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A La Carte (July 21)

friday

Good morning from beautiful Sydney, Australia where I’m beginning to film another episode of Worship Round the World.

Mind Your Platform

“I fear that we may have begun adopting these tools with little scrutiny. We marvel at the fact that things ‘can be done’ and skip over the question of ‘should they be done?’ How are we to think about our relationship to the platforms available to us? While our engagement with social media and platforms will vary greatly depending on our calling and our context, there are a few patterns I’ve noticed that I think we should be wary of.”

Actively waiting for Jesus

“The Bible describes the Christian life as waiting for Jesus to come back…” But this isn’t a sitting-around kind of waiting.

The Illusion of Anonymity

While social media has many benefits, it has often served as a breeding ground for divisiveness and hostility. Hidden behind our screens, we are often tempted to type things we would never say aloud. In Taming the Fingers, Jeff Johnson encourages us to use our social media Coram Deo— before the face of God. (Sponsored Link)

Is the History of the Bible Important?

“Unlike any other of the religions of the world, Christianity is uniquely and entirely dependent upon the historical veracity of its holy book, the Bible. … Sadly, secular critics have realized this fact more readily and more eagerly than many Christians, which has encouraged them for hundreds of years to seek ways to weaken the entirety of the Christian religion by casting doubt on the validity of its historical claims.”

How Many Israelites Exited Egypt?

Philip Ryken: “The Bible describes the exodus in careful detail. Nevertheless, it has often been challenged on historical grounds. One standard objection concerning information given in Exodus 12 is the size of the exodus. It deserves a response.”

The Roots of Legalism

Stephen Nichols writes about the roots of legalism. “One of Martin Luther’s many contributions concerns the Latin word incurvitas. This sounds like something a dentist might say to you as he pokes and prods in the molars. But it’s not.”

8 Reasons We Should Evangelize

Perhaps you could use a little refresher on why we should evangelize the lost.

Flashback: Have You Tasted Heaven?

I have seen the most hardened of men become the most gentle, the most cruel of women become kind, the most wayward of children follow their Father. This all has the savor of a place that must be entirely unlike this one.

Whether our lot seems humble or exalted, let us work with all our heart, for the Lord knows and rewards all faithful labor.

—Daniel Doriani

  • Educated, Free, Wealthy, and Privileged

    We are an educated people with high standards of literacy. We are a free people who enjoy religious liberty. We are a wealthy people with unlimited access to a nearly infinite quantity of Bibles. We are a privileged people who may not realize how blessed we are.

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    Weekend A La Carte (November 2)

    A La Carte: Coldplay’s prayer in Melbourne / Zombies, Heath Lambert, and gatekeeping biblical counseling / Keep the Feast (a new song) / Stop playing the numbers game / Squandering security / and more.

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    Free Stuff Fridays (Ligonier)

    This week’s Free Stuff Friday is sponsored by Ligonier Ministries, who also sponsored the blog this week.  Yesterday was Reformation Day, when many Protestants celebrate the sixteenth-century recovery of the biblical gospel. It was while Martin Luther was studying the book of Romans that he rediscovered the doctrine of justification by faith alone. So, today…

  • Daily Liturgy Devotional

    Why Not Use a Daily Liturgy for Your Devotions?

    Trends come and go. Certain habits or interests rise for a time, wane, then rise again, often at unexpected moments. One of the recent trends I have found particularly surprising and also particularly interesting is the rise (or re-rise, if you prefer) of liturgy. This may be liturgy within formal worship services of the local…

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    A La Carte (November 1)

    A La Carte: When a Berkeley feminist had three sons / The tragedy of IVF / What if I don’t feel forgiven? / Piper on how not to respond to suffering / What sola scriptura protects us against / Kindle deals / and more.

  • New and Notable Christian Books for October 2024

    New and Notable Christian Books for October 2024

    As October draws to its close, I wanted to ensure you know about at least some of the most notable books it brought our way. I did not see quite the quantity of new books I have seen in some previous months, but there were still some special ones. For each, I’ve provided the publisher’s…