If you do some or all of your reading via Kindle, there’s a collection of deals for you to browse through today.
(Yesterday on the blog: Singing in the Dark)
Two Things You Can Take with You to Heaven
Greg Koukl explains the two things you can take with you to heaven.
The Incarnation: Its Relevance
William Boekestein: “To call the incarnation ‘relevant’ almost sounds patronizing. But we need to recognize the intimate connection between this important doctrine and personal piety.”
Learning from the Magi
“Among the parts of the birth narrative of Jesus, the Scriptural record of the Magi, coming from a distant land to seek, find, and worship the infant Christ, is far and away one of the most spiritually rich. The details surrounding it–though seemingly meager–are full of lessons that serve to build God’s people up in faith, while encouraging those who have never trusted in Him to do so.” Nick Batzig draws our attention to these characters.
Mary’s Visit to Elizabeth
And here’s another lesser-known part of the story. “There are some parts of the Christmas story that easily get overlooked, aren’t there? And Mary’s visit to Elizabeth (Lk 1.39-45), sandwiched as it is between the annunciation to Mary by Gabriel and Mary’s great song of praise, the Magnificat, is one of them. And yet as Luke begins his two-volume work designed to increase Theophilus’s assurance of the things he has been taught (1.4), this is one of the events he thinks is worthy of our attention. Why? What is so significant about this visit?”
God the Giver: Where Giving Is Meant to Go
Pierce Taylor Hibbs: “Gifts function in a sort of circle. I call it the giving circle. Gifts are obtained from a source, given by a giver, and then received. At least, that’s the hope.”
The Most Popular Porn Site Has Biggest Scandal to Date
I’ve already linked to a couple of stories about this, but today will link to one more. Honestly, having worked with so many people who struggle so much with porn, I’m delighted to see the industry get exposed for what it really is and to begin to suffer the consequences.
Nazarene – What a Label!
We speak easily of “Jesus the Nazarene,” but perhaps without thinking much about the label.
Flashback: Sin Is Immaturity
Sin is iniquity, premeditated rebellion against God. And lately, especially as I’ve been examining my own life, I’ve also been seeing sin as immaturity. Sin is a failure to grow up.
The evidence of Christ’s mercy toward you is not your life. The evidence of his mercy toward you is his—mistreated, misunderstood, betrayed, abandoned. Eternally. In your place.
—Dane Ortlund
