Today’s Kindle deals include several excellent books on prayer, besides some other noteworthy titles.
If you’re shopping for books as Christmas gifts, Westminster Books can help with this gift guide.
(Yesterday on the blog: The Rise of AI Book Slop)
Reforming Generosity
I found this a very interesting look at ways we can reform our understanding of generosity. “In my experience, it is common to hear church leaders tell their congregation that their generosity will change the world. I have also read books by Christian authors promising readers that their sacrificial generosity will change them and yield eternal rewards. Though I believe those authors are driven by the best motives, I also believe they are failing to fully represent the witness of Scripture.”
Let the Young Man Come to Church With Mixed Motives
Stephen McAlpine wants us to be thrilled rather than skeptical that young men are suddenly interested in church. Let people come for their mixed motives. Let Jesus sort out those mixed motives. And while you are at it, check on your own mixed motives. Ask why you are coming to church each week. Ask what other version of the culture would you prefer than a Christianised one.”
Strong and Fearless Faith
Middle-grade readers will encounter 52 short biographies of unsung heroes of the Christian faith—including activists, pastors, and missionaries. Along the way, kids will learn about the trials and triumphs of the Black Americans who shaped our nation’s history. (Sponsored)
Your Wife Is Beauty: The Song’s Response to Male Sexual Distortion
“All of us have heard the phrase, ‘Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,’ but what if the beholder’s eye is distorted to where beauty doesn’t seem beautiful? I find this to be the case often when I am counseling men who have struggled through an issue with pornography.”
Combating Imposter Syndrome by Embracing God’s Presence
Josh Oh tells how he became aware of his tendency toward imposter syndrome and how he learned to combat it. “I don’t know if I’ve ever felt like I was the right person for the job, whether as a dad, a pastor, or even a friend. There has always been a small voice in my head telling me that I’m not good enough. Sometimes, even in the wake of a compliment, I feel added pressure to prove to myself that I deserve the affirmation.”
Be Known, Not Impressive
Barnabas’ article on being known instead of trying to be impressive seems to nicely complement the last article.
Dan McClellan and the Search for Meaning
Daniel writes about Dan McClellan who is “a bona fide biblical scholar, trained at Oxford and Exeter in biblical studies, cognitive linguistics, and the Hebrew Bible. He has a gigantic following on TikTok (almost a million followers as of today). Additionally, he published a monograph with the Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) and is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), having served a two-year mission in Uruguay.”
Flashback: Those Who Sing Songs in the Night
There is something holy, something attractive, something magnetic about those who praise God in their sorrows, about those who sing songs in the night and praise God in the darkest of valleys.
Those who experience the grace of God in justification want to experience his grace in sanctification too.
—Sinclair Ferguson
