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A La Carte (September 24)

tuesday

Today’s Kindle deals include quite a good and varied selection.

(Yesterday on the blog: On Being a Kwitter)

The Apprentice’s Miracle

This is a good article laid overtop a neat story. “In this particular case, will God be interested in such a minor matter as Fred and his nut, when the world is torn by suffering and torment? Does God hear and respond to the prayers of naughty apprentices? Is God able to reverse the damage of a cross-threaded nut? Can God intervene in the laws of nature so as to change what happens? Can he do it without creating chaos in the whole universe?”

Greta Thunberg’s Meaning Crisis

Here’s an interesting look at Greta Thunberg (and others like her). “Thunberg’s speech is saturated with religious grammar. Her actions are those of a believer committed to a sacred cause. She invites us to join her while there is still time.”

Why Church Planting Can’t Be Church Franchising

Tim Keesee: “Sure, Christians in other countries had different languages and cultures, but if their worship styles were different or their theological preferences deficient, well, that’s why I was going over to teach them. And so, as is too often the case in missions, church planting resembles church franchising instead. However, it was soon evident that I had more to learn than to teach.”

Warren W. Wiersbe Tribute (Video)

I expect you’ll enjoy this tribute to Warren Wiersbe (that H.B. Charles put together for the Cutting It Straight Conference).

Lloyd-Jones on Numbers

This is a good moment from the life and ministry of MLJ.

The Great Exchanges of Romans

Sinclair Ferguson: “When the wonder of the gospel breaks into your life, you feel as though you are the first person to discover its power and glory. Where has Christ been hidden all these years? He seems so fresh, so new, so full of grace. Then comes a second discovery—it is you who have been blind, but now you have experienced exactly the same as countless others before you. You compare notes. Sure enough, you are not the first! Thankfully you will not be the last.”

The Way to Greatness

“Like the disciples, we seem to be always jockeying for position. We are driven to succeed, to prosper, to win. So when someone else gets the promotion at work, someone else gets the recognition at church, someone else gets the trophy at play, we battle resentment. It happens in a million ways, big and small. For some of us, it only takes losing a parking space or the big piece of chicken at dinner to feel slighted.”

Flashback: How to Pray Like a Pastor

D.A. Carson has rightly pointed out that the list of qualifications for elders is “remarkable for being unremarkable.” Every church is meant to be full of men and women who display these traits. And if every Christian is meant to display them, every Christian should pray for them.

If our lives were always pleasant and never challenging, our faith would scarcely be required and never grow. We would not be much use to the Lord in this life, nor would we be prepared for the life to come.

—Jonathan Stephen

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