The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you today.
Today’s Kindle deals include Greg Koukl’s The Story of Reality and several books by other authors that span a bunch of topics.
(Yesterday on the blog: Things Change and Things Stay the Same)
How Did Jesus Freely Live a Scripted Life?
John Piper explains how Jesus’s life and death could be both fully scripted out and authentically yielded. “Not only is the life of Jesus fully scripted, but so is Judas’s — indeed, so is every person’s life fully scripted by God. We’re all living, acting, speaking, thinking, feeling according to God’s providence, God’s decree, God’s script.”
Death, Grief, and Frodo’s Incurable Wound
Here’s a first time A La Carte link for Zak Mellgren who offers a comforting reflection on death and grief and Frodo. “If you are a Christian battling grief, there are three realities I want you to cling to. And I write these as much to myself as to you.”
Cultural Christianity: The Good, the Bad, and the Inadequate
Several well-known figures have recently expressed their appreciation for cultural Christianity. Thiago M. Silva says that “while these acknowledgments are surprising and even encouraging, they raise an important question: Is cultural Christianity enough? As believers, how should we respond to those who admire Christianity’s legacy but stop short of embracing the gospel?”
The Danger of an Inward Focused Church
“Without even realizing it, many congregations slowly become inward focused. They devote their time and energy to addressing minor problems, managing internal conflicts, maintaining long-standing traditions, and ensuring that everyone in the pews feels comfortable.” This article explains how that can be so dangerous.
The Theology of Work and the Stay-at-Home Mom
Shiphrah Lakka: “I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve found myself in that awkward moment. You know the one—when someone asks, ‘What do you do?’ and my instinctive response is to shuffle my feet and mumble, ‘I’m just a stay-at-home mom. ‘There’s this odd feeling in my chest as I downplay the importance of my work. The phrase ‘just a stay-at-home mom’ feels like a humbling confession of mediocrity.”
Comforting Those Who Mourn (Video)
Last week I had the privilege of participating in a webinar for the Fortis Institute on comforting those who mourn. I was joined by a couple of other dads who have experienced the loss of a child.
Flashback: Look! Look To Your Baptism!
…when we treat baptism seriously, when we do our utmost to only baptize those who have made a credible profession of faith in Jesus Christ, we offer them confidence on the day and in the future.
The gospel keeps me relating to God on the basis of Jesus’s perfections, not on the illusions of my religious achievements.
—Gloria Furman
