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A La Carte (December 29)

tuesday

After a couple of days of coming up empty-handed, I managed to track down some pretty good Kindle deals for today.

What God Tells Us to Remember

I thoroughly enjoyed this article that reminds us of those things God tells us to remember. “There used to be a saying on memes that went something like, ‘Don’t look back—you’re not going that way.’ However, though we shouldn’t live in the past, we benefit from considering it at times.”

Finish the Year Weak

Jared Wilson: “‘Finish the year strong.’ The clichéd exhortation is aimed at us all—the businessman trying to meet project deadlines and annual budget expectations, the student prepping for semester finals, the average Joes and Janes navigating holiday chaos with an eye toward some vague sense of individual improvement in the coming year.”

Can Our Prayers Change God’s Will? If Not, Why Pray?

I’ve often appreciated R.C. Sproul’s straightforward way of answering theological questions. That quality is on full display here as he answers a common question about prayer.

Before You Say Goodbye to 2020

“During this season, it might feel like drudgery to reflect on this unprecedented year, frightening, even. We’ve experienced hardship and struggles, seen hostility in people we never would have imagined, and known the startling pressure anxiety can wield on our minds. Looking back on this year is daunting; we don’t want to remember the dark moments, or the pain of navigating them.”

Expecting Less from Church

It can be freeing to expect a little less from church, as Ed Welch explains here.

Heaven: Rejoicing in Future Glory

The current issue of the 9Marks Journal is all about heaven. If you’re up for some slightly heavier reading, it’s free to read online or to download.

We Are Blind Without the Spirit

I think you’ll appreciate this reflection on the Holy Spirit.

Flashback: How To Make A New Year’s Resolution That Sticks

I have done a fair bit of reading on how to make resolutions work, and it turns out that though there are many reasons your resolutions may not work, the most common ones are easy enough to avoid. Here are some tips on making wise resolutions and on making them stick.

This job has been given to me to do. Therefore, it is a gift. Therefore, it is a privilege. Therefore, it is an offering I may make to God. Therefore, it is to be done gladly, if it is done for Him.

—Elisabeth Elliot

  • Deconstruction

    Walking Through Deconstruction

    I suppose by now we all know a least a few people who have begun the process of deconstructing their faith. Meanwhile, we have undoubtedly heard of many more who are doing so in a public way—celebrities who have decided to rigorously examine the faith they once professed and to reject much of what they…

  • A La Carte Friday 2

    A La Carte (January 17)

    A La Carte: Andrew Tate or Panda Express / The metrics monster / Nearer My God to Thee / Even as the fire rages / Why a jealous God is the best kind of God / Political idolatry / and more.

  • Quiet Time

    The Quiet Time Kickstart

    We are all people of habits. To some degree, we are always battling to establish good habits while battling to supplant bad ones. This is true of us in many different areas of life and most certainly true in our spiritual lives. In fact, some have argued that when we describe the way we relate…

  • A La Carte Thursday 1

    A La Carte (January 16)

    A La Carte: Why don’t we read the Bible more? / Did David rape Bathsheba? / To (almost) die is gain / Learn to pray the Bible / When you’re close to burnout / Called to freedom / and more.

  • How To Obtain a Plenary Indulgence in 2025

    How To Obtain a Plenary Indulgence in 2025

    I think we can sometimes fool ourselves into believing that the Reformation caused the Roman Catholic Church to abandon some, most, or all of the doctrine that was so concerning to the Reformers. We can sometimes believe that the Catholicism of today is materially different from that of the 16th century or that it has…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (January 15)

    A La Carte: iPhones, idolatry, and evil spirits / At my mother’s deathbed / Nothing to do but pray / Bible study tips for beginners / Jesus did condemn homosexuality / Please don’t sing “Imagine” at funerals / Kindle and book deals.