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A La Carte (November 17)

I dug up just a handful of new Kindle deals for today. I expect we will see a lot more of them in the next week.

Westminster Books has a sale on some new books for kids.

Doing Spiritual Warfare Without All The Weirdness

“People tend to talk about spiritual warfare in one of two ways: 1) Not at all because it feels weird to talk about demons and the Devil and unseen realms. Plus, we believe God is sovereign and that he restrains Satan and that making oil crosses above doorways isn’t necessary. 2) Constantly because Satan is everywhere and if you’re not constantly vigilant something could go seriously wrong. After all, he’s prowling about like a lion, looking for people to devour.”

Becoming a Titus 2 Woman

Susan Hunt is an authority in this area. “Titus 2:4 calls older women to ‘train the young women’ and gives examples of some practical lessons young women need to learn. To train means to show or to demonstrate. Paul describes this kind of discipleship in 1 Thessalonians 2:7–8:”

Dear Mormon—I Can’t Call You a Brother in Christ

Josh Buice (who maintains the terrible habit of putting two spaces at the end of his sentences) writes: “Yesterday I had lunch with a very kind and gracious man in our community. This man is a committed member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. In short, my friend is a Mormon. He was respectful, gracious, and I enjoyed our conversation very much. However, at one point the conversation shifted and he asked me if I was willing to call him a brother in Christ?”

Graphic Abortion Display Evokes Volatile Reactions

Randy Alcorn: “Over the years, I’ve learned that the hardest things in ministry often bear fruit, but that fruit is usually buried beneath the confrontational stuff. Satan wants to discourage people from doing what’s right by convincing them it makes no difference. That’s simply not true, though often we can’t immediately see the results.”

Why Asian Americans Struggle to Feel at Home in White-Majority Churches

Steve S. Chang has a thought-provoking article: “I joined a larger, white-majority church with excellent teaching. I was involved as I could be and appreciated many aspects of the church. But I found it difficult to fully feel at home there. My experience was not unique. Though many Asian-American Christians like me recognize and aspire to the ideal of multicultural ministry, many of us struggle to feel at home in white-majority churches. We don’t often discuss this dynamic, but it’s a widespread feeling. Why is this the case?”

Speaking Truth in Love: Should Christians Use Gender-Neutral Pronouns?

Steven West writes about an important consideration. “Many are insisting that a failure to use gender-neutral pronouns is discriminatory, constitutes hate-speech, and can lead to conviction before a human rights tribunal. Others—like Professor Peterson—are saying that it is a violation of freedom of thought and speech to be forced into using the favored pronouns of the ideological left. This is a multifaceted issue, touching on linguistics, ethics, politics, freedoms, and the law. And, be assured, it is not going to simply disappear.”

The Greatest Offense of Indulgences

You can watch or read John MacArthur here: “Where is your theological line in the sand?As a Christian, how much of an assault on God’s character or His gospel can you endure before your righteous indignation rises up in response? And when that threshold has been reached, are you able to channel that passion in a way that honors God and furthers His gospel? We began this series by examining one of the most explosive incidents of righteous indignation in church history. It happened five hundred years ago, sparking the Protestant Reformation.”

Flashback: 3 Parenting Myths We Are All Tempted To Believe

As Christian parents raise their children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord, we can be tempted to believe some dangerous myths about what we are doing and how we are to go about it. I was helped and challenged anew as I encountered these myths, and the truths that destroy them, in Chap Bettis’ book The Disciple-Making Parent.

Just because someone is sincere in his conviction does not mean that it is true. It is possible to be sincerely wrong.

—Alistair Begg

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    A La Carte (November 21)

    A La Carte: Lessons from Trump’s and Harris’s social media campaigns / What is my spiritual gift? / The messages we receive / 10 mistakes I’ve made in preaching / Big Kindle and book sales / and more.

  • 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 (November 20)

    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,…