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Weekend A La Carte (July 18)

My gratitude goes to Westminster Books for sponsoring the blog this week with news of their new referral rewards program.

Today’s Kindle deals include a handful of classics as well as at least one newer book.

Logos users will want to check out the sale on Zondervan products. There are some great deals!

(Yesterday on the blog: How To Talk About God in a Skeptical Age)

J. I. Packer (1926–2020)

J.I. Packer went to be with the Lord yesterday and Justin Taylor has written a thorough obituary. (See also: Christianity Today’s article, WORLD’s article D.A. Carson’s tribute, and John Piper’s tribute.)

Lord of the Rings: The Peter Jackson Remix

If you’ve read and watched The Lord of the Rings you’ll enjoy Keith Mathison’s reflections on what worked and what didn’t work in the transition from page to screen.

To the Friends Who Tell Me “No”

“Our culture is quick to assume that consistent and encouraging friendships must necessarily also be affirming. As I consider each of my closest friendships, however, I see clearly that this is not the case. My best and oldest friends are those who tell me ‘no.’”

Seven Lessons for Productivity

As he reaches the 1500th(!) episode of Ask Pastor John, John Piper offers seven lessons for productivity.

How to More Wisely Consume News

This is a valuable reflection on consuming news. “As much as the media landscape is a minefield of misinformation, manipulative clickbait, and partisan rants, good journalism remains. Finding it requires intentionality and discipline, yet it can guard us against a frenzy that undermines our ability to trust anything. To this end, I believe it’s helpful to assess media sources through a grid of biblical virtues.”

Spreading the Worst Infection

“This difficult time of Coronavirus provides an opportunity to consider what actions we are taking to avoid sin and to limit the impact of our sin upon others.” There is, after all, an even worse contagion out there…

The Fruit of the Spirit Are Ingredients of Happiness

Randy Alcorn: “What’s our greatest source of joy? Paul pointed to the Holy Spirit: ‘The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control’ (Galatians 5:22-23).”

Flashback: Doers and Delegators

If you are called to lead, you need to display godly character in your acts of service. Go low! Serve God by serving others! But understand that you can only lead skillfully and successfully if you are willing to delegate.

Humans are those strange creatures who can never be fully satisfied by anything created—though that never stops us from trying.

—James K. A. Smith

  • Grounded in Grace

    Your Kids Need You To Help Them Build Their Identity

    It has always been important that children establish their identity. From the time kids are young, they are being formed in a host of ways and gradually coming to terms with who they are and who they will become. Historically, identity arose from outside—from the people they came from, the place they were born, and…

  • A La Carte Friday 2

    A La Carte (September 13)

    A La Carte: Will God forgive my worst sin? / Seeing dignity instead of misery among the poor / Aging graciously / How edgy are you? / What Trump should have said to Kamala / Kindle deals / and more.

  • A La Carte Thursday 1

    A La Carte (September 12)

    A La Carte: Our greatest tool for reaching the West again / Ordained or allowed? / One for the misfits / If the Twin Towers fell after Twitter / How to get over it when you taught poorly / Kindle deals / and more.

  • Pastoral Prayer

    The Pastoral Prayer: Examples and Inspirations

    Of all the elements that once made up traditional Protestant worship, there is probably none that has fallen on harder times than prayer. It is not unusual to visit a church today and find that prayer is perfunctory, rare, or absent altogether. If that is true of prayer in general, it is particularly true of…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (September 11)

    A La Carte: Pro-natalism / Why a good God commanded the destruction of the Canaanites / An encouragement to husbands / Pastoring, productivity, and priorities / I had a horrific childhood / and more.