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Weekend A La Carte (November 5)

My gratitude goes to Ligonier Ministries for sponsoring the blog this week. They’ve got a free book on Luther, a Reformed theology bundle, and R.C. Sproul’s commentary on Galatians they’d like to tell you about.

Today’s Kindle deals include some newer and older titles.

Why Study Church History?

“If church history does not get your blood pumping, you had better check your spiritual pulse.” That’s how Jon Payne begins his article about why you should study church history.

A Grandmother’s Heart for Her Loved Ones

Patsy Kuipers explains how she influences her children and grandchildren.

The Tyranny of Sin

“Seldom do we think about sin with as much seriousness as we should, but its destruction is all around us. Its effects devastate both those we love and those we consider enemies. Quite often, we play with sin as if it were a favored pet that could never turn on us, but in reality, the only reason we think little of it is because it has already sunk its teeth into us and has us under its sway.”

God’s Work and Our Work, Hand in Hand

Ryan uses the illustration of a child learning to walk to explain a spiritual reality.

Six Reasons to Persevere through Pain As We Groan for Glory

“As I was thinking about life and counseling recently, I thought to myself, ‘It’s just not pretty, is it?’ So much sin within and pain without. So many ways to feel lost, stuck, and discouraged. I thought about my own sins and failures, my limitations and clumsiness as a counselor, health issues as I get older, and my struggle to love people well. And since I am privileged as a counselor to share in the struggles of many others, my own list is multiplied exponentially.”

God’s Ministry to the Disappointing

“I loathe disappointment. I really don’t like being disappointed, but I’m a thousand times more averse to causing disappointment in others. The worst is when it hits me by surprise. When this happens, my inner world can come to a halt, and I can easily become fixated on it, analyzing what happened and how to address it.”

Flashback: Solemnity and Celebration, Exclusivity and Inclusivity

With the warning for some to stay beyond the fence is the invitation for others to enjoy the rewards of abiding within it.

God has written a heavenly, perfect story for us that will start the moment our story in this world ends. It’s a story that will never end, and it will be so good we’ll never want it to end.

—David Murray

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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.