Today’s Kindle deals include, as usual, a good collection for a Monday morning.
(Yesterday on the blog: How We Worshipped (A Sunday in May))
Anthony Bourdain, Kate Spade, and the Fallacy of Success and Happiness
People always struggle to imagine how those who seem to have it all can still feel so empty. “For those wondering about Bourdain and Spade’s suicides, the question is often why. But the truth is complex and one that is lodged deep within their now silenced memory and mind. That they were successful did not preclude them from angst and pain, the type that pushed them over the edge into suicide; in fact, that contrast of their outward success and seemingly perfect life from the turmoil they dealt within themselves might have driven them to feel even more out of touch, hopeless, and isolated.”
Sculpted Head of Mystery Biblical King Found in Israel
“An enigmatic sculpture of a king’s head dating back nearly 3,000 years has set off a modern-day mystery caper as scholars try to figure out whose face it depicts.” Very interesting! Let’s hope we find out more about it.
The Masculine Mandate: God’s Calling to Men
For one week only, Ligonier Ministries and Reformation Trust are offering the ebook edition of The Masculine Mandate by Richard Phillips as a free download. (Sponsored Link)
No, Amazon Tribes Should Not Be Allowed To Kill Their Children
“If our friends on the Left encountered, in the present day and in real life, the ritual human sacrifices of the Aztecs or the fires of the Canaanite god Moloch, more than a few would insist that we not pass judgement on these indigenous cultural practices, and would probably denounce those who tried to do so as racists and imperialists.” Yes, they might actually do something like that, and here’s proof.
Lessons From a Prayer Warrior
“This is not an article for spiritual giants who spend three hours a day on their knees, attend every prayer meeting, and pack each spare moment with petitions and praises. If this is you, feel free to stop reading now (and pray for the rest of us). This is an article for those of us who think the word “PRAY” is the most jarring four-letter word uttered in the church. It’s for those of us who struggle to pray, who are afraid to pray, or who feel guilty about our crummy prayer lives.”
A Journey Into the Righteous, Risk-Averse World of Faith-Based Films
This is a long and not-too-positive view of Christian filmmaking, but it contains lots of interesting tidbits. “There’s this idea among artists and filmmakers that while it’s great if the masses love your work, it’s not about blatantly targeting an audience. That’s not so for Christian films—I Can Only Imagine included—which are largely made directly for and with the input of the viewers themselves. They are for people eager to spend money at the box office but who often feel like there’s nothing for them.”
It’s Not Bigotry to Believe Homosexuality Is a Sin
This is another good column from David French. “Time and again, we’ll see stories of Christians cast aside for expressing orthodox Christian beliefs about marriage and the family — in books, speeches, tweets and in political donations — using the justification that this view somehow means that they can’t be trusted to treat colleagues fairly in the workplace. Yet time and again these individuals have long and established track records free of any claims of discrimination or mistreatment. Their actual record is irrelevant compared to hypothetical fears.”
What Is the Name That Is above All Names? (Video)
From his teaching series What Did Jesus Do?, R.C. Sproul reflects on the name that is above all names.
Flashback: When My Fashion Accessory Told Me To Take A Hike
I see it now: Some of these photos weren’t for you or for them—they were for me. My kids were accessories to me, a way of making me look good in your eyes or making me feel good about myself.
The more we meditate on the things of God, as revealed in his holy word, the more will our minds be brought under their sanctifying influence.
—Thomas Reade
