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A La Carte (October 28)

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Good morning. Grace and peace to you.

Today’s Kindle deals include a huge Reformation Day event from Zondervan. You will probably want to consider some of their systematic theologies (e.g., Horton, Grudem, Reymond) and some of their church history material (e.g., Church History in Plain Language, which is widely regarded as the best single-volume church history). You’ll also find my own Seasons of Sorrow at the lowest price I’ve seen it; the same is true of Pilgrim Prayers, though the discount isn’t quite as steep because it’s so new.

(Yesterday on the blog: A Father’s Prayer for His Son)

For Richer, for Poorer: How to Steward Money in Marriage

Randy Alcorn offers lots for married couples to think about together as they consider how to steward their money. “Were you to survey married couples about their money-management goals, most answers would focus on some form of financial success. Most people strive to accumulate better houses, nicer cars, more toys, and bigger retirement accounts. But when it comes to the dream of financial prosperity and security, we should ask, ‘Whose dream is it?’”

Regrets in Parenting and Bothering Jesus

Lauren Whitman writes about regrets in parenting and our fear of bothering Jesus.

Renewing Your Mind: Now on YouTube

Thirty years ago, R.C. Sproul began Renewing Your Mind, a daily teaching broadcast to help Christians grow in their knowledge of God’s Word. Now, the podcast is available on YouTube, featuring daily teaching from Dr. Sproul and other theologians. As we approach the anniversary of the Reformation this week, subscribe to the Renewing Your Mind YouTube channel and hear Dr. Sproul teach from the book of Romans. (Sponsored)

Lost

“I think we see this in our culture consistently.  In so many ways, our world thinks that it knows better than previous generations. It clearly displays what CS Lewis called ‘chronological snobbery’.  However, there is rarely any awareness of lostness. There is little recognition in our culture of where we have come from, where we are, or where we are going.  There is a refusal to admit that we might be lost.  There are millions of people in our city blind to their lostness.”

The Temptation of Temptation

John Beeson: “I think some of us similarly treat sin as we treat violence [in movies]. We are drawn to the dopamine hit of getting near sin, but not (hopefully) entering in. We want to test ourselves and prove our mettle, and so we intentionally step into temptation’s path. We want the rush of escape. Temptation is tempting.”

Our Common Purpose

Cheryl considers the way she thinks about her singleness. “I’m afraid I’ve talked about my singleness as something I’m trying to survive way too often. Even though it doesn’t always feel like it, the Bible is clear that singleness is a gift from the Lord as it allows for more time to focus on the Lord.”

How Much Should Christians Tithe?

Earlier I linked to Randy Alcorn’s article for married couples. This one from Wayne Grudem applies to married and non-married people alike. He looks at the biblical concept of the tithe and then offers lots of common sense tips and pointers for today.

Flashback: What’s The Point Of Family Devotions?

The main purpose in our family has been simple: to gather the family together with God. 

The gospel frees me to be honest about the ways I fall short instead of being crushed by them, because it reminds me that Jesus was crushed for me.

—Adam Ramsey

  • Dreams

    What Becomes Of All Our Dreams?

    My dad loved to cook. This was a passion that began relatively late in his life after the kids had moved out. With an empty nest, my parents were able to live a slower-paced life and my dad began to dabble in cooking. He soon found that he loved it and that my mother was…

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    A La Carte (February 12)

    A La Carte: A young Christian reading John Mark Comer / Being inconvenient / Breaking gender stereotypes to the glory of God / Gluten-free and non-alcoholic / AI-Pocalypse Now / and more.

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    A La Carte (February 11)

    A La Carte: To those living in secret sin / The time Jesus Left the 99 / The discipline of remembrance / No-contact for toxic relationships / Relational wisdom / and more.

  • Dumb Will Do

    Dumb Will Do: Why Satan Doesn’t Need Heresy

    There is one memory of my earlier years as a Christian that I’ve never been able to shake. It’s a formative memory that I actually don’t think the Lord means for me to shake, for it has often reminded me that, when it comes to the local church’s worship, the stakes are sky high.

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    A La Carte (February 10)

    A La Carte: Break shame’s chains / I don’t deserve this / Seeing the world like a Great Gray Owl / The cosmic canvas / Preserving wonder / Kindle deals / and more.

  • Neglected Prayer

    The Things You Neglect To Pray About

    There is a close connection between prayer and humility. This being the case, there is also a close connection between prayerlessness and pride. Those who believe they are self-sufficient feel no need to petition God for his help, for his strength, for his wisdom. It is only those who admit their lack who will cry…