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A La Carte (February 2)

A La Carte Collection cover image

Good morning. Grace and peace to you.

Today’s Kindle deals include a lot of great books by Paul David Tripp. Be sure to consider his books on marriage and awe. There were also some good deals yesterday, like Reagan Rose’s book on productivity, so be sure to scroll back a day. Also, you will find some phenomenal biographies in the general market section.

Beware the ‘Current-Events Man’

I appreciate what Chris says here about being a current-events man. “A current-events man is that relative on Facebook constantly posting about the latest news coming out of the Oval Office. It’s the co-worker who was an expert on public health in 2020 and has insights on immigration policy and enforcement this week. It’s the pastor who can’t help but hook every sermon to a headline.”

Like No Other (Video)

You may enjoy this new song that The Worship Initiative recorded live at the recent CROSS Conference.

When Life Is Hard, Keep Reading Your Bible

This is good and necessary counsel: When life is hard, just keep on reading your Bible.

Struggling With Prayer? Ask God for Help.

And, of course, you also need to persevere in prayer! “One of the most important things I’ve learned about growing in prayer is that the best place to start isn’t finding a new note-card system or journal—it’s admitting our struggle to God and asking him to help us pray.”

When Education Becomes Information

This is a long but thought-provoking article about education and the difference between information and formation. “Today, in debates over the future and likely impact of artificial intelligence, one often hears the optimistic refrain: ‘we’re in charge; we can use AI however we want’ (as long as we accept that we have no choice not to use it, that is). AI, on this account, is the ultimate general-purpose technology, capable of being built to any specification, adapted to any use. The world is our oyster, and AI will take us wherever we want to go.”

Don’t Run

While this letter is written from a specific pastor to a specific church, I think we can all benefit from its challenge. It’s all about what we do in the moments following the end of the church service.

Flashback: How Much Entertainment Is Too Much?

We don’t work so we can rest, but rest so we can work. We have rested enough when it has prepared us to return our hands to the plow; we have rested too much when the plow has grown rusty or the field lies fallow. 

Those that hate to be refined by the fire of divine grace will undoubtedly be ruined by the fire of divine wrath.

—Matthew Henry


  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (February 2)

    A La Carte: Beware the current-events man / “Like No Other” / Keep reading your Bible / Struggling with prayer? / Formation and information / Don’t run / Kindle deals / and more.

  • Celebrate

    How To Make the Devil Shout for Joy

    As we fall away from the company of our brothers and sisters, as we grow distant from the voice of God through his Word, as we grow lackadaisical in speaking to God through prayer, Satan smiles, he laughs, he shouts for joy. Our sorrow is his pleasure.

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    Weekend A La Carte (January 31)

    A La Carte: Prioritizing theological maturity / What is excommunication? / Discipleship in a sexualized culture / Why motherhood can feel impossible / Giving all like Jesus / and more.

  • Free Stuff Fridays (Reformed Free Publishing)

    Have you ever wondered what it would be like to uproot your life and sacrifice everything for the sake of your faith? Enter today’s Free Stuff Fridays giveaway to win a copy of Grace House, the story of one young Hindu girl who is forced to choose between the only world she’s ever known and…

  • Family Tech Books

    Books to Help Parents With Tech

    Christian parents are well-served with books meant to inform and equip them as they lead their families. Here are some of my top picks for parents who want to faithfully disciple their children to live well in a world of smartphones, social media, AI, and a host of other world-shaping technologies.

  • A La Carte Friday 2

    A La Carte (January 30)

    A La Carte: The biggest crisis ever / When God’s plans leave us distressed / The rise and fall of gay activism / Boundaries in dating / How to derail a Bible study / Kindle deals / and more.