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A La Carte (March 25)

friday

The Lord be with you and bless you today.

Today’s Kindle deals include some good deals from Crossway. Also a whole lot of Tolkien books are on sale in Kindle editions.

(Yesterday on the blog: New and Notable Christian Books for Children)

Am I Sinning? 6 Questions for Moral Gray Areas

“Many Christians would label at least some of these issues as ‘gray areas’—a category we might define as actions that Scripture doesn’t clearly identify as ‘sinful’ or ‘non-sinful’ for all people in all places at all times. To say it another way, a gray area (biblically speaking) is any matter that is not clearly commanded, prohibited, or permitted in Scripture.”

The Spiritual Discipline of Shutting Up

Craig Thompson: “One discipline that is conspicuously absent from most lists, but which I find to be incredibly beneficial in my sanctification and in my relationships with others is the spiritual discipline of shutting my mouth. You may practice silence and solitude, but that isn’t the same thing as the discipline of shutting up.”

Dive Deeper Into Worship With Keith & Kristyn Getty

Paul reminds us in 1 Cor. 12:14 that “the body does not consist of one member but of many.” The Holy Spirit gives each of us gifts to employ in his service—skills that we hone when we are gathered together! This September, join thousands of believers from around the world for three days of congregational singing, deep theology, and 50+ practical breakout sessions led by the Gettys, Joni Eareckson Tada, John MacArthur, D. A. Carson, Paul David Tripp, Sandra McCracken Shai & Blair Linne, and more at the Sing! Worship Conference in Nashville, TN! EXCLUSIVE: Use code ‘CHALLIES’ to save 20% on registration before April 1. (Sponsored Link)

The Real Deal: The Exclusivity of Jesus

I appreciated this article from Equip Indian Churches: “Today, in the marketplace of ideas, the word ‘truth’ has lost its meaning, purpose and relevance. Much of this is due to the rise of philosophical relativism and postmodernism. On the altar of postmodernism, all the transcendental and objective truths, slowly but surely, are being marginalized. ‘Truth’ has now been personalised. There seems to be no definitive meaning of the word ‘meaning’ and no definitive purpose to the word ‘purpose’. For many, life seems to be a meaningless accident in a universe that is lonely, cold and dark.”

Every Technology Has Its Own Agenda

“What is the chief purpose of the bed? To provide a good night’s sleep. What is the chief purpose of the coffee pot? To provide energetic fluid for the day and prevent mass murder. What is the chief purpose of our phones? Ah, now we get a bit more confused. What is the chief purpose of social media?” That’s a question we need to be asking.

Grief and Good Advice

Donna shares a bit of good and helpful advice (that was given to her and then proved its value).

The Lord’s Prayer – New Musical Setting

Jamie Brown has shared a video of a new musical setting for the Lord’s Prayer.

Flashback: The Hidden Strength of a Weak Mother (Christian Men and Their Godly Moms)

“My dear mother, besides the rains she took with me, often commended me with many prayers and tears to God; and I doubt not but I reap the fruits of these prayers to this hour.”

You may not be outwardly bad, and yet not inwardly good.

—Thomas Watson

  • AI Slop

    The Rise of AI Book Slop

    We often hear these days of “AI slop,” a term that’s used to refer to the massive amounts of poor-quality AI-created material that is churned out and unceremoniously dumped onto the internet. This was once primarily artistless artwork and authorless articles, but has now advanced to much bigger and more substantial forms of content.

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    A La Carte (December 8)

    A La Carte: A plea to older women / Let someone serve you in suffering / Why AI writing can’t compete / Influencers / The hidden danger in online sermons / Discipling young people / Excellent Kindle deals / and more.

  • Hymns

    Pitch Perfect and Tone Deaf

    God commands us to sing. Yet while some of God’s people are gifted singers, the plain fact is that others are not. In any congregation, it’s likely that some have near-perfect pitch while others are functionally tone-deaf. Those who struggle to sing may be self-conscious, tempted to stay quiet or to do no more than…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    Weekend A La Carte (December 6)

    A La Carte: Rightly ordered desires / Ordinary wonders / For my good, not my comfort / Make room for special-needs families / Christmas spirit / Wisdom rarely makes you famous / and more.

  • New Dimensions Template

    Noteworthy New Commentaries from 2025

    There are few resources I rely on more than I rely on my commentaries. Over the years, I have developed an extensive collection and turn to them often. I try to keep tabs on new commentaries and thought I would let you know about some of the best options that were published in 2025