Sales & Deals

Today’s Kindle deals include a whole collection of good options. Just because it’s Saturday doesn’t mean the deals let up!

Recommended Reading

Since it is a momentous day in the United States, I thought I would give the bulk of my attention to articles about America’s 250th anniversary. Not surprisingly, there was plenty to choose from.

I think Thomas Kidd is just the person whom you’d want to read on the role of Christianity in America’s first 250 years as a nation.

As the United States of America observes the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the question of the nation’s Christian roots seems more controversial than ever. Secularists tell us that biblical faith had virtually nothing to do with the Founding, while many today on the Christian right insist that the Founders were born-again believers who created America as a “Christian nation.”

Whatever role Christianity played at the nation’s birth, we have entered a post-Christian era in modern America. The reigning powers in American academia, business, entertainment, and law are typically hostile toward Christians and biblical morality. Freedom of self-expression has become the ultimate determiner of social justice. Traditional morality and even biological reality are often reviled as tools of oppressors. Our brave new world has made many Christians eager to recapture the nation’s spiritual origins.

In the following essay, I sketch the story of Christianity in America from the Founding to the present day, demonstrating that the church’s flourishing in America has depended not on a connection to the government but on the strength of its sovereign God.

Read: 250 Years of Faith.

George Grant explains why and how the American Revolution was considered by some to be a distinctly Presbyterian rebellion.

Two hundred and fifty years ago, news arrived in London that a long and protracted conflict with the American colonial possessions of Great Britain had culminated in a resolute declaration of independence. Horace Walpole, the prime minister, rose in Parliament to declare: “There is no use crying about it. Cousin America has eloped with a Presbyterian parson.” It was a sentiment shared with virtually all the royalists on both sides of the Atlantic.

From the beginning of the conflict, King George III had been convinced that the leading patriot leaders were Presbyterians (a term he loosely used to describe Reformed Congregationalists as well as Presbyterians). As early as 1774, he had quipped to Massachusetts governor Thomas Hutchinson, “Are they not Presbyterians?” In truth, the king had every reason to suspect so.

Read: The Presbyterian Rebellion.

I found this an especially strong and interesting piece of writing. Andrew Noble writes from a Canadian perspective and considers some of the differences between an American and Canadian identity.

In the last year, Canada’s two major political leaders have told different histories of Canada’s origin. Just as the 1619 Project aimed to redefine America’s founding story, our leaders have sought to redefine Canada’s—either as a continuation of European Progress (Prime Minister Mark Carney has called Canada “the most European of the non-European countries”) or as the continuation of a more ancient “rule of law” and libertarian values (Pierre Poilievre often references the influence of Magna Carta on Britain and subsequently Canada, drafted in 1215).

Both leaders seem to be reaching for stories which avoid reference to America, due to an increasing anti-American sentiment. For Carney, Canada must reduce our economic dependence on the United States because of Trump’s rhetoric and actions. For Poilievre, Canada has a historical tie to liberty and the “Canadian dream” without any relationship to the ideals of the Republican Party. It’s a question of foundations.

They both seem to believe that who we have been implies something of who we should be. And there is some truth in this. In a similar way, being made in the image and likeness of God implies something of who we should be. Given the 250th anniversary of America’s founding, how should we think about our identity as Canadians? And how should we view our countries’ origins as Christians?

Read: 250 Years Later: Canada, America, and the Gift of Difference.

I may be Canadian, but I still know that the Gettysburg Address is not directly related to the founding of the United States. On the other hand, Lincoln did immediately reference it, didn’t he? Anyway, I enjoyed Allen C. Guelzo’s piece on where exactly the Gettysburg Address was delivered.

“That sounds like one of those 4th-grade gags we used to pull on the backbench of the school bus, in the same league with ‘Who’s buried in Grant’s Tomb?’ and ‘What was the color of Washington’s white horse?’ In this case, the question has more point than we might think. Yes, Abraham Lincoln really did go to Gettysburg, the site of the greatest battle of the American Civil War, to deliver ‘a few appropriate remarks’ at the dedication of the Soldiers National Cemetery there in November, 1863. But it is at least true, also, that he did not deliver these ‘remarks’ (he never actually called them ‘The Gettysburg Address’) within the precincts of the town. The Soldiers National Cemetery had been laid out after the battle on Cemetery Hill, on the town’s south edge, where the town cemetery (known as the Evergreen Cemetery) had also been created in 1854. But Cemetery Hill had certainly been involved in the fighting there in July 1863. Union artillery had used Cemetery Hill as an ideal platform from which to dominate the rest of the battlefield. So, yes, with those slight footnotes added, Lincoln delivered the Address at Gettysburg.

What still makes the question worth asking, though, is the uncertainty about exactly where the platform from which he delivered the Address was located on the day of the dedication”

Read: Where Did Lincoln Deliver the Gettysburg Address?

Eddie LaRow is also pondering Lincoln, especially his “Meditation on the Divine Will” and later Emancipation Proclamation.

Whether Lincoln was a true Christian or not is, in the end, beside the point. He was — I am quite certain — used by God in his Providence to hold together the bonds of the Union in the face of almost certain rupture. Two hundred and fifty years later, we stand — though quite divided underneath — united in the fact that we are Americans. And we can look back on Lincoln’s meditation on the Divine Will and see that he too wrestled with a divided nation, but did not give up hope for it.

As I reflect on America 250 years later, I think of two blood payments. The first: the men who died on fields like Antietam — who died on American soil, by American weapons, in towns and streams and mountains with American names — and Lincoln himself, who died at the end of the conflict and did not live to see beyond it. Though they did not live to see the result, the blood they shed was enough to purchase an imperfect Union — the very imperfect Union we have today. But I am also reminded of the blood spilled by Christ, who conquered the grave. For as Paul writes in Galatians 3, “Christ bought us with His blood.”

Read: The Price of an Imperfect Union.

More briefly:

• The Clip Stage celebrates soccer and discusses the role of video clips in the World Cup.
• When Seminaries Stop Believing in God provides an eyewitness account of a seminary abandoning the truth.
• Eikon 8.1 will take you to the new issue of CBMW’s Eikon journal.
• When Job First Heard the News that Day is an excellent little poem about Job.

Your Recommendations

Earlier in the week, I asked what you are enjoying and what you would recommend to others. There were far too many responses for me to share them all, but I did want to share a broad selection. Thanks to all who sent them along!

• Debbie just finished reading Enough and Count It All Joy by missionary Helen Roseveare. Debbie loves Roseveare’s honesty about what God was doing in her heart through the trials she endured.
• Abe is on about year five of enjoying The Week Dominator from NeuYear. He says it’s a simple and effective weekly planner that leaves space for gratitude.
• Bill is enjoying The Redeemed Man, edited by Joel Beeke, Richard Phillips, and Paul Smalley.
• Jim’s wife encouraged him to look into the Dallas Theological Seminary online courses. He chose the Gospel of John, and though he has studied the Bible for over 30 years and John’s gospel many times, he still learned a great deal through this course.
• Suzanne recommends Ed Welch’s Side by Side. She appreciates that it teaches the reader how to come alongside a person who is suffering or in sin, how to go deeper than small talk on any given Sunday, and how to get into someone’s life to a point where you can help them.
• Sara is a self-professed Star Wars nerd whose boys are young. They are diving deep into the Star Wars galaxy. “We are watching Rebels together and it’s been fun to laugh, be surprised, and all say ‘just one more.'”
• Deanne recommends sending “hugs” through the good ole mail system. Send your grandkids an old-fashioned letter and maybe tuck in a $5 bill for ice cream, then wait for them to send one back.
• Bruce says Grant Castleberry’s book, The Honor of God, is outstanding, having read it as part of a group.
• John has an increasing appreciation for gardening, fuelled by reading A Bit of Earth by Andrea Burke. He says the similarities between the gardener’s dominion of their small patch of earth and God’s continued work of sanctification in the life of a Christian are striking.
• Karen has been enjoying the “Unloaf Method”, an unconventional sourdough bread recipe where the work consists mostly of waiting and believing. “The yeast and bacteria that the Lord made in the air does the heavy lifting that yields delicious bread which is both crusty and soft.”
• Pete appreciates A Candle in the Window, a Christian hospitality network. “You host people for an overnight or two, or share a meal and conversation, and gain access to a worldwide network of places to stay for no cost.”
• Todd enjoys his daily email from photographer Ray Majoran that includes a photo, a Bible reference, and a prayer. He also enjoys his weekly email from J. R. Briggs. It is business-related, but with a gospel influence.
• Margo is enjoying Streetlights Audio Bible, a moderately dramatized NLT audio Bible available on audio streaming (e.g., Spotify). She says it’s “very easy to follow, and I’ve been able to listen through several books of the Bible while nursing my newborn!”
• Ken is not Anglican, but attended a nearby Anglican Church that is part of the Anglican Church in North America, an evangelical group that pulled out of the Anglican Church of Canada several years ago. He found the service God-focused, Christ-centered, and Spirit-led and recommends visiting such churches.

Flashback

Molded in the Master’s Hands. The Life of Peter is a relatively brief book, but one that covers its subject well. Thomas meant for his book to be helpful to Christians and, indeed it is.

Sales & Deals

Today’s Kindle deals include an excellent biography of Eric Liddell, a book for preachers, and quite a few other good picks.

Pastors may be interested in a deal at Westminster Books: a discount on Thomas Murphy’s Pastoral Theology. There’s also a good deal on Crossway Short Classics.

Recommended Reading

If God Meant Everybody, Why Did He Say Neighbour? If God meant for us to love everyone, why didn’t he say that in the first place? That’s a good question, isn’t it? “In Leviticus 19:18, God commands his people to ‘love your neighbour as yourself’. Jesus called this the second greatest commandment, after loving God himself (Mark 12:28-31). When a religious leader asked him to clarify, ‘who is my neighbour?’ Jesus used the parable of the Good Samaritan to illustrate that your ‘neighbour’ could be anybody—even strangers, foreigners, and natural enemies.”

No Faith Worth Defending. Carl Trueman considers the King of England and the Church of England and the long relationship between them. “Buckingham Palace has updated the official description of the monarch’s role vis-à-vis the Church of England. No longer is the king the ‘Defender of the Faith’; rather, ‘His Majesty is Supreme Governor of the Church of England and protects the space for Faith within the multi-faith nation.’ The description is inspiring in rhetoric but rather empty of dogmatic content.”

Step into the story of Scripture with the CSB Baker Illustrated Study Bible. Hundreds of full-color images, maps, and reconstructions help bring the world of the Bible to life, and robust study features from more than two hundred evangelical Christian scholars provide deep insights into God’s Word. Enter for your chance to win this visually immersive study Bible today. (Sponsored)

Is This Young Person Ready to Be Baptized? Clarifying Questions and Considerations for Churches. All Baptists need to consider the criteria for determining who is ready to be baptized. This article from Scott Daniel offers three clarifying questions that can help churches evaluate whether or not a young person is, indeed, ready to be baptized.

Your Body Is Not for Sale: Helping Young Men Resist Self-Objectification. We are probably accustomed to reading articles about the objectification of young women’s bodies, but as Harvest USA points out, young men’s bodies are increasingly becoming objectified as well. “‘Chris Pratt welcomes your objectification.'[1] That was the headline in 2017. Once known for playing the lovable, ‘chubby’ Andy Dwyer on NBC’s Parks and Rec, Pratt had transformed his body for a string of Hollywood blockbusters. Now that he was on the cover of GQ, and his abs were all over the internet, reporters wanted to know how he felt about being objectified.”

Your Church’s Seating Chart Isn’t All Bad. Though they tend to be informal, every church does have some kind of seating chart. Ryan insists that this is not necessarily a bad thing. “What’s that you say? My church doesn’t have a seating chart! Don’t be ridiculous! Well, sure, your church doesn’t have an official seating chart. I’m sure no one is required to sit in any one place. But I’d guess your church has a functional seating chart. Just ask one of your pastors or leaders. Bob? Yeah, he sits on the left side near the back. You can find Susan in the aisle seat halfway back on the right.”

How to Lead More Vibrant Prayer Meetings. “Too many churches have taken the prayer meeting back behind the barn and shot it. If those prayer meetings were like some I’ve been to, I’m sympathetic. I’m thinking of prayer meetings: Where much of the time was spent talking and too little of the time was spent praying. Where the focus was more on my name being hallowed, my kingdom coming, and my will being done, instead of God’s name, kingdom, and will. Where someone would start praying and then tediously meander through every topic under the sun. But the solution to such prayer meetings is not a bullet. Quite the opposite. The solution is a resurrection.”

A Third Party

I recently found myself encouraged by this quote from De Witt Talmage (whom I quote often as I make my way through a collection of 500 of his sermons). It celebrates the wonder of Christ, the mediator between God and men.

You know very well that if two be at variance, the third party coming in must be on good terms with both the parties. If you and I are at variance, and a third party comes in to settle the difficulty, and he is my antagonist, I will reject him. If he be your antagonist, you will reject him. The third party coming in for the work of mediation must be on good terms with both of us. Behold Christ’s qualifications. God looks at him and says, “My Son.” We look at him and say, “Elder Brother.” He will look after God’s rights, for he has filial affection. He will be sympathetic with us, for he is bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh (Talmage)

Flashback

The Utter Horror of the Smallest Sins. Our sinfulness is expressed not only in our desire to break God’s greatest rules but in our willingness to break even his smallest ones. 

Sales & Deals

Today’s Kindle deals include a lot of great options, headlined by Matthew Bingham’s A Heart Aflame for God and Stephen McAlpine’s Being the Bad Guys. Bridges’ Transforming Grace is highly recommended as well.

Logos users will want to check out this month’s big commentary sale. You can also grab your free book of the month, plus the discounted ones beneath it. When you’ve worked your way through those, consider browsing through the monthly deals.

Recommended Reading

The FAQs: SCOTUS Says States May Reserve Women’s Sports for Biological Females. I was glad to hear this good news from the far side of the border. It could be further evidence that the tides are slowly turning when it comes to the farthest reaches of transgender ideology. Joe Carter explains the decision and tells why it matters.

Don’t Change What You Believe Just Because People Are Bad. Samuel James: “When someone talks about why they’ve changed their convictions about something, they increasingly refer to negative experiences more often than persuasive arguments. Just in the last few months, I’ve seen prominent figures change denominations and talk more about the unkind or foolish people in their old tradition than about the new biblical evidence pushing them toward new convictions about baptism or polity.”

Forgetting Forever. Paul Tripp is concerned that Christians are forgetting forever. “Embedded in the promise of future eternal grace is the guarantee of “right here, right now” grace for what you’re facing today. And when you begin to understand your story from the unique perspective and promises of Forever, you begin to live with unshakeable hope and confidence today as you wait for the promise of Forever. The opposite, however, is also true. When you forget Forever and live as if today is all you have, then your life and faith will be anything but unshakeable!”

Encouragement for Heading Off to College. You (or your children) may not be heading off to college quite yet, seeing as it’s only July, but if you/they will be in the near future, this article should be helpful and challenging. “Somewhere between your first midterms and your first group project, you may discover an unpleasant truth: College is not all about school spirit and Friday night basketball rallies. You will fail a test or let down a friend. You will mismanage your time. The question is not whether you’ll get knocked down, but how you’ll learn to get back up and keep going.”

What about Pet Idolatry? Randy Alcorn has a forthcoming book in which he provides a biblical view on animals and pets. Here he answers a question about idolizing pets. “This can be a serious problem. I believe when it is properly held and demonstrated, our love for animals reflects God’s own nature and affection. The problem is almost never with the object of our affection, but that we love it more than we love God. That’s when devotion to pets—or anything else—becomes idolatry.”

When You Wonder: ‘What Did I Do to Deserve This?’ Scott W. Kay: “Often, I’m assuming that good things happen to me because God is blessing me for doing good. And if something bad happens, God is trying to teach me a lesson to correct some mistake I’ve made. If I can figure out what I’ve done, I may be able to turn things around so all can be well again.” So how can we think through whether bad things may be related to the things we’ve done?

Puritan

Reformation Heritage Books has just posted the full-length documentary Puritan: All of Life to the Glory of God for free on YouTube. Speakers include Albert Mohler, Conrad Mbewe, Gloria Furman, Ian Hamilton, John MacArthur, and many more.

Flashback

Is It Fair of God? Is God fair to punish those who have never heard of Jesus Christ? There are many ways to consider the issue and many ways to answer. Here is just one of them.

Happy Canada Day to my fellow Canadians! I trust you will enjoy a day of rest, relaxation, and, if you’re not opposed to staying up late, a fireworks show.

As you keep reading today, you will find some sales and deals, then some links to interesting articles, and then some headlines from Christian news outlets. Enjoy!

Sales & Deals

Today’s Kindle deals include some deals you’ll want to take a look at. They include a family devotion book by Marty Machowski, a brand new book by Erwin Lutzer and more.

Recommended Reading

Rugged Love and Your Prodigal. This is a helpful article from Dave Harvey. “Most of our wandering is routine, even predictable. We envy. We lust. We overeat. We nurse resentment. We grow impatient when life doesn’t unfold according to our plans. Then we confess, receive forgiveness, recalibrate, and move forward. This is ordinary sanctification. But there are times when ‘prone to wander’ takes a particularly obstinate and destructive turn.” (Also on the subject of prodigals, see: Mothers, Let Your Tears Water the Seeds Planted.)

You Don’t Want to Be Internet Famous. Aaron Armstrong: “Anyone can do it. Even you. Even me. And many people do. There are people that you’ve only ever heard of—literally the only reason—is because they play to the algorithm. Some have built massive online platforms, podcasts, and social followings. Others have mega-selling books. They got what they wanted. Or what they think they wanted. But here’s the problem…”

Step into the story of Scripture with the CSB Baker Illustrated Study Bible. Hundreds of full-color images, maps, and reconstructions help bring the world of the Bible to life, and robust study features from more than two hundred evangelical Christian scholars provide deep insights into God’s Word. Enter for your chance to win this visually immersive study Bible today. (Sponsored)

Conscience. Though I am not the primary audience for Paul Levy’s “Ministers’ Letters,” since they are written for his local church, I enjoy reading them nonetheless. “What is it that makes the difference between hearing God’s words, even listening to God’s words, and then responding to him in the way that we should? What is it that makes the difference between the days when we are actually arrested, grabbed by the word of God and have to change because of it, and the days when we treat God’s word like background noise that we can safely ignore?”

Why More Money Won’t Fix You. It is absolutely true, yet often hard to believe, that more money won’t fix you. As J.D. Greear explains, “there are two myths people often believe about generosity. They’re related, but not identical. Myth 1 is that only rich people can be generous. Myth 2 is that only rich people can be happy.”

Seven Laws of Technology & Gaming. Andrew Noble shares his seven laws of technology in this article, but then turns to a second subject and offers some really interesting thoughts about gaming. It’s all well worth reading. This seems like a key insight on modern games: “A real game has a challenge, a rule set, and a victory condition. A growing share of modern titles quietly drop that last one.”

When Grief Becomes Identity. “I had someone recently ask, ‘Do you think grief can become an idol?’ My gut reaction was, ‘Yes, of course!’ As Calvin stated, our hearts are idol factories. As I have chewed on this question over the last several days, I actually think the answer is much more layered. Long before grief becomes an idol, it first can become an identity.” Kirstin Black offers some really thought-provoking insights here.

News Headlines

The Christian Post reports on The Passion Translation of the Bible falling out of favor. “As scrutiny of The Passion Translation intensifies following a high-profile investigation promoted by apologist Mike Winger, a growing number of churches and Bible platforms are distancing themselves from the controversial paraphrase.”

In tragic news, Christian Today reports that in England and Wales, one in three pregnancies is now terminated. “Around 12% of conceptions among married women and those in civil partnerships resulted in abortion in 2022 in contrast to 37.9% among unmarried women. Only 2.3% of women who conceived outside of marriage got married before the birth of their child.”

Writing for WORLD, Patience Sunne shows how States are quietly redefining the family. While people’s attention is often directed toward the momentous headlines, “Subtle changes in state laws on parentage, assisted reproduction, and marriage have been redefining the family and undermining children’s rights to their own mother and father for decades.”

Flashback

You Don’t Really Know Who Your Friends Are Until… We don’t really know who Jesus’ friends are until a relationship with him becomes a liability instead of a benefit. We know that Jesus is proud to be the friend of sinners, and in the days to come, we will discover which sinners are truly proud to be friends with him.

Sales & Deals

Today’s Kindle deals include several volumes in P&R’s Great Thinkers series. And if those aren’t of tremendous interest, you’ll find more options beyond them.

Recommended Reading

The Quiet Crisis of Prayerless Orthodoxy. Alistair Chalmers is concerned about prayerless orthodoxy, and rightly so. “A church may have accurate doctrine on paper and yet lack spiritual vitality in practice. A pastor may preach true sermons and yet minister with little felt dependence on God. A Christian may win theological arguments and yet rarely cry, ‘Lord, help me.’ A seminary student may parse Greek verbs and yet struggle to pray with childlike trust. The issue is not whether we know truth. The issue is whether truth has brought us to our knees.”

You Were Not Born Gay. Kendall Lankford explains why the “born this way” slogan is so deadly. “It does not merely excuse sin. It closes the door to the very remedy Christ came to provide. The Gospel offers something infinitely better than affirmation. It offers redemption. It offers cleansing. It offers forgiveness. It offers transformation. It offers a new heart. It offers a new identity. It offers a new life.”

Step into the story of Scripture with the CSB Baker Illustrated Study Bible. Hundreds of full-color images, maps, and reconstructions help bring the world of the Bible to life, and robust study features from more than two hundred evangelical Christian scholars provide deep insights into God’s Word. Enter for your chance to win this visually immersive study Bible today. (Sponsored)

God’s Gift to You Is Real Life. Simona Gorton tells why God’s gift to you is real life. “We’ve all had moments of standing at the sink and wondering why we’re washing yet another load of dishes. The spinning of the hamster wheel is almost palpable. Created as eternal souls in physical bodies, we carry within us a tension between the tangible life of clothing and sustenance and the unseen things that meet our deepest needs as humans. Generations of the church have often fallen off on one side or the other by elevating physical reality or denigrating it. But what if we reframed our vision to see God actually furthering His kingdom through the ordinary stuff of life?”

Why Old People Cry. This poignant article is written from a non-Christian perspective, but captures some of the Solomonic sorrow and futility of life. Roger Rosenblatt says, “Whatever happened to your life long ago, whatever carousel you were on, reminds you of yourself, who also happened long ago. So you’re tearing up for all that is gone, all that monumental past, vast and variegated. These days, I have so much past behind and within me, it’s as if it bubbles over.”

How Not to Be a Functional Atheist on Your Vacation. Zak Mellgren wants to help you gain the most from your vacation, and that means you’ll need to guard yourself against inadvertently behaving like a functional atheist. “The greatest joys you can experience on a vacation will be found by receiving gifts with an awareness of the Giver. I hope these little tips help you shepherd your own heart and the hearts of those in your family as you step outside your normal routine to create memories and find rest.”

The Sick Fruit of our Speech in an Age of Platforming. Meanwhile, Kyle Strobel is concerned about the sick fruit of our speech in this age of platforming. “I’ve been reflecting on this lately because of a trend I’ve seen for many years in Christian publishing and platforms: The folks who give vent to the boldness of their tongues are often seen as the most insightful and prophetic.” (This article is marked as being for paid subscribers, but as far as I can tell, you should be able to see the whole thing nonetheless.)

Extra

I like to write book reviews, but I also like to read them. Here are a few that you may enjoy:

• Writing for The Gospel Coalition, Andrew Spencer reviews Honoring Dependent Parents: Biblical Decision-Making for Adult Children, one of a spate of new books dealing with children’s responsibilities toward their parents. “Caring for needy parents is a way of serving Jesus and should be done in an attempt to push back the effects of sin while fulfilling God’s command to honor a parent who, by our world’s standards, may not seem worthy of honor.”
• Writing for Mere Orthodoxy, Daniel Williams evaluates J.D. Vance’s conversion memoir, Communion. “JD Vance’s new faith memoir, Communion, has been almost universally panned. Rarely has a bestselling author of any political stripe published a book that instantly generates so much negative press from both the left and the right.”
• Writing for his own blog, Justin Myko Agpangan shares his enthusiasm for Michael Reeves’ Preaching: A God-Centred Vision. “This book is short but gold. It has 92 readable pages, but don’t allow the brevity of the book to fool you into thinking that this book has nothing to offer.”

Flashback

Satan Can Stage a Quiet Revival Too. We should be no more encouraged to see people being “revived” into the Roman Catholic Church than into Mormonism or straight back into atheism. There are many roads to hell and more often than not they pass through churches, faiths, and creeds rather than bypassing them altogether.

Good morning. Grace and peace to you.

My family has returned from our week-long vacation and are thankful to have spent the time together. It was our first time seeing Michaela and Caleb since the wedding, so it was especially nice to see them enjoying life together. The Lord is good to give us times of rest.

Sales & Deals

Today’s Kindle deals include a pair of books from Crossway that are relatively new and deal with an important subject. You’ll also find Costi Hinn’s book on the prosperity gospel.

Recommended Reading

The Lost Art of a Wandering Mind. Melissa reflects on the simple but important practice of allowing your mind to wander, something she considers a lost practice in this digital age. “What an odd turn for humanity to make. God has given us so much more to work with, so much more to bring us pleasure and interest, excitement and joy, and it’s all in our heads. To choose not to make use of the thinking abilities He’s given us is to choose a truly boring, flat, uninspired life.”

Act In Accordance With Your Prayers. Michael Kelley expresses the importance of coupling prayer and action. “We might say that one of the ways we express our confidence in God’s ability and willingness to answer our prayers is through our actions in accordance with those prayers. We pray for God to change someone’s heart, and so we share the gospel with that person. We pray for God to provide our daily bread, and so we actively search for a job. We pray God would turn our children towards Him and we actively treat them with Christlike love and compassion.”

7 Reasons God Takes Pleasure in Election. Sometimes you know from the title alone that it’s going to be an article by John Piper, and that’s the case with this one. “I am often asked by people, ‘Does it really matter what we believe about election? Is it really relevant to how we live and minister?’ My answer is, obviously, yes. And I think it will be helpful if I close with seven reasons why this teaching is precious to me and why I believe God has pleasure in it. In each of the following points, ‘this truth’ refers to the truth of God’s free, sovereign, unconditional, individual election by grace of who will be saved.”

Four Essential Responsibilities of a Shepherd. It is important for both pastors and non-pastors to be reminded of the essential responsibilities that come with the office. After all, it’s the responsibility of the pastor to carry out these functions and the responsibility of the members to ensure they are helping the pastor focus on them. “If you click on a job posting at ziprecruiter.com, you’ll find the job overview, the specific responsibilities, and the required qualifications. This information clarifies what the job entails. But when it comes to the work of a pastor, it’s Scripture that lays out the job.”

What About Bob? We are all experts at expressing love toward people who will only ever be at a distance from us. But real love is shown to those who are close-up to us. “‘Those lost people over there’ or ‘those Christians in that country’ are easy to love because theoretical people don’t sin against you; you don’t see their blemishes or know their struggles. You’ll never stay up late to hear them cry after a miscarriage. You won’t ever have a disagreement about doctrine and then worship together two days later. The theoretical love that you have for that person lives in your mind and you can convince yourself that you would really love them if you only had the chance. But would you?”

A Critical Heart Is a Miserable Heart. We’ve all done this, right? “Dinner wraps up, and you hug your friends goodbye. Pulling out of their driveway, you feel caffeinated by all that your observant eyes noticed during dinner. You burst with ‘insightful’ judgments, confident your spouse is thankful to be with someone so in tune with human nature.” But actually, “you dissect your friends with an unfriendly scalpel, filleting their lives like frogs in biology class.”

Recommendations

The past couple of weeks I have been asking you to tell me what you recommend, then shared it in Weekend A La Carte (be sure to check it out). Let’s do it again!

Let me know what you are enjoying and would recommend to other readers. It could be a book, an article, a product, or anything else. I will compile some of them and share them on the weekend. Just fill out this form to share what’s bringing you joy these days—and what might bring joy to others. (The form won’t appear in the email newsletter, so you’ll need to click through to fill it out.)

If you are recommending a product, please consider providing a URL.

Flashback

Not a Lack of Food, But a Lack of Hunger. We have before us all the spiritual food we could ever need…The question is whether we will take and eat—whether we will satisfy ourselves with the bounty spread out before us.

Sales & Deals

Today’s Kindle deals include some good deals on a variety of books. Pastors may want to take a look since a few are geared specifically for them.

Recommended Reading

Christianity Today featured doctor-missionary Peter Stafford who made international headlines when he contracted Ebola.

Before the outbreak, the Staffords’ days usually revolved around work, a mix of local schools and homeschooling for their children, soccer practice, and making time to be together.

In the weeks leading up to the May 15 announcement of the Ebola outbreak, there were a series of unexplained deaths in the town of Mongbwalu, 35 miles north of Nyankunde.

The Staffords always had plans for the possibility of Ebola. They were vaccinated for the known strains. They had decided that, were there an outbreak, one of them would stay home with the children while the other worked in the hospital.

They never got to put their plan into action.

Read: Peter Stafford Trusted God. He Was Still Afraid to Die of Ebola.

Randy Alcorn tells some of his story as background to considering the importance of advocating for the unborn.

I was involved in nine rescues and was arrested seven times, one of which resulted in a few days in jail. I was also sued by a Portland abortion clinic. One court judgment against us was the largest against pro-lifers in history: $8.2 million.

I believe in paying every debt, but I could not pay people who would use the money to kill children. As a result, the clinic came to the church to garnish my wages. To prevent the church from either having to pay the clinic or defy a court order, I resigned. It was painful, having been a pastor there from its beginning, but what the abortionists intended for evil, God intended for good, and he has accomplished his purposes (Genesis 50:20; Romans 8:28). Nanci and I began a nonprofit, Eternal Perspective Ministries, so we could pursue the causes closest to our hearts—primarily missions and pro-life work.

See: If We Don’t Speak for the Unborn, Who Will?

David Oks likes to consider big questions related to people and their cultures. In this article, he looks at kinship societies and tries to answer why they can have an increased incidence of killing their old. Here’s his answer:

Kinship societies are redistributive societies: they redistribute from the young, productive, and healthy to the old, unproductive, and sick. Of course, all societies have some sort of redistribution. But in kinship societies, that redistribution occurs within the household: and—particularly in bad years, when households are close to scarcity—amounts to a zero-sum choice between feeding the young and feeding the old. The young, productive, and healthy would like some way to escape these obligations: but they can’t do that without violating the fundamental norms of kinship.

So witch killings are a way out: they allow you to repudiate kinship obligations while publicly reaffirming your commitment to them. By accusing your grandfather of witchcraft and killing him, you can dispose of an unwanted dependent without ever admitting that you wanted him gone.

It’s an interesting theory and one worth considering. What I’d find even more interesting would be a consideration of how the acceptance of euthanasia in Western societies will lead to a different way of the young killing the old.

See: Why Kinship Societies Kill their Old.

For the past few decades, we have heard a lot about the risk of overpopulating the earth. Ironically, many people are now even more concerned with underpopulating the earth through plummeting birth rates. Creation.com takes this on:

God was not giving a suggestion when He told mankind to multiply. Yet many in the Church today question God and conclude that the command was okay when the earth was empty, but that it surely does not apply today. This kind of thinking suggests that God did not anticipate the ‘problems’ we might experience with a large population. God did actually mean for this command to be followed throughout the entire time that mankind is on the earth. Nowhere in Scripture has God repealed this command.

God has provided more than sufficient natural resources to meet all of our needs, and the needs of a much larger population than today’s. The resources will not run out during the time God intends for us to inhabit this earth, until Christ returns. In addition, even if particular resources become scarce, we will find ways to use resources more efficiently or use substitutes.

Read: Dispelling the Overpopulation Myth.

When we speak about AI, it is inevitable that someone will soon use the term “slop.” While we can acknowledge many legitimate uses for AI, we can’t deny that much of what it creates is, indeed, slop.

The term ‘slop’, which many use to characterize AI, is worth considering. ‘Slop’ is uniform, formless, tasteless food, produced in great quantity, with low nutritional value, designed for swift mass delivery to and consumption by large groups for whose specific members one holds no meaningful regard and with whom one desires no sustained interactions. ‘Slop’ is typically served to animals, to prisoners, and to other institutionalized persons, to groups that are entirely dependent, to those who have no other choice or alternative, and to those who have appetite but no taste. ‘Slop’ has much less value when there are realistic alternatives on the menu, or a menu in the first place.

Read: Slop.

They don’t make them like they used to! That definitely applies when we talk about the venerable Boeing 747. It’s quickly disappearing, especially from North American skies, but I’m glad I got to fly it a few times. My favorite experience was when I flew Lufthansa from Johannesburg to Frankfurt. They unexpectedly upgraded me to first class, then very apologetically downgraded me to business class due to a broken seat. Due to EU regulations, they had to hand me a €2,000 check for my trouble. That’s one of the few trips I’ve taken where I came out ahead! Anyway, none of that is relevant to this story from The Atlantic.

I was arriving at this desolate site north of Tucson, where airplanes go to die, to mourn the 747, the original jumbo jet—a.k.a. the Whale, the Longreach, the Sky Cruiser, the Mother of All Airliners, the Queen of the Skies. For 50 years, the aircraft was the principal host of Important Journeys: a young student’s trip to study abroad in Paris, a first-generation American’s pilgrimage to their ancestral home in Hungary, an Iranian family fleeing the 1979 revolution. Combining the immensity of an ocean liner and the elegance of a swan, the 747 is the only commercial jet that deserves to be called beautiful. Over the past two decades, airlines have stopped using it as a passenger plane and replaced it with smaller aircraft that are more efficient, but far less majestic and memorable. The 747 was once a symbol of American might, invention, progress, and populism. Now it embodies the decline of all of those values.

The Boeing 747 Begins Its Final Descent.

Canadian news has been buzzing about bill C-34, the Safe Social Media Act. The Association for Reformed Political Action analyzed it and, not surprisingly, determines that it is a mixed bag.

Ideological censorship is also a concern for the category “content that foments hatred.” Social media operators may deem something harmful or hateful simply because they disagree with it or want to avoid trouble for not addressing it. Companies may flag controversial content to avoid potential liability.

According to the bill, content likely to foment hatred means “content that expresses detestation or vilification of an individual or group of individuals on the basis of a prohibited ground of discrimination.” The bill also clarifies that “content does not express detestation or vilification solely because it expresses disdain or dislike or it discredits, humiliates, hurts or offends.”

See: Will the Safe Social Media Act Make the Internet Safer?

What You Recommend

Earlier this week, I asked the people who read this newsletter to send along their recommendations—recommendations for just about anything. I cannot possibly share all that were submitted, but I did want to share a substantial and varied list. Enjoy!

• Dean began making his way through Calvin’s Institutes and then, well into his reading, discovered the John Calvin’s Institutes In a Year podcast. He recommends it!
• Sam recommends Spiritual Depression by Martin Lloyd Jones, specifically chapter 8, Feelings. He says it’s the most helpful writing he has found on a Christian’s relationship with their emotions and temperament.
• Dwight appreciates MasterWorks Festival, an intensive four-week Christian music camp for serious young classical musicians in high school or college.
• Randy loves the Puritan Treasures for Today series of books from Reformation Heritage Books. They are short and lightly edited for easy reading, and therefore ideal for people who may be new to the Puritans and their writing.
• Garrett thinks the Literal Word Bible app is underappreciated and wants others to get to know it.
• Linda gathered a few friends to read and discuss Beauty and Justice by Haejin and Makoto Fujimura throughout the summer. The age span is 29-75 and the vocations have been widely varied. She says the discussion has been rich.
• Jake has enjoyed Malcolm Guite’s epic poem Galahad & the Grail, which he describes as “beautiful, biblical, and shockingly engrossing!”
• Lydia recommends the Theologically Driven podcast by the Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary, especially episodes interviewing John Aloisi.
• Brandon thinks you should consider reading The Wide Wide Sea by Hampton Sides, a historical work about eighteenth century British exploration and a certain famed explorer named Captain James Cook. I have read it and recommend it as well!
• Several people recommend Theo of Golden.
• Jason says “About 15 years ago my wife gave me an Elite Embosser. I still use it any time I get a new book (which is quite often) and it still works just as well as the day I got it. It remains one of the best gifts I have ever received.”
• Michael recommends Nor Scrip by Amy Carmichael (readable for free online—scroll down to find it). It is “about all the miraculous answers to prayer they received in the early years of Dohnavur Fellowship, especially with regard to their financial needs.”
• Maria says a friend recently gave her Single and Satisfied by Nancy Wilson and she read it in two days. “What a rich little gem and delightful encouragement for those of us who are unmarried daughters.”
• Marilyn says, “I’m reading through the Chronicles of Narnia again. So many layers, so much pure fun!”
• Audrey is enjoying grandparenting. “This past weekend we had two of our grandchildren come for a visit. It is so sweet to hear their little voices and to watch my daughter be such a good mommy. I highly recommend grandparenting!”
• Rebecca enjoys the New York Times cooking app. “Summer has the potential to allow for unhurried cooking, experimenting and trying new things. There are recipes in abundance and short ‘Inspiration’ videos.”

Flashback

When the Sermon Fizzles Instead of Sizzles. What if preaching is powerless not because of the pastor’s lack of preparation but because of the church’s lack of prayer? What if poor preaching is not the consequence of any failure on the pastor’s part but on the congregation’s?

Sales & Deals

Today’s Kindle deals include several good picks from Christian Focus. There have been lots of good deals this week, so it’s worth scrolling back a bit to see what else may grab your attention.

Recommended Reading

The Art of Dying a Slow Death Well. In this article, “Kevin McKay points pastors to the reality that suffering in pastoral ministry is often quiet and slow, taking place in small increments rather than in one dramatic act. A pastor’s role and responsibilities make him particularly vulnerable to being underappreciated or even opposed. After McKay identifies the kinds of trials pastors are likely to face, he then offers suggestions for persevering faithfully amid what he refers to as a ‘slow death.’ Ultimately, pastoral suffering is for God’s glory and the eternal good of the pastor and his people.”

Moral Plausibility Structures. Justin Poythress writes about moral plausibility structures—a helpful concept to understand. “Cultural mores are crowd-sourced. If you’ve lived over a generation, you’ve seen it. Words, behaviors, and opinions once confined to windowless bars have now become mainstream, while practicing traditional values places you in the circle of eccentric, at best.”

Who Should Be Admitted to the Lord’s Supper? 4 Views. Davy Ellison covers the four views of who should be allowed to participate in the Lord’s Supper and then advocates for one of them. I would generally share his view, for what that’s worth. “I want to help you think more deeply about who should be admitted to the supper. If communion is a precious and profound privilege, who participates is important.”

Should We Let Children Serve Before Belonging? Stephen Kneale answers a question that is at least tangentially related to the previous one. “The question of when, or even if, to permit children to serve in church is a perennial one. On paper, this is a uniquely Baptist problem. If children aren’t members of the church unless and until you baptise them, how far can we include them in the ordinary goings on of the church?”

IVF and the Fractured Right: How the Church Should Lead the Conversation. There is a new issue of CBMW’s Eikon journal available and one of its articles prompts Christians to take a leading role in the conversation about IVF. “There’s much the church can do within their arsenal to equip the saints for the work of ministry (Eph 4:12–16), to contend for the faith (Jude 3), and to engage the world with the Word. What we cannot do is be silent and outsource what is meant to be primarily the church’s duty to the pundits of Washington or the talking heads delivering our news.”

Headlines

A billion “Monsters.” I remember buying Skillet’s first album on the first day it released. That was a long time ago! The Christian Post reports that Skillet’s song “Monster” has now been streamed upwards of 4 billion times on Spotify. In fact, “the six-times platinum track is the only song by a Christian artist to surpass 1 billion streams on Spotify, making it one of the most-streamed rock songs of all time.”

The slippery slope. National Review reports on the horrific news that the Netherlands has euthanized a child. Euthanasia is inevitably a slippery slope and this news proves it once again. “Forget looking down a slippery slope. Legally, a doctor has ended the life of a child in the Netherlands. We don’t know the exact age, but we do know the child was twelve or under.”

Flashback

What We Cannot Escape. We cannot escape trials of every kind. We are too weak and this world is too broken to escape all difficulties. But with God’s help we can escape their futility, we can escape their power to defeat and destroy us.

Sales & Deals

Today’s Kindle deals include several excellent books from The Good Book Company like Peace Over Perfection and The Air We Breathe. Here’s a final reminder that you’ll find tons of Prime Day deals at this link.

Over at Westminster Books, you can find a great deal on a new book on the faith of George Washington. Remember that they’ve also got a deal on Calvin’s Illustrated Institutes.

Recommended Reading

Why Felix Nmecha Says Football Will Never Satisfy. I enjoyed this little profile of German footballer Felix Nmecha. “When Felix Nmecha scored Germany’s opening goal against Curaçao, he knelt down, gestured to heaven, and then motioned as if he was removing a crown from his head and placing it at his feet for Jesus. It stood out because so often players will celebrate themselves: thumping their chests, motioning that they’re number one, and standing in front of their fans as if to soak in the glory.”

Are AI chatbots like ChatGPT Politically Biased? We have all heard the concern that AI chatbots are politically biased. They are, after all, created and tuned by human beings. The Washington Post carried out a careful study and the results were pretty much exactly as you’d expect. It “tested the AI models behind OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini and others using political questions designed by researchers to gauge how chatbots respond to hot-button political issues. The results suggest that chatbots have clear political leanings that can conflict with promises made by the companies behind them.”

Adding Value. I pretty much always enjoy Matthew Hall’s Midweek Musings. This one on adding value is no exception. “What value do you add to the place you’re in? The people you’re around? If you aren’t adding value, not only are you likely expendable to your employer but you’re also likely unhappy and not flourishing in general.”

What Jesus Actually Meant by ‘Judge Not.’ “‘Jesus himself says not to judge.’ Thus many a conversation about Christian ethics has come to a swift end. I often hear this verse quoted to me in conversations about the Bible’s sexual ethic, especially when these conversations occur in progressive, secular spaces. But it doesn’t take much imagination to guess how it might be deployed elsewhere. When used to shut down conversations, the implicit meaning is something like this: Jesus says it’s wrong to tell me I’m wrong.”

It’s Always Because of God’s Glory. Stephen Kneale says rightly that a lot of articles wouldn’t need to be written if we could just wrap our minds around the reality that it’s always because of God’s glory. “This world is setup to the maximal glory of God. If things would glorify God more another way, and God is sovereign over them all, I suspect he would have set them up that way. Everything that happens, everything God permits, everything that is, exists because God determined it better serves his glory this way than had he set it up another way.”

Death is the Ultimate Perspective. Zachary Conover: “Death reminds us what matters most. It jolts us out of our routines and shakes us awake from our lethargic slumber. Most effectively, it takes our focus off of ourselves and our problems which seem so consuming. Death is the ultimate perspective.”

The Funniest

My friend Chris Martin maintains a Substack called The Funnies, and every Saturday he shares a few fun and silly things he found on the Internet—something I see as a modern equivalent to the comics pages that used to be in every newspaper. I asked him to share a couple with you.

Small print: The inclusion of someone’s “funny” here is neither an endorsement of that person nor a recommendation that you follow them on social media. Just laugh or roll your eyes and then move on.

Flashback

When You Want It More Than They Do. What should you do when you grow concerned about another person’s progress or lack thereof? How can you respond in the face of what appears to be their apathy toward sanctification? Here are a few suggestions.

Sales & Deals

Today’s Kindle deals include books from New Growth Press and other publishers.

Yesterday I shared an article about Prime Day deals. You’ll find lots of good deals on Print books, Kindle books, commentaries, and so on. Pretty much all of those deals should still be valid today.

Recommended Reading

The Phoebe Hoax. Denny Burk: “Never has more been made of so little than what egalitarians make of Paul’s mention of Phoebe in Romans 16:1-2. This is no disrespect to Phoebe, who clearly was a faithful Christian woman from the environs of Corinth. But egalitarians have fabricated an entire mythology around this woman that is not justified by what Paul actually says about her.” He explains what the Bible actually says and what we can fairly extrapolate from it.

Where Should Complementarians Draw the Line? Speaking of that issue, Steve Lambert tries to consider where complementarians should draw the line. “What roles in church leadership are open to women? Every church in our day faces this perennial question and will, at some point, need to find an answer on which they are willing to stand. They will need to decide whether they take a traditional complementarian position—holding that the Bible reserves certain roles in church leadership for men—or an egalitarian position—holding that all roles in the church are open to women and men. Likewise, denominational bodies will also need to navigate disagreements between their constituent churches on this issue and decide where they stand.”

What to Do When They Walk Away. “I was talking with a man about faith. I don’t remember exactly how the conversation started, but somewhere in the middle of it I could see that he needed Jesus. So I did what seemed right in the moment—I held out a Bible and said, ‘You need this. You need Jesus.’ He took it from my hands, looked at it, and then he threw it violently to the ground.” This article considers what to do when people reject the truth we offer.

I Know God Is Good… but Is He Also Kind? Matt Collier recounts an especially tragic time and explains how and why he went searching for evidence of God’s kindness. “Like so many who encounter traumatic loss, I naturally responded with questions. I didn’t doubt the core goodness of God. My struggle related to God’s kindness: ‘Lord, I know you are good, but right now, it just doesn’t seem like you are kind.’ An anniversary trip. So quick and yet so agonizing. A young family. Lives derailed. It all just seemed so unnecessary, so cruel, so unkind.”

I Thought Healing Would Look Different. Kirsten Black: “Before I experienced loss, I assumed healing was much like that of a broken bone; the limb is injured and immobile for a season, full of pain and agony, but eventually it returns to its full function. What I realize now is that losing a child is more like an amputation than a broken bone. The limb is gone and one must learn to function altogether differently.”

Loaves, Fish, and Un-Self-Conscious Little Boys. Michael Kelley tells what all Christians can learn from un-self-conscious little boys.

Flashback

The Most Dangerous Thing a Christian Can Do. They didn’t mean to leave the church, but inadvertently allowed their lives and lifestyles to hinder their attendance. Church got displaced by other priorities until it became little more than an afterthought. They became unintentional deconstructionists.

Sales & Deals

Today’s Kindle deals include several titles from P&R’s The Gospel in the Old Testament series. You’ll find lots of other good options as well.

Westminster Books has a great deal on the new (second) volume of John Calvin’s Illustrated Institutes.

Stay tuned for a list of deals from Amazon’s Prime Days. There are often good deals to be had on books, so I’ll be keeping an eye out for those.

Recommended Reading

Murder in Disguise. Carl Trueman: “What is it that haunts the nightmares of parents of children with disabilities—with cerebral palsy, let’s say, or, given our psychologized times, perhaps even a propensity towards depression? I discovered the answer in a recent conversation with a friend who has a son with Down syndrome. It is the fear that when the parents pass away, the child will become vulnerable to state-enforced euthanasia.”

The Design of Feet on Display at the World Cup. I appreciate what Emily Reeves points out in this article: That the true star of the World Cup is the human foot and its remarkable design. “The human foot is beautiful and versatile. Dance shows off its beauty, and football, aka soccer, its multifunctionality. The most famous plays in the sport’s history would not be possible without the amazing ability of the foot to reconfigure, stiffen, become flexible, tilt inwards and outwards, and pivot right or left.”

Sovereignty and My Murdered Friend. John Piper addresses a really difficult issue in this episode of Ask Pastor John. “Pastor John, I’m a high school student. A girl who was my close teammate and her mother were recently brutally murdered. People say this was ‘her time’ or ‘God’s will,’ but I don’t understand how this can be true. The murderer’s actions were obviously sinful, violating God’s commands like ‘You shall not murder’ (Exodus 20:13). If their choices were evil, how could this tragedy be God’s plan? How does God’s sovereign will operate alongside human sin, especially when it leads to such profound suffering? How can I reconcile this and turn to the Lord for comfort and understanding in my grief?”

Where Are the Young Men? Ministry and the Crisis of Formation. This article takes as its starting point that fewer young men seem to be pursuing careers in ministry, then goes in an interesting direction. “The problem is not that no young men are considering the ministry. The problem is deeper and more complicated. The shortage of young men entering ministry is not simply a recruitment problem. It is a formation problem. Before the church asks why fewer young men are becoming pastors, we may need to ask why fewer young men are being formed into men capable of embracing costly, durable, public, spiritual responsibility.”

Raising Kids in the Faith Is Simpler Than You May Think. Joe Carter looks at the results of a new study about children who retain the faith of their parents. “A new report finds that the single biggest factor in whether children keep the faith isn’t their church, their youth group, or their peers but their parents. The more surprising finding is what works at home, and how often well-meaning Christian parents get it backward.”

We Are the Witnesses. “Only a few hours earlier, I had joined a large crowd at a church just a few blocks from our home. We gathered there to be witnesses to grief as a heartbroken mother and father followed their son’s casket out of the church to the graveyard. He was only twenty-two years old, and the sadness poured out of our swollen eyes, like a steady rain in the middle of the night. I wonder if our shared tears will help fill in the dry spaces for his parents in a few weeks or a year from now. I don’t know what it’s like to lose a child, but I do know the importance of standing as a witness to pain, and I think we all felt the significance of the moment in front of us.”

True Manhood

I’ve often appreciated this quote by F.B. Meyer, which he addresses those who feel that they could do more for the Lord if only their circumstances were different. He insists that each of us is in exactly the right circumstances to serve to our greatest capacity.

If, my brother, you could have reached your truest manhood as an emperor or a reformer, as a millionaire or a martyr, you would have been born into one of those positions; but since you are only a servant, a bank clerk, or an ordinary businessman, you will find right beside you the materials and possibilities of a great life. If, my sister, you could have attained to the loftiest development of your nature by being a mother, or a rich man’s wife, or a queen, you would have found yourself placed there; but since your lot is that of a milliner’s assistant, factory hand, or toiling mother, you must believe that, somewhere within your reach, if only you will search for them, you will discover the readiest conditions of a noble and useful life.

Flashback

Being the Best You Can Be. Remember that whatever he has given you is a gift from the hand of the King. Far be it from you to reject his gift and demand someone else’s.

Sales & Deals

Today’s Kindle deals include In the Lord I Take Refuge by Dane Ortlund, Turn Your Eyes by Winfree Brisley, and several other good picks from Crossway.

Spydle

Do you enjoy simple but satisfying games? If so, you should check out Spydle, which my friend Stephen and I have collaborated on. It’s as simple as it gets: Look at a very zoomed-in picture and guess what it is. If you get it wrong, it zooms out. Check it out at playspydle.com.

Recommended Reading

Why This Temptation? For the Glory of God. Gareth Simpson: “Because God allows temptation, he must have an excellent purpose for doing so. God is always at work for our good and his glory. He wants us to know, trust, and obey him; temptation, on the other hand, is the offer to reject God’s loving purpose for us. When we reject temptation—as Job did—and rest in God’s sovereignty, God’s name is more glorified than if we had never been tempted. The ultimate temptation is to be satisfied in something other than God; to doubt God’s goodness. To glorify God’s name is to give him the preeminent place in our hearts. It is to allow Jesus to be Lord of our lives.”

Running Out of Time. This is quite an interesting reflection from Brad Littlejohn about the reality that many of life’s most important accomplishments cannot be rushed. “In every field of human accomplishment, it is only the sustained, painful application of effort over a very long period of time that can produce skill or mastery.”

Let Me Dwell in Your Tent Forever. Wes Bredenhof discusses why it’s so unusual that David would say, “Let me dwell in your tent forever.” “Have you ever been told that a certain spot is a ‘safe place’? It’s a buzzword in our culture. A safe place is often thought of as somewhere you can safely express yourself without fear of judgment. But sometimes a safe place is also somewhere you don’t have to be afraid of physical harm. If you’re afraid of someone or something, you don’t have to be afraid in a safe place. They can’t hurt you there. Have you ever been so afraid that you wished you had a safe place?”

The Mirage of the Influencer–Pastor. Sam Hyeong Rae Jo offers a lot to ponder in this article about what Carl Trueman refers to as “Gig Eva.” “In recent years, the evangelical landscape has undergone a seismic shift no longer confined to North America. We have moved from an era of large, stable institutions toward a decentralized, digital-first world of individual content creators. Although this phenomenon is often discussed in an American context, it has become a global crisis, accelerated by the borderless nature of the digital age. Across the world, the center of gravity is shifting from the objective life of the church to the subjective personality of the leader.”

Seven Marks of Growing Disciples. Afshin Ziafat offers seven key marks of growing disciples. “Since spiritual maturity is a process and not a destination, we need to know we are on the right path. Even though we will never get to the top of the mountain in this life, we need markers to guide us along the way. To that end, our church has identified seven characteristics of a maturing disciple.”

What It Means That Christ Is Praying for You Today. We should probably give more time to pondering the amazing reality that Jesus Christ is praying for us. “Through the cross and resurrection, Christ has crushed sin’s dominion. He has shattered the chains of death, led a host of captives free (Ephesians 4: 8), and triumphed over every power and authority. Paul tells the Romans, ‘Christ Jesus died and was raised and is now seated at the right hand of God.’ Unlike us, sitting down doesn’t mean He’s grabbing the remote and kicking up His feet. His sitting signifies something far more profound…”

Recommendations

Last week, I asked you to tell me what you recommend, then shared it in Weekend A La Carte (be sure to check it out). I really enjoyed that feature and would like to do it again.

So let me know what you are enjoying and would recommend to other readers. It could be a book, an article, a product, or anything else. I will compile some of them and share them on the weekend. Just fill out this form to share what’s bringing you joy these days—and what might bring joy to others. (The form won’t appear in the email newsletter, so you’ll need to click through to fill it out.)

If you are recommending a product, please consider providing a URL.

Flashback

The Thing About Light and Momentary. Even as our suffering is excruciating it is also light and even while it feels endless it is also momentary. To understand this we must engage our faith and move forward in time—forward beyond time.