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A La Carte (April 16)

thursday

As usual, there are some Kindle deals today for those of you who collect books that way. As for me, the books are piling up as I’ve had trouble focusing lately—somehow reading has become strangely difficult. But then I do go through phases with reading…

(Yesterday on the blog: A Prayer Guide for Pastors)

Is It a Sin to Fear COVID-19? (Video)

Here’s John MacArthur on whether or not it’s a sin to be afraid of COVID-19.

This 3-D Simulation Shows Why Social Distancing Is So Important

This simulation shows why distancing matters and also shows just how far coughs and sneezes spread. Ugh. (See also: The Next Coronavirus Testing Debacle.)

Our Quiet Times are Rarely as Quiet as they Appear

I appreciate Doug Eaton’s look at what’s going on “behind the scenes” when we sit down for our quiet times. “If someone were to walk by, they would see a man at rest on the Lord’s day. He is sitting quietly, soaking up the sun on a beautiful spring day. The birds are singing, and a pleasant breeze is blowing. His posture is relaxed, and in his lap sits his Bible.” But…

What Is the Prayer of Faith?

What is the prayer of faith? Sinclair Ferguson answers the question.

Is Everything Sad Going to Come Untrue? Why We Need Eschatology Now More than Ever

Michael Kruger says that this is the time to look to eschatology. Why? Because “eschatology is not so much about millennial positions or the structure of Revelation, but is primarily about the problem of evil and how that problem will be solved. Eschatology is about how one deals with the sad things in the world.”

Here’s the Weird Thing That Causes the Smell of Spring

I’m glad to know I’m not the only one who has wondered what causes that distinct spring smell. “The start of spring has an unmistakable, yet unplaceable smell. It’s a bit reminiscent of dirt, but there’s something else beneath the surface, evocative of rainy days or afternoons spent gardening. The secret? Geosmin, the soil-based compound responsible for those hard-to-describe olfactory sensations. Our noses are so finely attuned to the organic compound, in fact, that we can detect it better than sharks can recognize blood.”

Your Rod and Staff, They Comfort Me

You may enjoy this poem based on Psalm 23.

Flashback: Bring Her Out and Let Her Be Burned

From a great distance and with the scantest information we can judge another person’s least transgression. Yet we can rack our own hearts and minds and often barely come up with a single way we are anything less than perfect.

If you believe that God is angry with you, it won’t be long before you are angry with Him.

—Colin Smith

  • 2025

    12 Fresh Ways to Read Your Bible in 2025

    A new year offers a new opportunity—an opportunity to rethink and refresh the way you read your Bible. While some have found a pattern or habit they love and will never deviate from, others like to look for new ways to read, digest, and apply the Word. For those who may be interested in trying…

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    A La Carte (December 18)

    A La Carte: Grief and gratitude at Christmas / Navigating unwanted singleness / What the demons sang / Teach your teen about Christian freedom / Common interests / and more.

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (December 17)

    A La Carte: The Virgin Mary and modern therapeutic culture / Relational heresy and doctrinal heresy / The darkness does not win / How does God deliver from pain by pain? / Christmas with your adult children / and more.

  • Do you know who God says you are?

    Identity matters for at least two key reasons. First, understanding our identity—our true God-given identity—is vital to understand why we exist and what we’re to do in life, as it is likewise essential for framing a fitting perspective of others.

  • A Collection of Random Thoughts on Christian Living

    A Collection of Random Thoughts on Christian Living

    Not every thought makes a good article and sometimes an entire article can be distilled down to a single thought. For those reasons, I like to occasionally create what I have created here–a roundup of brief, random thoughts about Christian living. Some of these are original and some are drawn from articles I’ve written in…

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    A La Carte (December 16)

    A La Carte: Have you lost the ability to think deeply? / Does God command me to trust my spouse? / Thoughts on suicide / Preaching from a manuscript / God is not in a good mood / Kindle deals / and more.