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A La Carte (November 26)

thursday

I hope my American friends and family enjoy their Thanksgiving celebrations today. While you are doing that, I will begin scouring the web for Black Friday deals geared toward Christians. Check in tomorrow for the annual roundup.

Today’s Kindle deals include three solid picks that span three different genres.

Not Much to Be Thankful For

Jim Elliff tells why some people don’t have much to be thankful for.

So Grateful, So Grateful

Leah Farish: “It has been a hard year. And as we prepare for Thanksgiving, we may have to look at smaller things, like potato chips, or higher things, like God’s covenant love for us, before feeling thankful. Look either direction—His grace is everywhere—but look you must.”

Stay Safe?

I’ve noticed this, too—that the new way of saying, “bye” is saying, “stay safe.” “I would suggest to you that an unmitigated desire for safety is manufactured by the human idol factory–the heart. And always has been.”

Why Would God Allow My Disappointment?

We all experience disappointments, and ones we know God could have prevented. Why would God allow them? “The implications of past disappointments can loom heavily over the present, and the possibility of future disappointments sits as a constant threat on the horizon. Yet along with every disappointment come promises from God that are strong enough to steady us, comfort us, and lift our eyes to him.”

Encouragement for Hard Times from Saints of Old

In times of disappointment or grief, here’s some encouragement from saints of old.

Love is the Mark of a Christian

“When we think about the marks of a person who is a Christian, our love for other people in general and the people of God, in particular, is one of the chief characteristics that should come to our minds. After all, it was Jesus who said that the greatest commandment was to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Why is this true, though? What is it about love that sets it apart as one of the chief marks of a Christian?”

Flashback: How To Get Things Done: Deal With Interruptions

Dealing with interruptions requires an awareness that God is sovereign and you are not. When you trust a sovereign God you know that no interruption has caught God by surprise. This frees you from outbursts of anger or depths of despair.

Lament is how you live between the poles of a hard life and trusting in God’s sovereignty. Lament is how we bring our sorrow to God. Without lament we won’t know how to process pain.

—Mark Vroegop

  • Prayer

    The Reward They Longed for They Received

    Jesus, who knew what was in the heart of men, warned of the hypocrisy of those whose prayer life is only ever public. “When you pray,” he said, “you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    Weekend A La Carte (May 17)

    A La Carte: Generalizations are not stereotypes / Hospitality and reaching the dechurched / Essential lessons for pastors / The rise of Islam and the resilience of the church / Gossip and godly church / Fear takes you where grace has not yet gone / and more.

  • Planted in the Word

    Planted in the Word

    There are a lot of Bible study guides out there. However, the need is not nearly saturated because there are also a lot of Bible readers, many of whom study the Word carefully and repeatedly throughout their Christian lives. For that reason, we cannot have too many guides to assist in reading, understanding, and applying…

  • A La Carte Friday 2

    A La Carte (May 16)

    A La Carte: The role of dance in Christian worship / A community for broken homes / Our reason for missionary risk / The longings of the human heart / I’m not a handyman / Affluence, regret, identity crises / Kindle deals / and more.

  • 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.