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A La Carte (April 3)

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May the Lord be with you and bless you today.

Westminster Books has discounted a whole collection of their “new and notable” picks for April. The discounts include commentaries, theological works, along with books for adults and for kids.

Yes, the Kindle deals continue. What a joy to be able to so cost-effectively build a library!

All the Sunrises We Cannot See

This is a lovely reflection from Madelyn. “Maybe this Easter you couldn’t see the sunrise either. Maybe you were tempted to despair rather than praise. Maybe you sat in the pew with an armful of questions and left with no answers. Maybe you couldn’t sing without the knot forming in your throat and the tears threatening your eyes. Maybe you couldn’t make it to the pew at all.”

“I’m a Cultural Christian”, Says Richard Dawkins

Richard Dawkins is now a self-professing cultural Christian. We didn’t see that one coming, did we? To be clear, there’s a world of difference between being a cultural Christian and being a true Christian. But still…

The Most Wonderful Sports Season of the Year

There are few better times of year than the beginning of a new baseball season (even when your team is as sad as the Blue Jays—who, as it happens, got no-hit on the day Casey posted this). “I’m aware that my opinion about baseball is not widely shared. I’ve lived in the Bluegrass State for two decades. Basketball reigns here, and I understand why. Basketball is a great sport. But basketball ain’t baseball and neither is football. Baseball stands alone atop the hierarchy of greatest sports every played under the sun. You’re free to disagree, but at least listen to my arguments.”

The Man Who Died in the Pulpit

John Piper discusses the impact of watching a man (literally) die in the pulpit. “So, we were all sitting there when, suddenly, he stopped for no apparent reason. There were a few seconds of silence. He turned to his left and just collapsed. It was not a gentle collapse, as I recall. He hit the floor like a log, and the sound was frightening. He didn’t crumple. You thought it was quiet before? Good night. Now it was breath-holding quiet as two thousand students trembled inside. ‘Oh no. What has just happened?’”

Let’s Talk About How Good God Is

Yes, let’s! “The longer I reflected, the larger the circle of God’s goodness grew. It’s good to exist. It’s good to be. Every breath we take testifies to the goodness of creation and the goodness of a Creator. And this fatherly benevolence flows to undeserving, often ungrateful creatures.”

Jesus Died to Save Us From Our Own Solutions

“Ever since Adam and Eve tried to solve their separation from God with the solution of running away from God and blaming each other, we’ve been reenacting the comic tragedy in every generation since. We turn to our own way to solve the problem we have made; but that just makes the mess worse.”

Flashback: We Are Very Anxious About Our Character

I came across a wonderful quote from F.B. Meyer that is at least parenthetically related. He counsels us on what to do when others attack our character and seek to harm our name. In short: wait on the Lord.

The Lord’s “quickly” may not be my “quickly”; and if so, let him do what seemeth him good.

—Charles Spurgeon

  • Intact

    Intact and Unmoved

    Corrie ten Boom knew what it was to suffer deprivation, to have to do without so many of life’s luxuries and even its necessities. Arrested and sent to a concentration camp for her role in sheltering Jews from the Nazis, she spent almost a year in confinement and suffered the loss of her father and…

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    Weekend A La Carte (November 9)

    A La Carte: Waiting on God / Approach, My Soul / Chronic illness / A comforting verse for not so great preachers / Love the church like Jesus / and more.

  • Free Stuff Fridays (P&R Publishing)

    This week the blog and giveaway have been sponsored by P&R Publishing. Calvin, Spurgeon, and Luther appear alongside Wordsworth, Twain, and Emerson in a vibrant celebration of God’s creation. Ryken joins great works of poetry, hymnody, prose, and art with accessible literary analysis. “John Calvin referred to nature as the theater of God’s glory. Dr.…

  • Prepare for Christmas

    Now’s the Time to Prepare to Prepare for Christmas

    It’s probably a bit too early to begin preparing for Christmas. But it’s not too early to begin preparing to prepare for Christmas. For example, if you want to use a guide or devotional in the lead-up to December 25, this is the time to start looking into your options and buying the one you…

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    A La Carte (November 8)

    A La Carte: Guard kids’ eyes and hearts online / The game is up for the mainstream media / The church’s unsung hero / Dear New York Times / Bear one another’s burdens / Kindle deals / and more.

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    A La Carte (November 7)

    A La Carte: Where abortion policies stand now / Misconceptions about sports betting / You shall surely die / Does evolution care about you? / Ministering to orphans in Africa / Book and Kindle deals / and more.