity to simply ignore the influence of abortion is crippling the effectiveness of the gospel.”

9 Things About MLK - Here are 9 things you ought to know about Martin Luther King, Jr.

Not Recommended - Ray Ortlund shares how the Lord provided for them through a difficult time (and why he keeps an old stack of bank deposit slips). “Two years into a three year program (that took four years), our investments failed.  Suddenly, we had no income.  In fact, we were so broke we didn't even have the money to buy plane tickets home and quit.  And my visa did not allow me to work there.”

Grammar Lesson of the Day - Just ignore people who tell you never to begin a sentence with “but.”

Don’t Put the Bible Away - Local pastor Darryl Dash says we open our Bibles during the sermon but they then “stay closed as elders meet to give oversight to the ministry of the church. They stay closed as deacons administer the the church. They stay closed as pastors meet one-on-one with members of the church. They stay closed as committees meet.”

Small numbers make no difference to God. There is nothing small if God is in it. —D.L. Moody

Here are several new $2.99 Kindle ebook deals from Christian Focus: J.I. Packer’s 18 Words; Art Azurdia’s Connected Christianity; Alan Stibbs’ His Blood Works; Martyn Lloyd-Jones’ Magnify the Lord.

Is Anxiety Really Sin? - Julian begins an article on anxiety in this way: “‘Stress’ is not a biblical word. ‘Worry’ and ‘anxiety’ are. And they are sins. That's the thought that started a conversation the other day. Can we actually say that something like anxiety is sin? What makes it a sin? Isn't it just a weakness to be delivered from? Or, rather, shouldn't we conceive of it as a mental illness?”

Ask John Piper - Desiring God relaunches the feature “Ask Pastor John.” “The point of the podcast is to connect more frequently with Pastor John throughout the week and hear his thoughts on the Bible, theology, ministry, and leadership, as well as his answers to theological questions and reactions to current events.”

30 Things - Here are 30 things you may not know about C.S. Lewis.

How God Solved My Grandfather’s Problem - I enjoyed reading this short story of how God solved one man’s seemingly impossible problem.

Digital Tabletalk - Ligonier Ministries has announced that Tabletalk magazine is now available on Kindle Fire, iPad and Android tablets.

Flowers Timelapse - This is a beautiful timelapse video.

We stand in the present but dwell on the past in order that we can be steadfast for the future. —Dale Ralph Davis

He Smelled of Urine and Infection - “Amy Julia Becker recently linked to the story of a couple named Greg and Tesney who adopted a son, Kirill, from Russia. I would say the story of his condition when in Russia was ‘heartbreaking,’ but I would not be doing that word justice.”

$5 Friday - Ligonier Ministries has some great items for sale in their $5 Friday, including R.C. Sproul’s newest book Are We Together? in hardcover (it’s a really good one). There are several other books and teaching series at the same price.

What Pastors Shouldn’t Tell Their Wives - Here’s a follow-up to an article I shared a couple of days ago (that is also linked in the first paragraph of this article). It addresses this question: How much should pastors tell their wives?

Theology and Doxology - I love this! “Theology that doesn't make us sing has failed in its mission, no matter how correct it may be. Worship that doesn't take us deeper into Christ has also failed, no matter how glorious the music or how applicable the sermon.”

No Matter How It Was Conceived - Randy Alcorn addresses a very difficult issue. “What if you found that your spouse or adopted child was fathered by a rapist? Would it change your view of their worth? Would you love them any less? If not, why should we view the innocent unborn child any differently?”

9 Things to Know - Joe Carter tells you 9 things you ought to know about Roe v. Wade.

From a Prison Cell to Planting Churches - Mez McConnell shares his testimony in this video. His new blog 20Schemes is one worth following.

The truths that I know best I have learned on my knees. I never know a thing well, till it is burned into my heart by prayer. —John Bunyan

Guilt Is a Chauffeur - Erik Raymond says that guilt is a chariot meant to drive you to the cross.

My First Arrest - Some of my favorite blogs are those that are written from the mission field. I enjoyed reading this article from a missionary serving in Togo. It describes his first, and hopefully his last, arrest.

Don’t Blame Wayne - “Wayne Dobson doesn’t have your cellphone. Even if it looks like he might. In the past two years the 59-year-old retiree has been pestered by people showing up at all hours of the day and night at his house, demanding their phones. They’ve yelled, shown him evidence, called the police - sworn that their phone is in his house.”

The Rise of Reformed Theology Among African Americans - “Reformed theology is nothing new. So why do more African Americans seem to be adopting it now?” Jemar Tisby offers 5 factors that have contributed.

Blogging Etiquette - This is a worthwhile read for anyone who runs a blog or anyone who comments on one.

Interview with Rosaria Butterfield - Marvin Olasky recently interviewed Rosaria Butterfield, author of The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert.

If you are idle in Christ’s work, you are active in the devil’s work. —C.H. Spurgeon

John Stott’s Peace Offering - This is a great little story from the life of John Stott. It begins like this: “‘Fie upon you, IVP.’ I’m still shocked, fifteen years later, that John Stott uttered these words at our office gathering during an event in which we honored him in 1998 for fifty years of publishing with us.”

How Do We Know If God Is Disciplining Us? - D.A. Carson takes on this question: “Of course God is sovereign over all things—but when bad things happen to Christians, should these happenings be seen as God’s discipline, or God’s sovereign use of evil for our good, or results of sin and the Fall, or all of the above?”

What a Pastor’s Wife Tells Her - This is quite an important article, I think. “While pastors and their wives are wrestling with the issue of how much and which confidential information to share with one another, the general public is shocked … shocked to find that we share anything.”

Jonah and Which God? - Jamsco provides rather a humorous and imaginative take on one part of the story of Jonah.

Tell the Truth - Westminster Books has some good sales on right now, including Tell the Truth, a book Mark Dever says may well be the single best book on evangelism he’s read. The new book by Piper is also on sale.

Children Teach Themselves - “With 100 million first-grade-aged children worldwide having no access to schooling, the One Laptop Per Child organization is trying something new in two remote Ethiopian villages--simply dropping off tablet computers with preloaded programs and seeing what happens.” The results are amazing.

Those who teach by their doctrine must teach by their life, or else they pull down with one hand what they build up with the other. —Matthew Henry

Tim Tebow’s Life Is a Tragedy - This is an interesting take on Tebow. “Everyone's life is a story, especially the lives of celebrities. But the way our stories get told is often what distinguishes us common folk from celebrities, mostly because celebrities have the media following them around creating a narrative, or drama, that always takes a predictable path.” He argues that Tebow’s life is a tragedy, fabricated by the media.

Adam and Eve and Pinch Me - Carl Trueman looks at the difference between Al Mohler and Tim Keller when it comes to evolution and wonders aloud why it is that many of the leaders of the new Calvinism are making complementarianism a major issue and evolution a minor one. It makes for a good and thought-provoking read.

The Plain Preaching of the Gospel - Justin Taylor shares a great quote from Charles Spurgeon as he argued that the plain preaching of the gospel was (and still is!) sufficient to grow the church.

Why Conservatives Should End the Debt Ceiling Debate - Dr. Mohler’s article on the debt ceiling is worth reading even if you read only long enough to see what he says about it being a “pseudo-event.”

Why We Need Plumbers—and Pastors - You can probably identify with this: “Growing up I knew I could serve God in whatever profession I chose. Providing, of course, I chose to be either a missionary or a pastor. … Sure, a wealthy executive or doctor who lived faithfully for Christ might achieve a modicum of respect in church circles. But spiritually speaking, they were ‘walking wallets,’ useful for funding ministry--the real work of the Lord.”

Believing right doctrine will no more save you than doing good works will save you. —C.H. Spurgeon

Crossway has quite a list of new Kindle deals you may want to look at. What Is the Mission of the Church? by Kevin DeYoung and Greg Gilbert ($3.99); Word vs Deed by Duane Liftin ($3.99); Biblical Theology in the Life of the Church by Michael Lawrence ($3.99); Bryan Liftin’s trilogy of novels: The Sword, The Gift and The Kingdom ($3.99 each); Sex, Dating and Relationships by Hiestand and Thomas ($3.99); Work Matters by Tom Nelson ($3.99); The Liberal Arts by Gene Fant ($2.99); Community by Brad House ($3.99).

And here are a couple more from other publishers: Alistair Begg’s Lasting Love is just $0.99 while Hello, I Love You and The Reason for Sports, both by Ted Kluck, are $1.99. Finally, GLH Publishing has just compiled The Essential Works of Richard Baxter and marked it at $0.99.

Turning It Up to 11 - Here is a good reflection on always looking for those spiritual mountaintop experiences. “Though the Bible is the very history of the ups and downs of God's people, God's people go on thinking themselves immune, and that something is terribly wrong if their passion and joy today is not at the same fever pitch it was on the day they came to faith.”

Cleaning Urine and Praising God - I always benefit from reading Greg’s descriptions of life with a severely disabled child. Here he writes about how he just needs to measure progress differently from most parents.

5 Promises for Reading and Prayer - Steve Fuller outlines five promises that pertain to your Bible reading and prayer.

Andy Stanely and Tim Keller - Trevin Wax does some interesting analysis on books by Andy Stanley and Tim Keller to see what they believe about reaching unbelievers through preaching. You don’t have to agree with it all in order to benefit from reading the article.

Don’t Burn Your Books - I’m not sure that I agree with Nicholas Carr here, but I’d like to. “The e-book had its moment, but sales are slowing. Readers still want to turn those crisp, bound pages”

3801 Lancaster - 3801 Lancaster is a short, powerful documentary you can (and should!) watch for free online. “Through interviews with victims, reporters, neighbors, and footage of Philadelphia District Attorney R. Seth William’s testimony before the Pennsylvania Senate, the film tells the tragic story of Dr. Gosnell, his clinic, the women and children he killed, and the state oversight agencies that turned a blind eye for over twenty years. ”

All the heresies which have arisen in the Christian Church have had a decided tendency to dishonor God and to flatter man. —C.H. Spurgeon

On Louie Giglio - Bob Kelleman has rounded up some of the best and most interesting articles on the Louie Giglio situation. I’ve already linked to a couple of them, but Bob managed to get together a few others that look at it from different angles.

Holiness Day by Day - Holiness Day By Day, a daily devotional from Jerry Bridges, has been marked down to just $1.99 for the Kindle edition.

You Can Never Ask Too Much - John Piper looks at Matthew 7 and offers encouragement for prayer. “This has proved, in my experience, to be one of the most motivating passages in all the Bible to pray with the confidence of being answered.”

National Geographic Photo Contest - There are some stunning photos in National Geographic’s photo contest. A lot of them can be downloaded as wallpapers for your computer or other device.

Not Reading in 2013 - Here’s an interesting take on a new year’s resolution. “Instead of adding things like diet, exercise, and reading, I am cutting stuff out. The most life changing, for me, will be reading. I have decided that in 2013, I will not read any new books. Crazy, right? I know, like most resolutions, I will probably fail at this sometime mid-February but my motivation is centered around changing my personal attitude through an attempt at reading less.”

Bestselling Books of 2012 - This is amazing, and kind of depressing. “Half of the top 20 bestselling books of 2012 in print were either Fifty Shades titles or Hunger Games titles, and only one book not written by E.L. James or Suzanne Collins--Jeff Kinney's latest Wimpy Kid title--cracked the one-million-copies-sold mark for the year, according to Nielsen BookScan, which tracks 75%-80% of print sales.”

You’ll Find Your Way - Be sure to check out the video for Andrew Peterson’s song “You’ll Find Your Way.” Especially if you’re a dad. (HT)

I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God’s hands, that I still possess. —Martin Luther

You may have heard that Louie Giglio was invited to pray at the presidential inauguration but then had that invitation retracted when it was discovered that he holds a biblical view of homosexuality. This caused many reactions in the blogosphere. Among the best are Al Mohler’s and Russell Moore’s.

Kindle users may be interested in two books that look at spiritual leadership: D.L. Moody on Spiritual Leadership and C.H. Spurgeon on Spiritual Leadership.

Why I Changed My Mind About the Millennium - Sam Storms explains how he came to change his view on the end times. “My departure from premillennialism and embrace of amillennialism was gradual and came as a result of two discoveries as I studied Scripture.”

Planting in a Deprived Area - Mez McConnell answers this question: “Can I Plant A Church In A Deprived Area Even If I Don't Come From That Background?” He answers with a resounded “yes.”

Psalm-Sung Galaxy - Iain Campbell writes about one way that technology may be infringing upon the pulpit.

National Debt - Randy Alcorn writes about the national debt, beginning this way: “I have pointed out before that one thing Republican and Democratic administrations have in common is their apparent unwillingness to do what it takes to balance our budget.” Ain’t that the truth!

Credo Magazine - There is a new (free) issue of Credo Magazine available for your reading pleasure.

Bible Reading Plan for Kids - David Murray has packaged up his excellent Bible reading plans for kids so it’s easy to download, print, and use for your children. I want to see a publisher pick this up.

The measure of our love for others can largely be determined by the frequency and earnestness of our prayers for them. —A.W. Pink