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A La Carte (July 12)

A La Carte Collection cover image

If you’re interested in some new books, Westminster Books has an interesting new resource by Nancy Guthrie that is up to 50% off. Remember also that Mark Vroegop’s excellent new book is on sale as well.

On the Kindle front, you may want to look at the book on prayer or, perhaps if you’re sharing the gospel with Roman Catholics, the book on Mary. (This morning I also added Mike Wittmer’s excellent Urban Legends of Theology.)

On Repetitive Worship Songs

It is easy to pick on worship songs that have repetitive words, but I appreciate the distinctions John Piper makes in this Ask Pastor John. “The issue’s not repetition per se but whether there is enough substance, enough rich content of truth about God woven into the repetitions to justify them, to warrant them. That’s the issue. There’s a difference between repetitions that are called forth by the repeated crescendo of new, glorious truth, and repetitions that serve as a kind of mantra without sufficient truth that is simply used to sustain or intensify a mood.”

Don’t Fear the Marks in Revelation

Jen Wilkin explains why you don’t need to live in fear of the marks in Revelation. “Because I was too afraid to read Revelation, it was years before I learned it holds multiple scenes in which people receive marks, and not all of them are terrifying. Some are extremely reassuring.”

Hope Beyond Politics in Europe

Carl Trueman, having just returned from a long speaking trip through Europe, explains why he’s hopeful and encouraged, despite the political situation in many European nations. “Radical politics, left and right, is too often dehumanizing. It reduces its opponents to a set of beliefs and in so doing dehumanizes its adherents too, leading them to despise those also made in the image of God. Christianity, by way of contrast, offers a cause worth living—and dying—for that places a true humanity at its core, a humanity in communion with God through the work of Jesus Christ.”

Do Angels Have Free Will? (Video)

Bruce Ware’s answer goes far beyond angels and helps explain what the Bible teaches about free will.

John Rodgers Davies: A “Wond’rous Miniature of Man”

Log College Press shares a really interesting (and tragic) look at the children of Samuel Davies, “the great Presbyterian ‘Apostle of Virginia’ and President of the College of New Jersey (Princeton).”

How Teens Can Contribute Right Away

It is wonderful when teens come to Christ and become eager to serve within the church. Yet for obvious reasons, not every ministry is immediately available to them. This article suggests several meaningful ways that teens can serve right away.

Flashback: Are You in the Dangerous Time In Between?

It’s so often the ones who seemed to be at their greatest moment of success who were on the precipice of destruction. Like blind men about to blunder off a cliff, they were oblivious to their impending doom. 

If we would learn to serve as Christ did—it would make us think of others around us, not as those from whom we may get some gain, exact some attention or promotion—but as those to whom we may impart some good, render some service.

—J.R. Miller

  • 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.

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    A La Carte (January 20)

    A La Carte: Is it good that you exist? / Should we trust churches? / In defense of childhood / Take your anxiety to church / How do I leave my abortion in the past? / Kindle deals / and more.

  • Prayer Recipe

    Prayer Is Not Like a Good Recipe

    Prayer is not like a good recipe: simply follow a set of mechanical directions and everything turns out right in the end. So what is it then? And how can we do it well?

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    Weekend A La Carte (January 18)

    A La Carte: Biblical theology is for nerds / The sins of TikTok / Be content where God has placed you / Alistair Begg on the downfall of peers / Not a vending machine / “But I keep sinning!” / and more.

  • Free-stuff Fridays (Truth78)

    This weeks giveaway is sponsored by Truth78. Are you wondering how you can help lead the children growing up in your church or home to a saving faith in Christ?  Zealous, written by Truth78 executive director David Michael, is for parents and ministry leaders, and anyone who wants to be inspired with biblical vision and…

  • 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…