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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

  • Beauty

    The Greatest Beauty I’ve Ever Seen

    One of the great privileges of my life has been the opportunity to travel far and wide. While most of my travel has been related to either speaking at conferences or filming documentaries, my hosts have often invited me to deviate from the straightest course to explore and take in the area’s natural beauty. It’s…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (January 22)

    A La Carte: 15 ways to fight lust / Snowflakes / When everyone else is getting the blessings you want / Enough with the valorization of doubt / A culture of evangelism / Book sales / and more.

  • Spurgeon

    Must You Read at Least One Spurgeon Biography?

    I am not aware of a verse in the Bible that says every Christian must read at least one biography of Charles Spurgeon. Or every Calvinist, at least. But I also wouldn’t be completely shocked if it’s there somewhere and I’ve just missed it. And that’s because his life and ministry were powerfully unique in…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (January 21)

    A La Carte: What “love your enemies” does not mean / John Piper on reading providence / Talking to your Roman Catholic friends / What happens at prayer meeting? / Against executive pastors / Kindle deals / and more.

  • The Christian Standard Commentary: A Modern Commentary Steeped in Ancient Tradition

    The Christian Standard Commentary will encourage and equip God’s people to understand the text and live according to Scripture for Christ’s glory. The unique ancient-modern approach to the biblical text found in the CSC is a valuable resource for building up Christ’s church while encouraging God’s people to fulfill the Great Commission. As a commentary…

  • Finnegan

    Why I Haven’t Written A Whole Lot about My Grandson

    It has been two months since little Finnegan was born—two months since I became a grandfather for the first time. It only just occurred to me that I have said very little about this new reality, this new stage of life, this new member of our family.