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A La Carte (May 15)

monday

Good morning. Grace and peace to you.

Today’s Kindle deals include a nice selection, most of which are published by Crossway.

(Yesterday on the blog: Mothers Have Wondrous Healing Lips)

5 Misconceptions about Heaven and Hell (and 5 Truths)

There is so much misunderstanding about heaven and hell. This article offers some clarity by addressing a few common misunderstandings.

If There’s No Purgatory, Will We Be Pure Enough for Heaven?

And speaking of heaven and hell, how that purgatory? Without that place of purification, could we ever be pure enough to enter heaven?

How to Read the Prophets

“The Prophets are difficult to understand. In part, that is because God revealed Himself to them in dreams and visions. Only with Moses did God speak face to face (Num. 12:6–8). The Major Prophets include Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. The Minor Prophets include Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. Here are several tips that will help you read and understand the Prophetic Books.” They are helpful tips!

Why Is the SBC Membership Declining?

“The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) released its annual statistics about membership, attendance, baptism, and other matters this week. The data paints a portrait of the largest Protestant denomination in the United States undergoing a significant decline in a relatively short period of time.” Ryan Burge explains what’s going on.

To the Soon-To-Be Pastor

This article offers wisdom to those pastors who may just be graduating and heading into their first position. But, of course, the wisdom goes farther than that.

Wise Women Build Homes: Motherhood’s Lasting Influence

Here’s one for the moms.

Flashback: Two Lives Blending Into One Life

…their two lives should blend in one life with no thought, no desire, no feeling, no joy or sorrow, no pleasure or pain, unshared.

Our sins are many, but His mercies are more: our sins are great, but His righteousness is greater: we are weak, but He is power.

—John Newton

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  • 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: 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,…