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A La Carte (4/29)

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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

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    A La Carte (May 20)

    A La Carte: The foibles and fallibility of Christian leaders / Mental illness / Why didn’t Christ come sooner? / When it’s okay to die / Spiritual formation / and more.

  • Unlock Your Ministry Potential with Microcredentials

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  • Discernment

    What Does a Discerning Person Do?

    Some Christians seem to be specially gifted when it comes to spiritual discernment. Others take a special interest in discernment and expend the hard effort of growing in the discipline of it. But they may sometimes wonder: What should I do with this discernment?

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    A La Carte (May 19)

    A La Carte: Dangers of theological controversy / No confidence? No problem! / The goodness of gardening friends / Jeff the low stakes prophet / Hurting people / Kindle deals / and more.

  • Prayer

    The Reward They Longed for They Received

    Jesus, who knew what was in the heart of men, warned of the hypocrisy of those whose prayer life is only ever public. “When you pray,” he said, “you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen…

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    Weekend A La Carte (May 17)

    A La Carte: Generalizations are not stereotypes / Hospitality and reaching the dechurched / Essential lessons for pastors / The rise of Islam and the resilience of the church / Gossip and godly church / Fear takes you where grace has not yet gone / and more.