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A La Carte (November 21)

thursday

Some people have asked me about a 2020 Christian Reading Challenge. I’m hard at work on it and expect it will be ready in very early December. Stay tuned!

Westminster Books has a sale on R.C. Sproul’s commentaries.

(Yesterday on the blog: When the Forbidden Woman Is in Your Home)

Hurdles to Literacy and God’s Grace

What an interesting and exciting report from Cameroon! “When we first moved to Cameroon, I was introduced to the machete which is all so common in daily life here. It is used to kill snakes, cut fingernails, slice vegetables, clear a field in the bush, plant seeds; it is used for absolutely everything. And yet, I had never known life with a machete, so I frankly didn’t see the immediate value of it (that has since changed). If “my people” have survived for generations without a machete, is it really that important? This is exactly the same question that is often asked among illiterate people when being introduced to the idea of reading and writing.”

Is It a Sin to “Swear to God”?

“‘Do not take an oath at all,’ commands Jesus (Matthew 5:34). This prohibition raises quite a few questions. Is Jesus forbidding Christians from things like swearing to tell the truth in court? To understand what Jesus is prohibiting and how to apply it in our lives we must take a closer look at this passage.”

When the Apostle Paul Called Out Two Women in Church

Trevin Wax: “Whatever the disagreement was about, it must not have been a major doctrinal issue. It wasn’t something so serious that it compromised the gospel. What’s happened here is that the intensity of this disagreement is compromising the gospel – not the issue itself. There’s a difference.”

Ask Pastor Charlie – On Congregational Singing

I wish I had thought of this article idea first! Be sure to look to the bottom to see who Pastor Charlie is.

Domesticating Death

Keith Evans wants to make sure we are not domesticating death. “We have essentially taken that which is heinous; that which is abnormal to God’s original design and creation; that which has intruded upon all he has made ‘very good’ and sullied this sphere of life, blessing, and bounty; and we have made that intruder something it is not.”

10 Things You Should Know about Demons and Satan

Graham A. Cole outlines 10 things you should know about demons and Satan.

Yet Not I But Christ Through Me

CCLI has posted to YouTube a couple of excellent acoustic versions of songs by CityAlight. You’ll find “Yet Not I But Christ Through Me” and “Only a Holy God.”

Flashback: Why Christian Kids Leave the Faith

As parents we are to commit ourselves to the task of raising our children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord, to teach them the facts of the faith, to show how it answers our questions and meets our needs, to insist that the good news of the gospel must be personally apprehended.

We need to really hear the law in all its threatening power, and then we will be prepared to flee to Christ for safety.

—Michael Horton

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    A La Carte (April 22)

    A La Carte: Pope Francis / Yes, Jesus was crucified with nails / The mystery of “the call” / Just a little bit / The last of the four / John outran Peter / Kindle deals / and more.

  • Will You Be a Pillar?

    How do we lead in a culture shaped by performance, individualism, and platform? Platforms to Pillars by cultural commentator Mark Sayers offers a biblical alternative to the platform mentality that dominates our society. Drawing from the ancient world, Sayers challenges Christians to become pillars—people who provide strength and support for others, who live with character…

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    The Winds Blow Hardest Against the Tallest Trees

    Through the weekend had many questions about Christian leaders who fall. And I expressed that just as the winds blow hardest against the tallest trees, so temptations may press hardest against the leaders who rise the highest. Just as floods press against shallow roots, so seductive desires rise up against those whose fall would bring…

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    A La Carte (April 21)

    A La Carte: Toxic servant leadership / Taking our stress to the Lord / The problem with habits / Is it wrong for Christians to choose cremation? / Why does your church meet in a house? / Big book and Kindle deals / and more.

  • Expectations

    Why We Ask So Little of God

    Most Christians expect little from God, ask little, and therefore receive little, and are content with little. Though the Bible calls us to pray and though it promises that “the prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working,” we can still have very modest expectations of what God will accomplish through…

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    Weekend A La Carte (April 19)

    A La Carte: Why man needs God / Why nails matter / Kids’ picture books / MLK’s famous letter changed a DC church / How to mentor / A tearless eternity / and more.