Skip to content ↓

A La Carte (June 4)

thursday

Today’s Kindle deals include a brand new book from Harold Senkbeil titled Christ and Calamity.

Here’s a reminder that all of Ligonier’s teaching series are available for free for a limited time.

(Yesterday on the blog: Write Better)

5 Bad Morning Habits You Should Quit Right Away

Reagan Rose lists 5 morning habits you should think about ditching ASAP.

A Statement About Statements

I really appreciated this statement about statements. “As the lead pastor of a large, multi-ethnic megachurch in one of the most diverse regions of my state, there’s an expectation to come up with some sort of statement to guide my congregation, the church that I love and care so deeply for. It’s the expectation to say something, to count myself among the list of allies who decry the injustice, who reassure our brothers and sisters of color that they are seen and heard.”

Grief, Interrupted by COVID-19

This is a beautifully-written but very sad article about just some of the grief associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. “We all knew it could be the last time we saw her. Two weeks later, she struggled with a bad chest cold and was tested for possible illnesses. She tested positive for bronchitis on Thursday. And on Friday, for COVID-19. Late Saturday afternoon, she was gone. Hearts wrenched in pain, we tried to wrap our minds around what had just happened. Nothing made sense. Nothing fit the scenario for a normal death. None of us was there by her side.”

What Did Bach Sound Like to Bach?

Here’s an article about the ongoing effort to understand what Bach’s music sounded like to Bach.

I Know a Place …

You’ll enjoy this article about an amazing place (and/or person).

Glasswing Butterflies Want To Make Something Perfectly Clear (Video)

This is a neat little video about glasswing butterflies.

The Peace of the Cross

Nick Batzig: “Quite significantly, the Scriptures have much to say about world peace. World peace belongs squarely within the realm of the horizontal dimension of the cross. One of the great implications of the substitutionary, atoning, propitiatory, Satan-conquering, fallen world-overcoming, new creation-securing work of Christ crucified is that of the reconciliation of a people out of every tongue, tribe, and nation. The cross brings about peace between differing people groups who once lived in hostility toward one another.”

Flashback: Do You Fail to Deliberately Remember?

If you truly believe that it is God’s providence that dispenses all circumstances, then it is your responsibility to continue to pursue and worship God in every one of them.

Calamities are God’s previews of what sin deserves and will one day receive in judgment a thousand times worse. They are warnings. They are wake-up calls to see the moral horror and spiritual ugliness of sin against God.

—John Piper

  • A La Carte Thursday 1

    A La Carte (May 15)

    A La Carte: The clever move of Leo XIV / People expect church to be churchy / Don’t let TikTok disciple your kids / Playing God with children / Overcoming barriers to hospitality / Real men sing / and more.

  • Is This Really a Good Idea

    Is This Really a Good Idea?

    Would it be okay if we engage our imaginations a little bit today? Though it’s not the standard fare of this site, how about we try it and see how it goes?

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (May 14)

    A La Carte: Could scrolling become the new smoking? / Are children a blessing? / Expository preaching: The new golden calf / A tale of two prayers / How moms can care for women experiencing infertility / Book sale / and more.

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (May 13)

    A La Carte: She and I / The ruthless elimination of sloth / Do we need to see ourselves represented? / How do I leave my sin at the foot of the cross? / Is your family calendar built on faithfulness? / and more.

  • Does Prayer Change Things?

    Throughout Scripture God commands prayer consistently and pervasively. There’s no denying that it’s essential to Christian living. But does prayer really change things? #Sponsored

  • What Does Trouble Do

    What Does Trouble Do?

    To live is to experience trouble. There is no path through this life that does not lead through at least some kind of difficulty, sorrow, or trial—and often through a cornucopia of them. This being the case, we rightly wonder: What does trouble do? Though we may not see an answer in the immediate circumstances…