A La Carte (June 26)

My sincere gratitude goes to all who sent along notes and tweets yesterday in response to my “Wee Health Update.” I’m so very thankful.

There are a few Kindle deals to explore for those who are interested.

Faithful Are the Wounds of a Friend

Here’s a good word on friendship: “An exhorting friendship is not a relationship where we simply sit around and point fingers at one another. It’s not an opportunity to make people feel bad. We don’t exhort others because we relish pointing out one another’s faults. Rather, we exhort one another because it grieves us to see another believer stumble into sin. Because we are united to one another as siblings in Christ, it hurts the body of Christ when various parts turn away from God to do their own thing.”

Inerrancy was Really the Issue

One of my great fascinations in the history of Christianity is how both great strengths and weaknesses can exist within one person. In this article, Tom Nettles looks back in time to tell how Paige Patterson made such a mark on the Southern Baptist Convention at a key time.

What Ever Happened to the Creator of Calvin and Hobbes? (Video)

Calvin and Hobbes was an important part of my younger years. “It was on November 18, 1985, when Calvin met Hobbes. As the first appearance of this legendary comic strip shows, Calvin sets a trap for a tiger using a tuna sandwich because ‘tigers will do ANYTHING for a tuna fish sandwich.’ Sure enough, hanging by one foot and munching on the sandwich, Calvin’s freshly caught tiger confirms this, ‘We’re kind of stupid that way.’”

5 Reflections from 10 Years of Daily Bible Reading

What can you learn from reading the Bible every day for 10 years? “A week went by, then a month, then 6 months, then a year, and now, by God’s grace, it’s been a full decade of reading the Bible every single day. I don’t write this post from the mountaintop looking down on everyone else wishing they would come up here with me. I write this from the perspective of a Christian, husband, father of 5, and a pastor who still wrestles with the flesh. I am need of the Lord’s grace and reminders of His glorious gospel on a daily basis.”

Supreme Court Vacates Lower Court’s Verdict Against Florist

This is a good one from Denny Burk. “The U.S. Supreme Court sent the case of floral artist Barronelle Stutzman back to the Washington Supreme Court Monday, after vacating that court’s decision and instructing it to reconsider her lawsuit in light of the recent decision in Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission.”

Is the PCA Becoming More Unified?

I found this report from the recent PCA general Assembly very encouraging. When we read so many stories and headlines about disunity, it is a joy to learn about increasing unity between believers.

Will We Witness Together God’s New Creation?

Randy Alcorn: “I believe Scripture makes clear that we’ll have the privilege that was experienced by the fictional characters in The Magician’s Nephew and by the real angelic beings who witnessed the creation of the first Earth: We will actually witness the creation of the New Earth.”

Flashback: They Joy of Not Sinning

Few things are more rewarding, more encouraging, than seeing victory over sin, seeing a pet sin begin to look ugly, seeing its power erode, seeing its prevalence diminish.