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A La Carte (2/5)

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The Bible – CNN covers Mark Burnett and his miniseries The Bible (which I’m sure you’ve been hearing about). The hotel I was in on Sunday night didn’t offer the History Channel so I didn’t get to see it. Melinda Penner of Stand to Reason offers some positives and some negatives.

Peace that Trumps Tribe – From Kenya: “We sincerely plea for peace in the weeks following these elections. We may be divided on whom we want to be the next president, but we are united in echoing this prayer in our national anthem: ‘May we dwell in unity, peace, and liberty.’ And we call on Christians from across the world to echo this prayer for peace. Pray for peace that is not just superficial or temporal, but a lasting peace that finds its root and foundation in the preaching of Jesus Christ crucified.”

It’s Better to Be Faithful – Mark Altrogge says it’s better to be faithful than gifted. “There aren’t many superstars in the kingdom of God. Not many have super gifts. Most of us are just average. Gifted in small ways. But if we are faithful to use the gifts we have and serve in whatever ways we can, God will increase us.”

The Most Essential Life Skill – David Murray, in a similar vein, writes about the most essential life skill. “Those who are teachable, and remain so, usually succeed. The unteachable usually fail. I’ve seen that in business, I’ve seen it in the ministry, I’ve seen it among students, and I’ve seen it in my children.”

Were They Drowning? – Bill Mounce takes a really helpful look at a well-known story from Jesus’ life and asks why the translators inserted just one little word.

Tales From the Dugout – Baseball fans may enjoy this discussion with Albert Pujols, Barry Zito and Josh Hamilton, three Christian ballplayers.

Sermons are dangerous things. None goes out of church as he came in, but either better or worse.

—George Herbert

  • Service

    You Are in the Circumstances in Which You Can Best Serve

    There are times when we all find ourselves lamenting our circumstances. These may be times in which we grieve life’s losses or suffer life’s indignities, or these may be times in which we grapple with the frustrations that come with life in this world—when our skills are underutilized, or our contributions are underappreciated.

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    A La Carte (December 15)

    A La Carte: Blood soaks into the sand of Bondi Beach / This year’s biggest religious trend / The best Christian music of 2025 / The challenges this Christmas / Micromanaging your habits / Notable Kindle deals / and more.

  • A Moving Picture of the Gospel

    A Moving Picture of the Gospel

    As we gather on Sundays, we preach the Bible, read the Bible, pray the Bible, and sing the Bible. But that is not all, for we also “see” the Bible. Here’s how Mark Dever expresses it: “The ordinances are the dramatic presentations of the gospel. They are the moving pictures that represent the spiritual realities…

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    Weekend A La Carte (December 13)

    A La Carte: No one drifts into godlIness / Your subscriptions are holding you captive / Fighting sexual temptation / An orderly case for raising hands in worship / Kirk Cameron and remodeling hell / Kindle deals / and more.

  • Free Stuff Fridays (Harvest House Publishers)

    This week, the blog and this giveaway are sponsored by Harvest House Publishers. Meet 52 Unsung Heroes Throughout history, the stories of brave Black believers and their remarkable contributions to the Christian faith and our nation have too often gone overlooked. Passionate writer and educator Jasmine L. Holmes brings 52 notable Black Christians’ stories to life…

  • Top Ten

    My Top Ten Books from 2025 (+ a Bonus)

    As another year draws to a close, I wanted to take some time to consider the books I read in 2025 and to assemble a list of my top picks. Apart from the first book, which I consider the best I read this year, the rest are in no particular order. In each case I’ve…