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A La Carte (February 14)

Today’s Kindle deals include just a couple of new titles. Also, several Kindle devices have been discounted for those looking for one.

The Story Behind John Piper’s Most Famous Attack on the Prosperity Gospel

This is a really interesting article about John Piper’s famous, unplanned attack on the prosperity gospel.

Please Stop Saying — “God Told Me”

Yes, please. “Although the ‘God told me’ method of communicating makes for interesting, suspenseful, and entertaining stories, what people need most is to hear from God. I would like to make a simple request. Please stop saying ‘God told me’ unless the phrase is immediately followed up with a text of Scripture.”

Time in God’s Word Is Not a Grim Duty

Randy Alcorn: “I can still think, pray, and meditate on Scripture even as I do other things, including—even especially—the mundane. Time with God is never wasted—it spills over into the rest of our day and colors it.”

Productivity and Leadership in the 21st Century

On Wednesday afternoon, I’ll be joining an online discussion with Chris Larson of Ligonier Ministries. We’ll be discussing productivity and leadership in the 21st century.

Can You Identify These Cities From Their Light Signatures?

“The light that a city emits is like its glowing fingerprint. From the orderly grid of Manhattan, to the sprawling, snaking streets of Milan, to the bright contrast of Kuwait’s ring-roads, each city leaves its own pattern of tiny glowing dots. See if you can ID these cities based on the way they shine.”

A New, Free Version of Logos

If you’ve ever wanted to dabble in Logos but without paying for it, you’ve now got an option: Logos Basic.

Rio’s Olympic Venues, Six Months On

What happens to all those great venues after the Olympics come to a close? Mostly, nothing. “Six months after hosting South America’s first-ever Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Rio de Janeiro venues – some of which have been looted – sit mainly idle and already in disrepair, raising questions about a legacy that organisers promised would benefit the Brazilian city and its residents.”

The Responsibility of Dependency

David has written a response, not a rebuttal, to my article on children providing financial assistance to their aging parents. “I simply want to flip that coin and expose the obverse. Just as I appreciate hearing of the responsibility of the young from a younger voice, I think it is appropriate to hear someone a little closer to the other end of life—just a little, mind you—on the responsibility of parents.”

Flashback: The Many and the Few

Good news is only good in relation to what is bad. If we soften the bad news, we necessarily soften the good news. Our job is not to analyze the news we are called to herald to the world. Faithfulness to God requires faithfulness to the message—the whole message.

As the wicked are hurt by the best things, so the godly are bettered by the worst.

—William Jenkyn

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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,…