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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

  • Prayer

    Spread Too Thin

    With so much to do, we can easily begin to wonder whether prayer is an appropriate use of scarce time. Wouldn’t it be better to give my attention to something that would let me cross something off my to-do list?

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    Weekend A La Carte (July 12)

    A La Carte: Where art thou Rob Bell? / The case against in vitro fertilization / Praying and weeping for those suffering in Texas / Greet each other with a holy hug / The example of Jimmy Swaggart / and more.

  • Thriving Marriage

    Thriving Marriage

    I have often wondered about the best time to write a book about marriage. When a couple is young, there is so much about marriage they have not yet experienced. They can still impart wisdom and teach lessons, of course, but there is so much of marriage that remains unknown to them. Yet when a…

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    A La Carte (July 11)

    A La Carte: Falling out of repentance / Tattoos as confession / The Epstein List and secret sins / Teaching generosity / Lessons from a former youth pastor / Bedbugs in the bowels of the city.

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    A La Carte (July 10)

    A La Carte: Questions for a maturing marriage / The lesbian seagulls that weren’t / But mommy, why? / A time to be tired / The modern rise of Stoicism / and more.

  • The Stranger

    The Stranger: A Short Film For You

    Based on a true story and inspired by the truth that character comes before competence, “The Stranger” is an honest, light-hearted and meaningful picture of what it means to truly serve others.