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Weekend A La Carte (September 5)

If you’re interested in an ESV Journaling Bible, Westminster Books has them half off for the week.

Today’s Kindle deals include mostly classics.

(Yesterday on the blog: Tips for Young (and Maybe Not-So-Young) Bloggers)

7 Takes About How Much I Intensely Dislike The Enneagram

I enjoyed reading Anne Kennedy because she makes me laugh (and think). “I hate it with the hatred I feel for the smell of pumpkin spice being pumped into the entrance of every grocery store, with the hatred of a thousand blazing suns, with all the hatred I nurture for whatever wretched insect that devoured my lilies this year. What number does that make me?”

Loose Change

This is a good little metaphor for the Christian life. “My grandfather was a salesman. His office was filled with normal and eccentric promotional items: pens, mini flashlights, stress balls, and small rubber change holders that when squeezed, pushed out loose pennies. He had boxes of miniature tools and calendars and paper weights, boxed mints, and heavy glass mugs with fancy frosted inscriptions that read ‘Your Logo Here’.”

Want Your Church to Enjoy Unity? Let the Gospel Do Its Dividing Work.

“When I became a lead pastor, I preached the gospel enthusiastically, but I didn’t understand its winnowing power or how positive that process would be. Like all pastors, I didn’t want division. I wanted unity and inclusivity. But that’s not how ministry works.”

North Korea’s New Push to Export Its Propaganda

This is an interesting look at now North Korea is using new media to export its propaganda.

What Happens When a Christian Dies?

“A Christian is a person who owns two homes. The home you are living in now is a temporary one, a ‘tent.’ But you have another home that is more enduring, more substantial. The date for your moving to your new home has not yet been given, but it is already known to God.” But what is this new home?

Quadruple Glory

“The Christian life is a life from glory to glory. Many of us may not see that right now. As we look around the state of the church—especially in the light of things such as social distancing and limited church fellowship and activities—we see weariness and heavy burdens. But do we see glory?”

The Grim Truth Behind The Pied Piper

Could there actually be some truth behind the legend?

Flashback: Simple Ways to Spark a Lukewarm Devotional Life

When your devotional life has grown cold you can do nothing better than pushing through it by not allowing yourself to stop. Reading and praying have their own way of sparking greater joy in reading and praying. Don’t allow your lack of interest to keep you from doing what you know is so good for your soul.

There is a burden of care in getting riches; fear of keeping them; temptation in using them; guilt of abusing them; sorrow in losing them; and a burden of account at last to be given concerning them.

—Matthew Henry

  • Hymns

    Pitch Perfect and Tone Deaf

    God commands us to sing. Yet while some of God’s people are gifted singers, the plain fact is that others are not. In any congregation, it’s likely that some have near-perfect pitch while others are functionally tone-deaf. Those who struggle to sing may be self-conscious, tempted to stay quiet or to do no more than…

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    Weekend A La Carte (December 6)

    A La Carte: Rightly ordered desires / Ordinary wonders / For my good, not my comfort / Make room for special-needs families / Christmas spirit / Wisdom rarely makes you famous / and more.

  • New Dimensions Template

    Noteworthy New Commentaries from 2025

    There are few resources I rely on more than I rely on my commentaries. Over the years, I have developed an extensive collection and turn to them often. I try to keep tabs on new commentaries and thought I would let you know about some of the best options that were published in 2025

  • A La Carte Friday 2

    A La Carte (December 5)

    A La Carte: Doug Wilson vs public schools / Your church needs you to sing / Wicca’s origins and Christian Nationalism / Out of season / Amish millionaires / Two wedding aisles to walk down / and more.

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    A La Carte (December 4)

    A La Carte: Why I changed my mind on mixed martial arts / Misunderstanding porn / When time feels short / The Bible and friendship / Is God disappointed in me? / and more.