A La Carte (January 15)

May the Lord be with you and bless you today.

On special this week at Westminster Books is a resource designed to help you teach theology to kids. You can also still get 50% off last year’s bestsellers.

Today’s Kindle deals include books for friends, grandparents, and counselors among others.

iPhones, Idolatry, and Evil Spirits

Don’t be too quick to discount this altogether. “What’s going on? Why are we so hooked? Why do we often admit that our phones are not good for us and yet continue our voluntary enslavement anyways? The question I’m really asking is: Is there something spiritual going on? In the constant pull toward our screens, could supernatural forces be involved?”

At My Mother’s Deathbed, I Discovered the Symmetry of a Long Life

You may need a free CT account to read this article by Jen Wilkin, but it should prove worth it. “The chiasm of a human life. The idea is not unique to me. I recall the saying that we are first children to our parents, then parents to our children, then parents to our parents, and finally children to our children.”

Nothing to Do but Pray

Marissa Henley talks about those times when there is nothing we can do for our kids but pray.

Bible Study Tips for Beginners: How to Use Cross-References in the Bible

Jana wants to make sure you know how to use the cross-references in your Bible. She also explains some of what you stand to gain by doing so.

Jesus Did Condemn Homosexuality

We often hear that if homosexuality had been important to Jesus he would have said something about it. But, as Alan shows here, Jesus did say something about it. (It’s also important to note that even if Jesus didn’t say anything about it, it would not change anything since the Bible is perfectly clear on the matter.)

Please Don’t Sing ‘Imagine’ at Funerals

I second this one: Please don’t sing “Imagine” at funerals. “In contrast to Lennon’s nihilist proclamation, people want to know that there is hope beyond a crisis and that there is hope when faced with mortality. Imagine gives little consolation to a gravely ill person that not only is death imminent, but that it is ultimately meaningless. This atheistic ethic doesn’t do much to help grieving families who have just witnessed a loved one being ripped from their lives.”

Flashback: Life Without Romans 8:28

…it has been my experience that in my lowest moments I have feasted on Romans 8:28, I have run to it like a starving man runs to a meal and I have drunk from it like a parched man drinks from an oasis.