We’re All Witnesses – This columnist is hardly a Tebow fanboy. And yet… “We’re watching a new reality unfold, right before our eyes, and what we saw Sunday strained credibility. It was incredible. It was fantastical.” Jesus vs Movies – John Piper asks a good question: “What should you do if you know someone who…
Sunday was the 56th anniversary of the deaths of the missionary martyrs to Ecuador: Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Peter Fleming, Ed McCully, and Roger Youderian. As I pondered that event, I began to think about the impact of their deaths and how the Lord has used it both in the short-term and in the long-term.…
It would not be my preference to begin this way, but I guess I need to say it up front: R.C. Sproul Jr. and I have some significant theological differences, and not only that, but we have differences in areas in which we are both rather vocal. Though we disagree on these things, he and…
Parents, Cuddle Your Children – This is my takeaway from a rather interesting article: “No matter how obvious the observation, how eternal the topic, how great the works of literature that have tackled any given theme, or how insightful the philosophers who have studied a matter, the modern mind cannot fathom reaching a conclusion without…
Better minds than mine (or yours, probably) have wrestled with the relationship between divine sovereignty and human responsibility. The Bibles teaches, or seems to teach, that God is sovereign over all things, and yet it also teaches, or seems to teach, that man is responsible to turn from his sin and come to God. Here…
The Bible in Norway – “The UK’s 2011 bestseller lists might have been dominated by cookery, courtesy of Jamie Oliver, and romance, courtesy of David Nicholls, but Norwegian readers were plumping for another sort of book last year: the Bible. The first Norwegian translation of the Bible for 30 years topped the country’s book charts…
Here is a great, challenging quote from Martyn Lloyd-Jones. It is drawn from his Studies in the Sermon on the Mount and it does away with that false notion that the heights of Christian experience are reserved for the few and exceptional Christians who take on Christian work as their vocation. Read the Beatitudes, and…
This week’s Free Stuff Fridays is sponsored by CBD Reformed. As always, they are offering up 5 great prize packages and this week’s prize includes 3 of my favorite books from 2011. Each of the winners will receive: In addition, CBD Reformed is offering a 4-day sale (January 6 – January 9) on the following…
The Case of the Missing Mileage – “Contrary to common perception, the major automakers have produced large increases in fuel efficiency through better technology in recent decades. There’s just one catch: All those advances have barely increased the mileage per gallon that autos actually achieve on the road.” Learn why. Best Sellers of 2011 –…
This is my once-monthly Puritan post. I know that I’ve lost 50% of you with the word Puritan, but don’t be too hasty to run away; if you take the time to read this post, I know that you’ll benefit from it. I am simply sharing some of what John Owen says about putting sin…
Perils of Digital Technology – Mike Wittmer on some of the perils of living as high-tech people in a high-tech world. Teen Mom Kills Intruder – Denny Burk: “There are some stories that you hear that you know you’ll never forget. This is one of them.” It is the story of a teenaged mom who…
Did you make any resolutions this new year? If you didn’t, Burk Parsons’ Tabletalk article from a few years ago may persuade you to think again. Burk argues that the Bible gives us good reasons for making resolutions, as long as we make them sensibly, dependently, humbly, and for Christ’s sake. The beginning of a…
I fell asleep last night thinking about Mike. Mike was a friend and colleague, something of a mentor in the first real job I had after graduating from college. I met Mike on the first day at that new job and it didn’t take long for us to click. We were never great friends—we didn’t…
A Forgotten Text – Carl Trueman has an important reflection on Ephesians 5:12. “I wonder if there is a more neglected text in the New Testament in the current revival of interest in reformed theology than Eph. 5:12? In the reaction to the taboos of old-style fundamentalism, there is surely a danger that we have…
When it comes to Christians and the question of abortion, nearly all of us probably fall into one of three categories. 1) To some degree we are active in the pro-life cause. 2) We sometimes wonder whether we should be. 3) We are aware that abortion is a serious issue, but we have never taken…
It must be intimidating to write a book on marriage. Store shelves are groaning under the weight of titles that claim to have the key to a happy marriage, or a biblical marriage or a gospel-centered marriage. To rise above such a crowded field a book needs to offer something different, something unique, something that…
Real Marriage – Denny Burk has just published an excellent (and lengthy) review of Real Marriage. He goes into more detail than I did in both specific praises and criticisms. His pastoral concerns are particularly worth noting, I think. Prompted by His Word – Josh Harris has a great little quote from Calvin. Sexual Confusion…
I’ve been at this blogging thing for quite a long time now–a bit over 9 years. I’ve been at the daily blogging thing for almost as long. This means that I’ve got an extensive backlist of articles from years gone by. I thought it might be fun to pull out some of the articles I…
It must be intimidating to write a book on marriage. Store shelves are groaning under the weight of titles that claim to have the key to a happy marriage, or a biblical marriage or a gospel-centered marriage. To rise above such a crowded field a book needs to offer something different, something unique, something that…
Enjoying the View – Here’s a worthwhile resolution: “In 2012, I plan to spend at least 30 minutes a day without my iPhone. Without Internet, Twitter, Facebook and my iPad. Spending a half-hour a day without electronics might sound easy for most, but for me, 30 unconnected minutes produces the same anxious feelings of a…