They are questions I receive often: “Do you ever sleep? Do you work all the time? Do you ever stop?” There seems to be this impression among certain people that either I am an unrepentant workaholic or that I am remorselessly neglectful toward life’s other responsibilities. The truth is far less sordid: I have invested…
The Ata: God’s Narrative Continues – I really enjoyed this film recounting God’s work in Papua New Guinea. Watch it and be encouraged! Five Questions With a Former Muslim – Nabeel Qureshi was raised in a Pakistani-American family and grew up a devout Muslim. Here’s a short but excellent interview with him. Why Keep Sexual…
Michael Horton is the author of over thirty books and this excerpt which comes from his new book, Ordinary, releases October 7. You can now follow Michael on Twitter. Download a free study guide at ordinarybook.com. Think of the things that matter most to you. How do you measure your relationships? How do you “measure”…
I found an old video of my son, a video I did not even know we had. He was two, playing at his grandparents’ house while Aileen and I were at the hospital, waiting for his sister to arrive. He spoke in a little baby voice, talking about his “wittle sistow” who was in mommy’s…
Why We Neglect Our Bibles – “Many Christians find it difficult to get into a daily habit of Bible reading. So this week John Piper addressed four common causes of Bible neglect in the Christian life, like: ‘I don’t read my Bible because…’” The 6 Ingredients of Jesus’ Bitter Cup – “When Jesus looked into…
This week I dug up an interesting quote from Charles Spurgeon. He was thinking about the easy-believism of his day. A vast quantity of people professed faith in Christ, but so few showed compelling evidence of genuine salvation. Spurgeon reflected on this and on those parts of the Bible claiming that Christians will necessarily suffer.…
Thanks to NavPress for sponsoring the blog this week. Sponsorships are an important part of covering the costs associated with this site. Be sure to check out Growing in Christ. Here’s an article about The Stalkers, people who venture into the exclusion zone around the Chernobyl Nuclear Plant. Denny Burk shares a story about a…
This week’s Free Stuff Fridays is sponsored by New Growth Press, a name you must know by now. As they always do, they are offering some great prizes. There will be 5 winners this week, and each of the winners will receive a set of the new Prepare Him Room Advent Curriculum from Marty Machowski.…
One of the fascinating abilities we have in this digital world is quantifying our lives in new ways. Today, more than ever, we can assemble an amazing amount of data about ourselves. I have a fascination with data and measurement, so often find myself turning to such tools to learn about my life in the…
Together Again – Here’s a great video from Igniter Media. History Helps Put Things in Perspective – I quite agree with Kevin DeYoung here: “I’m a proponent of families worshiping together. I’m not a proponent, however, of taking a good principle and making it an absolute rule. Moreover, I’m not in favor of making other…
Maybe you have noticed it, too. In the sector of evangelicalism that I try to pay most attention to, there is evidence of a growing Bible-revival—a fresh surge of interest in personal Bible study and an increasing appreciation of the utterly unique place of Scripture in the Christian life. As evidence, I offer the recent…
We do not sin with impunity. We cannot sin without consequence. Once the Holy Spirit reveals sin within us, we cannot simply ignore that sin and expect that our spiritual lives will continue to grow and thrive. In his great work Overcoming Sin and Temptation, John Owen lists six evil effects of sin–sin that we…
When Someone Reaches Out – Christine Hoover touches on something important here: “The people who tend to struggle to connect are those who take a long while to reach out for the hands that are extended to them.” She offers good advice for joining into the life of a church. Derek Jeter Isn’t the Greatest…
Last month I posted a list of recommended blogs by and for Christian women. At the end of the post I made a parenthetical remark that many of the blogs I follow had gone cold in recent months. A short time later I received an email from three women who blog: Hannah Anderson, Courtney Reissig,…
Just a Piece of Paper? – Is marriage just a piece of paper? R.C. Sproul answers. A Pastor’s Reflection on Shyness – I appreciate this reflection on shyness. Are You Intellectually Humble? – “Here are 13 tough questions from Elizabeth Krumrei-Mancuso to help you get honest about your intellectual character. We hope it offers you…
I have a simple rule with books by William Farley: If he writes it, I read it. The common element in all of his books it easy to spot: the gospel. Outrageous Mercy is a long look at the cross, Gospel-Powered Parenting is a personal favorite that describes the centrality of the gospel in parenting;…
Serving Those with Mental Illness – David Murray introduces a new, free ebook. Wilderness Forever – Here are 18 of the best photos from Smithsonian’s “Wilderness Forever” photo competition. Two Fruits of True Forgiveness – “Psalm 32 gives us a litmus test for true forgiveness, which shows us how distinct it is from all competing…
Memorizing Scripture has become a bit old fashioned in recent years. With smartphones putting every Bible translation at our fingertips, we can simply search for a passage when we need it. But having the Bible at our fingertips is different from having it on our minds and in our hearts. Have you ever gotten a…
It’s is God’s grace to you if your church is messy. I heard those words come out of my mouth yesterday as I was guest-preaching at a church close to home. I said them, and I believe them. At least, I believe them most of the time. I love my church. I love the people…
Are You Leeching the Local Church? – “I continue to grow in my love for the local church. One of the ways God has grown my love for the church is by teaching me that worship is more than showing up.” Wise Decisions about Psychotropic Medications – Here are 6 steps to making wise decisions…