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Weekend A La Carte (November 5)

My gratitude goes to Ligonier Ministries for sponsoring the blog this week. They’ve got a free book on Luther, a Reformed theology bundle, and R.C. Sproul’s commentary on Galatians they’d like to tell you about.

Today’s Kindle deals include some newer and older titles.

Why Study Church History?

“If church history does not get your blood pumping, you had better check your spiritual pulse.” That’s how Jon Payne begins his article about why you should study church history.

A Grandmother’s Heart for Her Loved Ones

Patsy Kuipers explains how she influences her children and grandchildren.

The Tyranny of Sin

“Seldom do we think about sin with as much seriousness as we should, but its destruction is all around us. Its effects devastate both those we love and those we consider enemies. Quite often, we play with sin as if it were a favored pet that could never turn on us, but in reality, the only reason we think little of it is because it has already sunk its teeth into us and has us under its sway.”

God’s Work and Our Work, Hand in Hand

Ryan uses the illustration of a child learning to walk to explain a spiritual reality.

Six Reasons to Persevere through Pain As We Groan for Glory

“As I was thinking about life and counseling recently, I thought to myself, ‘It’s just not pretty, is it?’ So much sin within and pain without. So many ways to feel lost, stuck, and discouraged. I thought about my own sins and failures, my limitations and clumsiness as a counselor, health issues as I get older, and my struggle to love people well. And since I am privileged as a counselor to share in the struggles of many others, my own list is multiplied exponentially.”

God’s Ministry to the Disappointing

“I loathe disappointment. I really don’t like being disappointed, but I’m a thousand times more averse to causing disappointment in others. The worst is when it hits me by surprise. When this happens, my inner world can come to a halt, and I can easily become fixated on it, analyzing what happened and how to address it.”

Flashback: Solemnity and Celebration, Exclusivity and Inclusivity

With the warning for some to stay beyond the fence is the invitation for others to enjoy the rewards of abiding within it.

God has written a heavenly, perfect story for us that will start the moment our story in this world ends. It’s a story that will never end, and it will be so good we’ll never want it to end.

—David Murray

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    A La Carte (September 19)

    A La Carte: John Piper on brokenhearted boldness / Why didn’t Jesus defeat the Romans? / How do spiritually mature Christians handle suffering? / Is owning the libs a justification for lying? / Enjoying the beauty of prayer / and more.

  • I Am No Hero

    Lowest and Last of All

    The day will come when every man will stand before the Lord and be asked to give an account of his life. God makes clear the basis of this coming judgment: he “will render to each one according to his works.”

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (September 18)

    A La Carte: What if no one prayed for you? / How to pray when you feel like you can’t / Is that person male or female? / “If one member suffers…” / Ideas for better conversations / Huge Kindle sale / and more.

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (September 17)

    A La Carte: Who’s afraid of Romans 1? / You can only be what you can see / Are you a pastor who hurts people? / A holy life is the seed of evangelism / Thinking biblically in all areas of life / and more.

  • Shadow, Stream, and Scattered Beam Apologetics

    This week the blog is sponsored by Zondervan Reflective. This is an excerpt from Thaddeus Williams’ latest book on living out a radically God-centered systematic theology entitled Revering God: How to Marvel at Your Maker (Zondervan Reflective, 2024), featuring stories of Christian thinkers like Michael Horton, Fred Sanders, Joni Eareckson-Tada, John Perkins, Vishal Mangalwadi, and…

  • Did the Angels Laugh

    Did the Angels Laugh?

    You’ve got to hand it to the chief priests and Pharisees: They did their best. They did their level best to keep Jesus in his tomb. After successfully overseeing his execution, they remembered that he had not only predicted his death but also spoken of some kind of resurrection. Wanting to make sure his disciples…