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A La Carte (September 3)

monday

Today’s Kindle deals include all sorts of good books. You may also want to scroll down to Saturday’s list if you missed it.

(Yesterday on the blog: The First Two Minutes Matter Most)

Should We Expect Miracles Today?

I appreciated this perspective on the miracles and the miraculous gifts (from someone not at all convinced they have ceased). “It is notable that the only people who did signs were prophets, apostles and Christ himself. It is also important to note why they did these signs. Let’s just look at some of the instances of signs and their purpose in scripture.”

Russia in Color: Photos of Life Before the Revolution

What a fascinating photo essay. “More than a century ago, Sergey Prokudin-Gorsky hit the road — or more accurately, the rails — to create a visual study of the Russian Empire that remains startling in its scope, depth, and sense of immediacy. A pioneering chemist and photographer who created an early method for developing pictures in color, Prokundin-Grosky got assistance from Tsar Nicholas II himself to take a groundbreaking trip across Russia from 1909 to 1915 in a railcar with a specially designed dark room. His mission was to document the far reaches of the Empire.”

The Ketterers

Denny Burk has posted three videos about the Ketterers. Watch them in order from top to bottom. You’ll enjoy them!

How ‘LOL’ Changed the Way We Talk (Video)

John McWhorter is a professor of linguistics at Columbia University who talks about how communication today is better in large part due to texting. I’m not sure that I totally buy it, but it’s interesting nonetheless.

That Is Not A Woman

Rod Dreher makes a really interesting point about being in journalism today. “I find it hard to encourage young people to consider professional journalism as a career. It used to be because jobs were scarce, but now, added to that, is the clear trend of having to use one’s words to lie. To flat-out lie about what is real, and to lie in a way that journalists working for Pravda and Izvestia had to do back in the day.”

Some PhD FAQs

Kevin DeYoung talks about pursuing a PhD—candidates, motives, expectations, and so on. (You might also read Pursuing Education, or Just Credentials? by Trevin Wax.)

How to Fail in Your Evangelism (Video)

“We don’t fail in our evangelism when we faithfully tell the gospel and yet the person is not converted. We fail in our evangelism when we don’t faithfully tell the gospel at all.” This is such a crucial distinction!

Flashback: Why Marriage Is Better Than Cohabitation

Though Christians continue to affirm the uniqueness, the goodness, and the necessity of marriage, our society continues to legitimize cohabitation as either a common precursor to marriage or a complete alternative.

The more Christians are caught up in enjoying the good things of this life, and the more they neglect genuine Christian fellowship and their personal relationship with Christ, the less they will long for his return.

—Wayne Grudem

  • Spurgeon

    Must You Read at Least One Spurgeon Biography?

    I am not aware of a verse in the Bible that says every Christian must read at least one biography of Charles Spurgeon. Or every Calvinist, at least. But I also wouldn’t be completely shocked if it’s there somewhere and I’ve just missed it. And that’s because his life and ministry were powerfully unique in…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (January 21)

    A La Carte: What “love your enemies” does not mean / John Piper on reading providence / Talking to your Roman Catholic friends / What happens at prayer meeting? / Against executive pastors / Kindle deals / and more.

  • The Christian Standard Commentary: A Modern Commentary Steeped in Ancient Tradition

    The Christian Standard Commentary will encourage and equip God’s people to understand the text and live according to Scripture for Christ’s glory. The unique ancient-modern approach to the biblical text found in the CSC is a valuable resource for building up Christ’s church while encouraging God’s people to fulfill the Great Commission. As a commentary…

  • Finnegan

    Why I Haven’t Written A Whole Lot about My Grandson

    It has been two months since little Finnegan was born—two months since I became a grandfather for the first time. It only just occurred to me that I have said very little about this new reality, this new stage of life, this new member of our family.

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (January 20)

    A La Carte: Is it good that you exist? / Should we trust churches? / In defense of childhood / Take your anxiety to church / How do I leave my abortion in the past? / Kindle deals / and more.

  • Prayer Recipe

    Prayer Is Not Like a Good Recipe

    Prayer is not like a good recipe: simply follow a set of mechanical directions and everything turns out right in the end. So what is it then? And how can we do it well?