Grace and peace to you today, my friends.
Today’s Kindle deals include Jon Nielson’s reader-friendly introduction to systematic theology and Abbey Wedgeworth’s compassionate book for women who have suffered a miscarriage.
(Yesterday on the blog: The Victim of a Grave Injustice)
Let’s Stop the Kid Jokes
There is a lot of merit to this—to not making jokes about the ways kids make our lives difficult. And I think the same should be said of husband/wife jokes.
The Fathered Universe
Why is God’s name “hallowed” as we say in the Lord’s Prayer? “Because his fatherly hand touches everything. Because he fathers-forth the entire universe without being seen. Because his wildly creative and loving care is imprinted on mussel shells and magpie nests. God’s holiness is always wrapped up in his fatherly care—a mysterious love that goes before us and beyond us.”
Growing Your Joy in Jesus
Go beyond knowing Jesus saved you to having a lived experience of him–of enjoying him and being a joy to him, of loving him and being loved by him. Find out more in Tim Chester’s new book, Enjoying Jesus. Get 25% off with code ENJOYJESUS. (Sponsored)
The Gettys’ Modern Hymn Movement Has Theological Pull
Christianity Today has a long and interesting article about the Gettys and the modern hymn movement they have helped build and steer. (You should be able to read it, though you may need to register for a free account.)
When Internet Culture Becomes the Culture
Now that I consider it, it seems to be the case that internet culture is increasingly becoming the culture. “Christian thinkers and writers recognize the power of the internet and have been at the forefront of writing about the dangers of smartphone addiction, excessive social media use, and internet pornography. But where secular internet culture writers often approach their topics from a live-from-the-scene-of-the-crime perspective, Christian writers are frequently on the outside looking in. Both perspectives are important, but if we want to seek and save the lost where they are found, we cannot approach internet culture solely from the safety of the sidelines.”
Reading Is Fundamental
Marty Machowski expresses how important it is that we teach our children not only to read but to value reading.
Growing Up
Karen considers the slow work of sanctification. “After we accept Christ, he places us on the potter’s wheel. For the rest of our lives, the wheel spins as God shapes us into the best version, the Christ-like version, of ourselves. The version he created us to be. Our hearts and souls are shaped as we live through experiences over time under the guiding hand of God.”
Flashback: Christian, Do You Expect to Face Persecution?
If we live as citizens of the kingdom of heaven—which is to say, if we live like Jesus—we will be out-of-step with the values of the kingdom of this world and people will hate us for it.
Fighting sheep are strange animals, and fighting Christians are self-evident contradictions.
—C.H. Spurgeon
