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A La Carte (November 10)

friday

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you on this fine day.

Westminster Books has just discounted a favorite Christmas outreach resource. They’ve also put together an early Christmas gift guide.

There is a strong collection of Kindle deals to consider today.

How Can I Return to Normal Life After Tragedy?

John Piper answers a question from a grieving widow. “I think I can say, with some degree of certainty, that the more your life is embedded in or intertwined with what or whom you’ve lost — whether it’s your spouse, job, health, home, or child — then the more normal it is to feel disoriented and aimless.”

Proximity and Plausibility

“Why do self-described pro-life people still get abortions?” And beyond that, why do people behave in ways that counter their professed beliefs?

Sin in the Christian life

“Many years ago, when I was in seminary, I asked one of my professors what had surprised him most about the church when he had finished his own theological studies and had started serving in ministry. I will never forget his response. He said, ‘Guy, would you believe there is actually sin in the church!’” This leads to a look at Romans 7 and Paul’s statements there.

Don’t Be Like the Ant

“Don’t be like the ant who thought that it was his strong legs that pushed the log down the river. He overestimated.” Jim Elliff wants Christians to be cautious when evaluating the effects of their words and work.

The Temptation We Most Often Overlook

What is a temptation Christians may most often overlook in their own lives? Trevin suggests one here.

The Art of Sermon Illustrations

This is a very helpful article about sermon illustrations. Pastors and other teachers would do well to read and consider it.

Flashback: Life Is Fleeting

Scarcely do we draw our first breath before we draw our last. Scarcely do we open our eyes before we close them once more. Scarcely do we live before we die.

The good that I have received from my sorrows, and pains, and griefs, is altogether incalculable… Affliction is the best bit of furniture in my house. It is the best book in a minister’s library.

—Charles Spurgeon

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    A La Carte (November 5)

    A La Carte: Why women use pornography / I want God’s wrath on my enemy / Looking at photos with my mum / 10 things you should know about your conscience / I love being a pastor / and more.

  • A Beautiful 40-day Illustrated Devotional of Classic Literature

    This week the blog is sponsored by P&R Publishing. In the newest release by Leland Ryken, A Treasury of Nature, he joins great works of poetry, hymnody, prose, and art with accessible literary analysis. As Ryken says in the Introduction to his book: “The overall goal of this anthology is to enable nature to be…

  • Four Years After Our Hardest Day

    Four Years After Our Hardest Day

    Yesterday marked four years since Nick went to heaven. I find myself calling him “Nicky” more often now—a name I hadn’t used for him since he was a child. I wonder if it reflects that in some ways he is becoming dearer to my heart and younger to my mind. After all, I keep aging…

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    A La Carte (November 4)

    A La Carte: A reassured heart / Alistair Begg with biblical wisdom for voting / Unveiling the true nature of grumbling / Kevin DeYoung on double predestination / Kindle deals / and more.

  • 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.