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A La Carte (June 26)

tuesday

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.

We’re more concerned about our own “victory” over sin than we are about the fact that our sins grieve God’s heart.

—Jerry Bridges

  • Weekend A La Carte (June 6)

    There’s a playbook for college, there should be one for marriage / Ben Sasse is teaching us how to die—and live—well / The biggest tell that something was written by AI / Why China got rich and India didn’t / AI slop is coming for your playlists / The blood cancer that became solvable /…

  • Davy and Natalie Lloyd

    Strong to the End

    You have probably heard of Davy and Natalie Lloyd, even if the names aren’t immediately familiar. In May 2024, you most likely heard the news about two young American missionaries to Haiti who, along with one of their Haitian colleagues, were brutally murdered by one of the many gangs that dominate the country.

  • A La Carte (June 5)

    Can Jesus really sympathize with my specific struggles? / View your past through the lens of God’s faithfulness / Nine marks of a healthy paragraph / When you have nothing left to give / The treasure chest at the train station / When you’re too weird to lead / Headlines / and more.

  • A La Carte (June 4)

    The pastor as anti-professional / On grieving when your loved one’s faith was ambiguous / God’s mercy in withholding wealth / Not mere memories: God’s sovereign purposes in every season / 10 theses on intercession / Bargatze’s ‘Breadwinner’ should be funnier / Podcasts / and more.

  • A La Carte (June 3)

    Ben Sasse’s theology of suffering for a death-phobic culture / You don’t need testosterone therapy / While I was busy helping save the free world / The discipline of joy / Stop believing your best years are behind you / We are not alone? No, we never were / Medical evacuation / The SBC /…