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A La Carte (July 15)

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The Lord be with you and bless you today.

At Westminster Books this week you’ll find good deals on an excellent series for kids and a bestselling Bible study series.

True Companions

“To the ancients, friendship was the crown of life and the school of virtue. To us, it’s both of you clicking a button on Facebook. How far we have fallen.” Yes, but the situation is far from hopeless.

Satan Delights In Church Growth That Isn’t Gospel Driven

“Like every individual Christian, the Church’s greatest enemy is Satan. He lives and continuously strives to deceive God’s people, and to divert them from their God-given agenda and purpose. Though we could consider countless ways that Satan does this, in this article I’m going to focus on one: quantitative church growth.”

A Case against the Longer Ending of Mark

Some time ago I shared an argument that made the case for the longer ending of Mark. Here’s a follow-up that makes a case against it.

To Understand the Bible, Follow the World’s Advice

“I read secular books. That’s not so much a confession as much as it is a confirmation.” This article considers how we can read non-Christian books that will truly help us.

When God Came to Dinner & Why This Truth Changes Everything

“My favorite memories usually revolve around the themes of good food, beautiful setting, and excellent company, and yesterday delivered on all three. But of the thousands of meals I’ve eaten in my life, only a rare few resurface in my memory. Not because I’ve captured those moments on my camera, but because they’ve captured me. They’ve become little diamonds, refracting new hues of color, growing more beautiful each time I turn them over in my mind.”

Are God and Satan Playing Chess with My Life?

“Time to be real. If I’m to tell it straight, I’ve felt a few times lately like God and Satan are playing chess, and I’m a pawn.” Perhaps you’ve felt that way as well…

Flashback: When Christians Just Don’t Read the Bible

While I receive some requests about difficult circumstances and advanced matters of obedience, the most common by far are the simplest: Pray that I would read and pray.

If he gives you the grace to make you believe, he will give you the grace to live a holy life afterward.

—Charles Spurgeon

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    A La Carte (April 23)

    A La Carte: Climate anxiety paralyzes, gospel hope propels / Living what God has written / How should I engage my rebellious child? / Satan hates your pastor / How to navigate our spiritual highs / The art of extemporaneous preaching / and more.

  • The Path to Contentment

    The Path to Contentment

    I wonder if you have ever considered that the solution to discontentment almost always seems to be more. If I only had more money I would be content. If I only had more followers, more possessions, more beauty, then at last I would consider myself successful. If only my house was bigger, my influence wider,…

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    A La Carte (April 22)

    A La Carte: Why my shepherd carries a rod / When Mandisa forgave Simon Cowell / An open mind is like an open mouth / Marriage: the half-time report / The church should mind its spiritual business / Kindle deals / and more.

  • It Begins and Ends with Speaking

    It Begins and Ends with Speaking

    Part of the joy of reading biography is having the opportunity to learn about a person who lived before us. An exceptional biography makes us feel as if we have actually come to know its subject, so that we rejoice in that person’s triumphs, grieve over his failures, and weep at his death.

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    Weekend A La Carte (April 20)

    A La Carte: Living counterculturally during election season / Borrowing a death / The many ministries of godly women / When we lose loved ones and have regrets / Ethnicity and race and the colorblindness question / The case for children’s worship services / and more.

  • The Anxious Generation

    The Great Rewiring of Childhood

    I know I’m getting old and all that, and I’m aware this means that I’ll be tempted to look unfavorably at people who are younger than myself. I know I’ll be tempted to consider what people were like when I was young and to stand in judgment of what people are like today. Yet even…