The Lord be with you and bless you on this fine day. I added a couple of noteworthy Kindle deals just a little bit late yesterday. And I’ll be on the hunt for more today. (Yesterday on the blog: It’s Okay To Be a Two-Talent Christian) Good Cop, Bad Cop in the Home Ed Welch explains why it’s so important for parents to avoid playing good cop, bad cop roles with their children. “The good cop, bad cop approach may work well when eliciting criminal confessions, but it was never intended for the home.” “Quite …Able to Communicate” I love this little anecdote from the life of Brother Andrew. And i ..read more

It is for good reason that we have both the concept and the word average. To be average is to be typical, to be—when measured against points of comparison—rather unremarkable. It’s a truism that most of us are, in most ways, average. The average one of us is of average ability, has average looks, will live an average lifespan, and will leave an average mark on the world. That’s just the way averages work. Maybe it’s something about being well into middle age that has given me greater freedom to admit all the ways in which I am average or below average. As a young man, I may have harbored dre ..read more

Logos users, you’ve got a couple of weeks left to save on new or upgraded packages. If you’re like me, you’ll probably want to start with the Reformed packages. Also, be sure to grab Jerry Bridge’s The Bookends of the Christian Life and John Stott’s God’s Word for Today’s World, both of which are free. Finally, take a look at the monthly deals and remember that the Reformed Expository Commentary series is discounted through April. Meanwhile, Westminster Books is offering half-price on a unique resource on the Gospel of Mark—one that can be used for personal growth or for sermon preparation ..read more

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you today. Today’s Kindle deals include a few new options for collectors. (Yesterday on the blog: The Night Is Far Gone) Why I Went Cold Turkey on Political Theology This is a really good article with a really good point to make. “We are responsible for the fields of our lives, for the tending of their soil and for the seeds that we plant within them. Unless we are vigilant in weeding our lives, in taking care over the seeds planted within them, and in inspecting what each seed yields, it may not take long for our entire characters to be overrun by error o ..read more

There are few things in life more shameful than sleeping when you ought to be working, or slacking off when you ought to be diligent. When your calling is to be active, it is inappropriate and even sinful to remain passive. This is especially true when it comes to contexts that are of the highest importance and the greatest urgency. I sometimes wonder if the closing paragraph of Romans 13 is one of those sections we tend to overlook a little bit. It’s sandwiched between controversial passages that receive a great deal of attention—one explaining how Christians are to relate to civil governmen ..read more

Good morning. Grace and peace to you. Today’s Kindle deals include a selection of good titles from Crossway. Among them are some newer ones like Carl Trueman’s Crisis of Confidence and biographies of both Elisabeth Elliot and C.S. Lewis. (Yesterday on the blog: Exactly the Purpose God Intended) Eclipsed by Glory: My Personal Reflections on the 2024 Solar Eclipse Here’s an enthusiastic and God-glorifying reflection on the recent solar eclipse. There are some great pictures, too. “I’ve had a few days to ponder the one minute and 53 seconds I experienced on April 8th, and I’d like to leave you w ..read more

General revelation serves exactly the purpose God intended for it—it reveals his power and divine nature. But, its message, while important, is insufficient—insufficient by design. Though general revelation tells us about the existence of God, it does not tell us about how to be reconciled to God. As Sam Stephen says, “While general revelation is indeed important, it is not sufficient in itself. It is through scripture, not nature alone, that we come to know and articulate the particulars of the gospel message and are called to uniquely respond to it.” To know the message of the gospel, the ..read more

My gratitude goes to The Missionary Conference for sponsoring the blog this week. They invite you to join John Piper, Sinclair Ferguson, Conrad Mbewe, Kevin DeYoung, Steven Lawson, and many others at #MISSIONARYCON24 in Jacksonville, FL this October. There are some new Kindle deals to browse through today. (Yesterday on the blog: How Should We Then Die?) The Pain of Being Single; The Love That Holds Me Fast This is a very strong piece of writing by Olivia Davis. “I hated my story. I didn’t see in it the marvelous weaving of God’s mysterious ways, the undercurrents of his love in the most impo ..read more

This giveaway is sponsored by Moody Publishers, who also sponsored the blog last week with Overflowing Mercies. Attention all Bible scholars, believers in the power of faith, and lovers of the Word! Learn about God’s divine mercy and compassion with our exclusive Bible Study Giveaway. Win the ultimate bible study library including Overflowing Mercies by author and Bible teacher Craig Allen Cooper. This giveaway also includes books that are sure to encourage and challenge you like:  The Kindness of God, Loneliness, Known for Love, and the bestselling Illustrated Little Pilgrims Progress ..read more

Euthanasia makes a lot of sense. At least in our culture at this time, it makes intuitive sense that those who are ill without hope for a cure or those who are in pain without likelihood of relief ought to be able to choose to end their own lives. Our culture assumes there are few higher virtues than autonomy and that an individual’s right to self-government should extend even to matters of life and death. Hence we see the rising acceptance and legalization of euthanasia throughout the West, though it comes in the form of several variations and euphemisms—physician-assisted death, physician ..read more