May the God of love and peace be with you today. (Yesterday on the blog: Longing for What’s Second Best) Think Little This article explains why we, as Christians, might to do better to think little than to think big. The God of Your Troubled Heart “Jesus knows your heart. He knows your doubts and…
We often overestimate our wisdom. We often overestimate our capacity to rightly assess any given situation. We often overestimate our ability to know what would be best for ourselves and those we love. We are nothing if not self-focused, nothing if not self-reliant, nothing if not self-assured. Of course we know that, in theory, we…
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. And happy Thanksgiving to my fellow Canadians. I am down in Louisville visiting Abby for a couple of days. If you spend time on the SBTS campus and see me, please say hi! There is a long list of Kindle deals…
Every now and again I like to share an example of one of our worship services from Grace Fellowship Church. I do this simply to provide an example of how one church structures our time of worship, hoping it will prove a helpful resource to others. This service’s cast of characters included Paul as the…
May you know the Lord’s richest blessings as you live for his glory this weekend. There’s a good group of Kindle deals today. (Yesterday on the blog: The Gospel and the Pain of Fatherlessness) Live Not by Outrage “There’s a funny thing about lies, however. They tend to show up even in the places you…
Sometimes one person’s story can stand in for that of millions. Sometimes one person can explain a situation that affects not only themselves but also countless others. Those of us who were blessed to grow up with fathers who were present, active, and engaged may struggle to understand the particular sorrows and challenges that come…
Good morning, my friends. The Lord be with you and bless you today. There’s a nice list of Kindle deals to look at today. Family Bonds “My parents and my husband David’s parents met for the first time this August, 16 months after our Zoom wedding (thanks, pandemic). We were curious—and just a little nervous—about…
Grace and peace to you this morning. Westminster Books has a deal on some excellent little books meant to help Christians through hard times. (Yesterday on the blog: Why Domestic Abuse Is So Very Evil) Cultural Christianity Gave Us the Golden Age of CCM This is an interesting one from Samuel James: “Cultural Christianity creates…
There are few churches that have no members who bear painful scars related to domestic abuse. There are few churches where pastors and members are not at times called upon to respond well and wisely to troubling allegations and sorrowful situations. In their book When Home Hurts, Jeremy Pierre and Greg Wilson provide guidance for…
May the Lord bless and keep you today. I have heard from a few people who are saying they have been unable to click links in the newsletter for the past few days. I have turned the issue over to the newsletter support team and am waiting for them to fix it. There is a…
Good morning. May the God of love and peace be with you today. (Yesterday on the blog: My Own Little Paradise in an Ocean of Ugliness) Men, Are You Submissive? “Submission. Of all the words in the Bible, this may be one of the least popular. After all, our cultural moment is not one that…
Preaching is a miracle. Faithful sermons are far more than explanations of a biblical text; they are celebrations of biblical realities. In ‘The Preaching Class,’ now available free online, John Piper distills lessons from more than three decades in the pulpit. In this introduction, below, Pastor John invites preachers and listeners to join him in…
There are few things I love more than a good sunrise. There are few things I love more than waking up before dawn, driving to one of the parks or beaches along the shores of Lake Ontario, and watching the sun rise over the waters. Some of the richest and most beautiful displays of God’s…
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I added a few Kindle deals to look through. I noticed that Amazon is having a big one-day sale on board games—something I always take note of when it comes up about twice a year. There are deals listed here and…
Anne Steele knew suffering and sorrow. She also knew rhyme, meter, and sound doctrine. In this poem, titled “At the Funeral of a Young Person,” she puts all on full display and so powerfully directs mourners to ensure they do not miss the opportunity to consider the state of their own souls. When blooming youth…
May you know the Lord’s rich blessings as you prepare to worship him this weekend. Logos users will want to look at this month’s free and nearly free books. There are a few Kindle deals to look at. (Yesterday on the blog: Responding Wisely to Domestic Abuse in Your Church) Stream the Luther Documentary for…
This week’s Free Stuff Fridays is sponsored by Zondervan Reflective, who also sponsored the blog this week. They are giving away FIVE 3-packs of J. Warner Wallace’s NEWEST book Person of Interest so you can do a reading group with your family or friends. Here is more about the book: Can the truth about Jesus…
There is much that is expected of pastors and church leaders, much for which they have often been inadequately prepared. At various points most will find themselves having to respond to situations that involve domestic abuse. This could be a woman coming to them and pleading for protection from her husband, it could be an…
As we begin a new month, it is as good a time as any to remember that right now, at this very moment, God is on his throne. On sale this week at Westminster Books is the amazing Puritan Paperback series. There is a substantial collection of Kindle deals today. (Yesterday on the blog: 10…
As we head toward gift-giving season, publishers are turning up their presses and releasing quite a number of key books. Most of the noteworthy releases from September have already landed in my mailbox and, after looking through them, I have narrowed my list of new and notables to these 10. In each case I’ve included…