Good morning. May grace and peace be with you today and in the week ahead.
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Logos users may want to browse the free and discounted resources this month, all of which are video courses.
Today’s Kindle deals include Joel Green’s massive NICNT commentary on Luke for almost $40 off the list price.
(Yesterday on the blog: A Parent’s Prayer for Obedience)
Good News, Ordinary Pastor! You Don’t Need a Winning Personality
This is good news, indeed. “All men are created equal. No two men are equally created. On one hand, all people are created in God’s image and every believer enjoys full status as God’s adopted child in union with Christ. On the other hand, our sovereign Creator employs a single-use template of individuality when designing each of us. We don’t live long on this earth before we are stung by the sheer “unfairness” of such divinely ordered differentiation.”
The Genius of Flight (Video)
This video is well done. “Few sights in nature are as beautiful and wondrous as a bird in the air. This visually stunning short film explores the biological systems that make avian flight possible. In the process, compelling evidence for the purpose, foresight, and design on display throughout the created order is clearly and powerfully revealed.”
Why Liturgy Makes Better Preaching
This article has some good insights on the importance and value of liturgy.
NASB Adventure Bible Sweepstakes – Enter to Win!
Enter for your chance to win a NASB Adventure Bible, Hardcover. The New American Standard Bible, 1995 Text edition of the bestselling Adventure Bible® will get kids excited about God’s Word with full-color features that make reading Scripture and memorizing their favorite verses engaging and fun. No purchase necessary. Open to US residents only 18 and older. Runs August 2, 2021 through August 16, 2021. Void where prohibited. Official rules available here. (Sponsored Link)
John Stott and His Contribution to an Evangelical Analysis of Roman Catholicism
New from the Vatican Files is this interesting look at John Stott’s contributions to an evangelical analysis of Catholicism.
Great Work
“Before we are anything else in the church world, we are disciples of Jesus. Whatever ministry we may be involved in, whatever position we may hold, we are disciples of Jesus.”
Practicing Humility at Home
“‘Mom’s the worst sinner in the family,’ my 4-year-old repeated to house guests after our previous gospel conversations about repenting of sin. Apparently. And you know what? There was a time in my life that would have been mortifying. Now, I hear it and think, Yup. Sounds about right.”
Wisdom Means Numbering Our Days Not Living As If Every Day Is Our Last
This is a key distinction. “There may well be times when we do know that our days are short, for example if we have a terminal illness or are in advanced old age. This should give a right sense of urgency to our decisions and actions. But rather than living permanently with a false sense of urgency, the Bible encourages us to be wise by numbering our days.”
Flashback: An Angry God
What makes you angry? We all have triggers, don’t we? We all have certain contexts and situations, certain affronts to our dignity or pride that stoke the anger within.
It is, Bunyan says, the devil’s work to promote a fear of God that makes people afraid of God such that they want to flee from God. The Spirit’s work is the exact opposite: to produce in us a wonderful fear that wins and draws us to God. —Michael Reeves