The God of peace be with you today.
There is a nice little list of Kindle deals that came through this morning. Be sure to look at David Mathis’ Workers for Your Joy and Katie Faris’ He Will Be Enough.
There Are No Free Bets
Samuel James considers the rise of sports betting and how it affects our confidence in the games we love. He bridges from there into a discussion of plausibility structures and other interesting matters.
Reflecting Christ in the Crucible of Your Marriage
Rebekah Matt tells how marriage is a kind of crucible. She also explains what the Lord means to accomplish through it.
Last Chance for Early Bird Pricing for #MISSIONARYCON24
John Piper says: “I hope you’ll be part of this conference and come and learn what God might be pleased to do in your life and our lives—to see His great commission finished and the Bible and the gospel spread to all the peoples of the world.” Join us for The Missionary Conference, October 16-18 in Jacksonville, FL. (Sponsored)
Finding Peace Beyond the Illusion of Control
“There is something about me that always wants to be in control. If I am sick, I want to outlearn the disease and overcome it. If relationships start to fail, I want to be able to charm them back to life. We all desire control.”
What Temptation Is and Is Not
Garrett Kell considers what temptation is and is not. “Understanding the nature of temptation should sober us. It reminds us that no matter how good temptation makes sin appear, it’s a mirage. … Temptation stokes pride and tells you that you deserve to be at the center of the universe. Indulging in its fleeting offerings only leaves us empty and full of regret.”
Grieving the Loss of a Loved One
“Nothing hurts as badly as the loss of a loved one. We were not created or designed to experience separation from those whom we hold dear. … Our souls cry out to hear the voices of those we love, to feel their arms wrapped around us, to look into their eyes and get lost in their souls once again. The ache is vast, overwhelming, and often indescribable. It’s a raging storm of hurt, fear, sadness, and anger. And if we are not careful, it can overtake us. How can a believer make it through the loss of a loved one well?”
The Bible Says It, I Believe It
“Society is saturated with apologizers. Every which way we turn, someone is apologizing for something because it offended someone. It’s a vicious cycle. And Christians are, in part, included in this mess. We may not necessarily say, ‘I’m sorry’ for a particular doctrine or Bible verse, but we sometimes may try to downplay it in order to soften its blow. Don’t soften the blow.”
Flashback: Historical Objects that Help Tell the Story of Easter
Here are a couple of objects I discovered in my round-the-world Epic journey that help tell the story of Easter.
When God does not give us the things we plead for, he will give us grace to do without them; and if we accept his decision sweetly and trustingly — he will enable us to go on rejoicing.
—J.R. Miller
