A La Carte (June 15)

Sales & Deals

Today’s Kindle deals include some really good books, like Jonathan Gibson’s Be Thou My Vision, Donald Whitney’s Family Worship, and more. We are spoiled for choice!

Recommended Reading

Seven Things to Do to Prepare for Spiritual Warfare. Spiritual warfare is an inevitable reality for the Christian, and Kenneth Berding explains how Christians can prepare themselves for it. “Here are seven things you can do to get ready. These seven means-of-grace will train you to be ready for any sort of satanic attack, whether it is a dramatic attack (threatened by a demon-possessed person, Mark 5, Luke 8), an assault on your beliefs (2 Cor 10:3-5), or a mundane temptation (1 Cor 7:5; 1 Thess 3:5). Here are seven ways you can prepare for spiritual attack.”

Navigating Bribery as a Christian in India. I have often wondered how Christians handle bribery in those nations where it is not only accepted but often demanded. This article from TGC India, where it “is so woven into the texture of daily life that most people don’t see it as an injustice,” distinguishes between two different forms of bribery and, of course, also distinguishes between those who demand it and those who are left with little recourse but to pay it.

Q & A: Can I Have Assurance of Salvation? Many Christians struggle with assurance of their salvation. This article from R. Scott Clark, shared on Beautiful Christian Life, helpfully explains where Christians can find true and lasting assurance. “To refuse to have assurance on the ground that one is not sufficiently sanctified is a form of unbelief. Stop it. Repent of it. Of course, you are not sanctified enough! You’re a wretch. Jesus didn’t obey and die for nice, sanctified people. He obeyed and died for you and me.”

When Innovation Isn’t the Answer. “I recently asked an equities investor what he thought of a well-known publication. ‘It serves as an excellent contrarian indicator,’ he said. ‘I read it to find out what I don’t believe.’ It made me laugh, but it also made me think that this is a good way to approach many ministry resources.” Darryl Dash uses this to explain how he responds when he is told that effective ministry demands innovation.

Husbands, a Warning Against Bitterness. William Boekestein’s warning to husbands is short but strong. “One of the great temptations a husband faces,” he says, “is to be bitter toward his wife. Bitterness and love are, in Colossians 3:19, opposite ends of the spectrum of how a husband might treat his wife.”

Do You See?: A Father Reflects on His Son’s Disability. Just like the title says, here’s a father reflecting on his son’s disability. “Online culture sees kids like mine primarily in two ways. There is the viral celebration—the autistic child allowed to shoot in a varsity basketball game or the child whose unusual gift suddenly makes him charming and his video shareable. These stories are moving, and we beckon people to watch or read, as they are easy to celebrate. It’s easy to cheer for a child who has never disrupted your Sunday or exhausted your patience.”

What Do You Recommend?

I often let you know what I enjoy and recommend. I thought I would ask you to tell me what you are enjoying and would recommend to other readers. It could be a book, an article, a product, or anything else. I will compile some of them and share them on the weekend. Just fill out this form to share what’s bringing you joy these days—and what might bring joy to others. (The form won’t appear in the email newsletter, so you’ll need to click through to fill it out.)

If you are recommending a product, please consider providing a URL.

Flashback

40 More Random Pieces of Advice for the Christian Life. Pray through your church’s directory. Make it one of your ministries to the local church that you pray for each person specifically and by name. The directory is the perfect guide for this.