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A La Carte (February 13)

Today’s Kindle deals include just three books, but they are all by or about J.I. Packer. That means they are all worth checking out.

Who Is the Subject of Your Bible Study?

Jen Oshman has a good article directed to women. “If that Christian book on your nightstand or if your women’s bible study points you back to you, then may I please encourage you to put it down and give it some thought?”

Marital Love Must Be Sexual

I’ve enjoyed Joel Beeke’s series on the Puritans and their views on marriage, love, and romance. He concludes with an article on their decidedly non-Puritanical views of sex in marriage.

Hawaii’s Lava Fire Hose (Video)

This is amazing: A lava fire hose.

An Intro to the Institutes

Derek Thomas’s introduction to Calvin’s Institutes will make you want to read them. Or read them again. “What is it about Calvin that so inspires me? This: his disciplined style, his determination never to speculate, his utter submission to Bible words as God’s words, his submission to Christ’s Lordship, his sense of the holy, his concern to be as practical as possible; the fact that godly living was his aim and not theology for the sake of it. In a forest of theologians, Calvin stands like a Californian Redwood, towering over everyone else.”

Why is the Passenger Seat Called “Shotgun”?

Rather satisfyingly, it has something to do with the Wild, Wild West.

The Antidote to Evolution

I love this! “God in His most glorious, wonderful, sovereign, holy wisdom, determined that His own ‘creative genius’ would best be beheld by the creature, if the actual works of the world, were structured in this way. This was more than skeletal framework but also sumptuous fulness – six whole days, structured beautifully and logically, that both the most eminent scholar and wide-eyed infant, might grasp something of the glory of the Most Wise God who made it all, by the Word of His power.”

To Libya and Back

This was an informative account of a Stealth Bomber’s long sortie to Libya to lay waste to an ISIS camp.

The Execution of Lady Jane Grey

Justin Taylor has a wonderful account of a tragedy—the execution of Lady Jane Grey.

Flashback: 10 Articles on Pornography

For some time pornography was a prominent theme on this site. Here are ten of the articles I wrote about it.

Grumbling is the most serious sin, a capital crime, a primal offense against the God whose universe this is.

—David Powlison

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    A La Carte (November 21)

    A La Carte: Lessons from Trump’s and Harris’s social media campaigns / What is my spiritual gift? / The messages we receive / 10 mistakes I’ve made in preaching / Big Kindle and book sales / and more.

  • Finn

    I’m a Grandfather!

    Yesterday Abby and Nathan welcomed their first child into the world: Finnegan Safir Nicholas Elfarrah. Because they live just minutes away, Aileen and I were able to be there shortly after his birth to rejoice with them and to meet our first grandchild. We are thrilled beyond measure. And he is cute beyond belief. They…

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    A La Carte (November 20)

    A La Carte: Pray till you pray / Do children need to consent to puberty? / Pleading for Sodom / A thought experiment / 10 mistakes when reading the Bible / Kindle deals / and more.

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    A La Carte (November 19)

    A La Carte: Good night, my son / The longing for justice following sexual assault / Daughter of encouragement / Mistakes I made as a theological student / The dangers of disordered love / Kindle deals / and more.

  • What Grieves the Heart of God

    What Grieves the Heart of God?

    What pleases God? What delights his heart? And what displeases God? What grieves his heart? If asked, I think most of us would assume that if we ever grieve the heart of God it will be through denying the gospel or committing a grave moral scandal. Or if we do so as a local church,…