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Weekend A La Carte (March 25)

I’m thankful to Radius International for sponsoring the blog this week to tell you about their Upcoming Conference featuring John MacArthur, Costi Hinn, and many others.

Today’s Kindle deals include some newer and older books. Also, basically everything Tolkien is on sale today. See here.

(Yesterday on the blog: New and Notable Christian Books for March 2023)

I Know That My Redeemer Lives (Official Lyric Video)

The Gettys have released a new hymn for Easter. You’ll want to give it a listen, I’m sure!

Why the Year After Her Cancer Diagnosis Was the Best Year of Nanci’s Life

Randy Alcorn: “Next Tuesday, March 28, marks a year since my wife Nanci relocated to Heaven. She finished so well—she flourished and leaned into the finish line. Her family and friends all saw God’s work in her, and I had the front row seat to watch 2 Corinthians 4:17 be lived out in her life.”

Yes, a Loved One Is Watching from Heaven

And on a similar theme: “The intention behind these ideas is a kind one. But may I gently suggest such statements try to make tangible something that’s intangible? And when we do this, our eyes can easily become stuck on what’s in front of us, causing us to miss the opportunity to look beyond to the One who provides the greatest comfort we could ever need or want.”

What’s Beneath It All?

Sylvia Schroeder has a meaningful article here. “Things were bad, dire in fact. A line which separated life and death grew so slender at times I thought she was already gone. My forehead found a resting spot on my daughter’s still one, my cheek against hers. It was there my friend saw me as she entered the room.”

Louis Berkhof on the Historical Devopment of the Church’s Doctrine of Antichrist

I appreciate Berkhof’s summation of the doctrine of the Antichrist and his thoughts on who or what it is.

Worm theology

“‘Worm theology’ was popular in the past, but gets a bad rap nowadays. It describes a Christian piety that enjoys describing ourselves as ‘worms’! Christians produced and sang hymns and offered prayers using worm language to abase themselves and magnify the grace of God.” Was this right or wrong, helpful or unhelpful?

Flashback: What Counts as a “Gospel Issue?”

I especially want to ensure I’m not labeling my pet doctrine a gospel issue simply as a means to prevail in arguments. After all, if everything’s a gospel issue, I guess nothing’s a gospel issue.

The deepest spiritual lessons are not learned by His letting us have our way in the end, but by His making us wait, bearing with us in love and patience until we are able to honestly pray what He taught His disciples to pray: Thy will be done.

—Elisabeth Elliot

  • Optimistic Denominationalism

    Optimistic Denominationalism

    It is one of the realities of the Christian faith that people love to criticize—the reality that there are a host of different denominations and a multitude of different expressions of Christian worship. We hear it from skeptics: If Christianity is true and if it really changes people, then why can’t you get along? We…

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    A La Carte: Growing in hospitality / What happens when the governing authorities are the wrongdoers? / Transgender meds for kids? / 100 facets to the diamond of Christ / Spiritual mothers point us to Christ / and more.

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    A La Carte: Climate anxiety paralyzes, gospel hope propels / Living what God has written / How should I engage my rebellious child? / Satan hates your pastor / How to navigate our spiritual highs / The art of extemporaneous preaching / and more.

  • The Path to Contentment

    The Path to Contentment

    I wonder if you have ever considered that the solution to discontentment almost always seems to be more. If I only had more money I would be content. If I only had more followers, more possessions, more beauty, then at last I would consider myself successful. If only my house was bigger, my influence wider,…

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    A La Carte (April 22)

    A La Carte: Why my shepherd carries a rod / When Mandisa forgave Simon Cowell / An open mind is like an open mouth / Marriage: the half-time report / The church should mind its spiritual business / Kindle deals / and more.

  • It Begins and Ends with Speaking

    It Begins and Ends with Speaking

    Part of the joy of reading biography is having the opportunity to learn about a person who lived before us. An exceptional biography makes us feel as if we have actually come to know its subject, so that we rejoice in that person’s triumphs, grieve over his failures, and weep at his death.