Today’s Kindle deals include another long list of interesting titles. November has gotten off to quite the start!

(Yesterday on the blog: New and Notable Books for November)

Romans 7 and a Post-Conversion Perspective

I guess this debate won’t end until Christ’s return, but for now I tend to lean toward this perspective. “I do not want to enter into the intricacies of the debate in this post. Rather, I only want to offer my defense of a post-conversion reading. That is, I believe Paul is describing his Christian experience in Romans 7:14-25. Here’s why…”

The Great Commission Is Guaranteed, So Let’s Get to Work

“Before giving his disciples the Great Commission, Jesus made a promise to build his church. He guaranteed that not even the gates of hell can stop its advance (Matt. 16:18). As a church planter, I continually come back to this great guarantee. Church planting is difficult and costly. It often feels like we’re in a battle with the forces of hell itself. But knowing that Jesus’ plan to redeem the world is accomplished through the planting of more local churches gives me great comfort and confidence. It’s a reality that keeps me pressing ahead, especially in the difficult days.”

State of Health Report Shows Growing Despair Among American Men

The statistics seem to point to the reality that there is a growing sense of despair among American men. That seems like a challenge worthy of the church!

What Happens to Your Brain on Jet Lag

Jet lag is a familiar foe to me!

Christian Booksellers’ Defiant New Chapter

These are difficult days for Christian bookstores. But many are not yet ready to give up! “In the last two decades, more than 5,200 evangelical bookstores have gone out of business. Trost knows how easily one hard year—a tough Christmas season, an economic downturn, a personal health issue—can be the last.”

Simple Encouragement

Here’s a helpful word for preachers as they prepare sermons week by week. “Preacher, do you encourage?  It is strange to take note of how  encouragement is missing in a lot of preaching these days.”

No Matter How Painful the Situation, Ending a Disabled Child’s Life Through Abortion Is Never Right

“This issue is especially personal for me because it was three years ago last month that my son, Isaiah, was born silently. Two months before that, at our 20-week ultrasound scan, we found out he had multiple serious abnormalities, resulting in the prenatal diagnosis of Trisomy 18. What followed were some of the most difficult weeks of my life. Even now the memory of that time takes my breath away.”

Flashback: No Better (or Worse) Time To Be Disabled

Though there has never been a better time to be born with a disability, there has never been a worse time to be pre-born with a disability. This is one of our society’s most glaring contradictions, her most damnable sins.

We should be rigorous in judging ourselves and gracious in judging others. —John Wesley

Hymn Sunday is a collaboration with Getty Music. Below you will find a video along with downloadable sheet music.

If we examine our personal devotions or listen in on a prayer meeting, our thanksgiving often focuses on health and position, family and friends, home and belongings (and all these are right and good – the Bible tells us to give thanks in every situation).

But the prayers of the early church in the New Testament never follow this pattern. The strong emphasis there is on giving thanks to God for spiritual blessings – the blessings that have true value beyond life on earth.

In “My Heart Is Filled with Thankfulness” we give thanks to God for spiritual blessings – past, present and future: what Christ has done for us – for forgiveness and new life, which only He could bring by coming here to earth and suffering for us…how He walks beside us each day and having lived, breathed and walked here on earth…how He promises to be with us whatever our future holds.

My Heart is Filled with Thankfulness

My heart is filled with thankfulness
To Him who bore my pain;
Who plumbed the depths of my disgrace
And gave me life again;
Who crushed my curse of sinfulness
And clothed me in His light
And wrote His law of righteousness
With pow’r upon my heart.

My heart is filled with thankfulness
To Him who walks beside;
Who floods my weaknesses with strength
And causes fears to fly;
Whose ev’ry promise is enough
For ev’ry step I take,
Sustaining me with arms of love
And crowning me with grace.

My heart is filled with thankfulness
To him who reigns above,
Whose wisdom is my perfect peace,
Whose ev’ry thought is love.
For ev’ry day I have on earth
Is given by the King;
So I will give my life, my all,
To love and follow him.

Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend
Copyright © 2003 Thankyou Music

• Download the MP3
• Download the Hymnal
• Download the simple piano music
• Spotify

Today’s Kindle deals include a collection of titles from Matthias Media.

Logos has begun a Pre Black Friday sale with new deals every week. This week they’ve heavily discounted many of their Mobile Ed courses.

(Yesterday on the blog: My Heart Is Filled With Thankfulness)

Advice for Christians Who Work Sundays

John Piper has advice for Christians who must work on Sunday.

Digital Life After Death

“Social media after death is something few people consider until someone close to them dies.” WORLD magazine reports.

Sanctifying God’s Name at the Lord’s Supper

“What is going on when a believer comes to the Lord’s table? What should be gripping your heart – your thinking, feeling and willing – when you come to the Supper?” Here’s some counsel on that.

Mohler: ‘I Will Accept Nomination’ as SBC President

“Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President R. Albert Mohler Jr. will accept a nomination in June 2020 to serve as Southern Baptist Convention president, he told Baptist Press Friday.” This strikes me as happy news.

Infographic: How Is Your Prayer Life?

Crossway: “Over 14,000 people recently shared about various aspects of their prayer lives with us. In the infographic below, we invite you to dig into the data, looking at established prayer habits, common pain points, and useful practices and tools for prayer.”

The First Map of America’s Food Supply Chain Is Mind-Boggling

This is strangely fascinating. “Our map is a comprehensive snapshot of all food flows between counties in the U.S.—grains, fruits and vegetables, animal feed, and processed food items.”

You Can Argue Till You’re Blue in the Face

You can argue till you’re blue in the face when the Jehovah’s Witnesses come knocking. “It never fails. As soon as I close the door, I remember what I should have said, the just-right logic that might have scored a point. They flip open the Bible (their version, conveniently re-translated) to the perfect verse, serving me a gentle volley that I could spike over the net… if only my mind hadn’t just gone blank.”

Flashback: Four Key Principles of Repentance

We need to have tender consciences, so we do not grow hardened against the small sins that eventually metastasize into large ones.

A taste of God’s goodness ruins you for worldly delicacies. —Jared Wilson

It’s probably one of the most common and commonly-missed errors Christians make when speaking about the Bible—they call the final book of the Bible “Revelations” instead of “Revelation.” The difference is subtle—a single “s.” Yet that little letter, in its own way, changes the very nature of the book. It matters.

It matters because it’s crucial to a proper reading of any document to get the first word right. If we go around thinking Abraham Lincoln began the Gettysburg Address with “Fore score and seven years ago…” we might miss the connection he makes to the signing of the Declaration of Independence 87 years prior. We can’t just pluralize the book of Genesis and make it “Genesises” if we want to capture the fact that it describes the beginning rather than beginnings. We’d do damage to Peter’s Pentecost sermon if we changed the opening “men” to “man.” “Man of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words…”

The book of Revelation takes its name from its opening word. That word is apokalypsis which is best translated as “revelation,” though it can also catch the senses of unveiling or disclosing. Crucially and obviously, it’s a singular, not plural, word. Translators also rightly add the definite article “the” to indicate this is “the revelation.” The is not an area of dispute; no translator begins with “the revelations.”

The next two words are “Jesus” and “Christ.” So, literally, the first three words of the book are “revelation,” “Jesus,” and “Christ,” which we typically translate as “the revelation of Jesus Christ.” We need to ask in what way this is the revelation of Jesus Christ. Is he the one revealed or the one who does the revealing? In fact, he is both. The revealing is both by him and about him.

So, the book of Revelation is in fact The Revelation of Jesus Christ. What follows that opening word is a single and definitive revelation, not a series of them. This means there is a cohesion and unity to all that follows. Even while the book moves in some unexpected directions, and is at times confusing, it is all meant to communicate one great theme—Jesus Christ. Even while it is composed of many distinct events and visions, it never departs from its theme. When we open and read, we can always ask, “What is this revealing about Jesus Christ?”

Not only that, but it is the revelation, not a revelation, so there is a uniqueness to it. We should not look for other revelations of Jesus Christ. He is revealed definitively in the 22 chapters that follow—chapters that capture a great sweep of history beginning in times past and extending into eternity distant. (One of the simple ways we can guard against misnaming the book is to simply re-attached the word “The,” thus referring to it not as “Revelation” but “The Revelation.”)

I know some will accuse me of being pedantic here. And I know I’m prone to being overly scrupulous when it comes to words. Just ask my long-suffering wife and children. But in this case, I do think it matters. It matters that we speak rightly and accurately about something as important as the final book of the Bible, the book that describes events that have happened in history, events that are unfolding right now, and events that will soon take place—events meant to reveal Jesus Christ as he redeems the world and ushers in its new creation. So let’s make sure we’re thinking rightly about Revelation—The Revelation of Jesus Christ.

This week the blog is sponsored by The Good Book Company, publishers of Repeat The Sounding Joy, A daily Advent devotional on Luke 1 – 2, by Christopher Ash.

Confession time: I don’t particularly like Christmas. I think it goes back to my days as a local church minister with a young family. Somehow all the pre-Christmas stresses of presents (I get so anxious trying to find the right presents), food preparation, family gatherings, with the extra pressure of all those Carol Services, school nativities and then Christmas Day services, just when others begin to relax – it all got to me and I used to dread it.

As a young Christian – thrilled with what Jesus did for me on the Cross – I used to struggle also with all that talk about the Incarnation at Christmas (some of it from ministers who had vague ideas about “incarnational ministry” without really believing in the Atonement). Let’s get on to Good Friday and Easter Day, I used to feel; let’s not dwell on Jesus the sweet little baby and all that sentimental stuff. It just gives grown-up unbelievers the impression that Christianity is for little children.

Maybe you are bored with the nativity. Another December, another setting up of the crib, getting out the toy angels, shepherds, and kings, more random Christmas cards, same old, same old…

Let the nativity run deep into your Christmas celebrations

I want to encourage you, this December, to throw your boredom out the window and drink the bracing fresh air of the true nativity of Jesus, with all its depth and wonder. Let me urge you to be intentional about some serious meditation on the real meaning of the birth of Jesus. Don’t be afraid to think hard about what it meant and what it still means. Don’t shy away from facing the deep questions: what does it mean to say that the eternal Son of God, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, took on human flesh? What does it mean to say that Jesus Christ, in his one undivided person, was possessed of a fully divine nature and a fully human nature, without the two mixing? What actually happened at that astonishing moment – the most astonishing moment in human history – in the hiddenness of Mary’s womb?

Don’t be frightened to ask some deep questions about the Person and Work of God the Holy Spirit and his intimate relationship with the Son, just as you ask again about the intimate relationship of the Son with the Father.

When you do all that you will find that the conception and birth of Jesus becomes a wonderful – and, for many of us, fresh – opportunity to deepen your grasp of the gospel. I hope you know the gospel, believe the gospel, stake your life on the gospel. But however much you and I understand the gospel, there is always space for more depth; for the gospel is deeper than we can ever imagine. Give yourself time to think, to ponder, to talk with others, to wonder, to bow your heart in worship before the Father who sent his only Son, before the Son who took on flesh for us, before the Holy Spirit by whose agency Jesus was conceived in Mary’s womb.

Fresh gospel opportunities

But a fresh breathing of true nativity air will not only be good for you. If you have children, or grandchildren, or nephews and nieces, or you are an adoptive uncle or aunt to children, the nativity is an opportunity to teach them the gospel. If you and I just go with the sentimental flow of our vaguely Christianized secular Christmas culture, our children will learn nothing – nothing, that is, essentially different from what they learn through Santa Claus or The Snowman. But if you talk to them about the true and deep meaning of the nativity, even if they don’t fully understand it (and they won’t), you will be introducing them to the Savior of the world. Don’t feel that you have to dumb it all down; don’t be constrained not to say anything a child can’t understand. After all, you and I cannot fully understand the wonder of Christmas. If a child grasps a little and says to herself, “This is wonderful; I wish and hope I may begin to understand it more,” that is so much better than when a child thinks, “This is really babyish and I am already outgrowing it.”

What is more, this is still a moment when outsiders will sometimes listen to the Christian message. We don’t know for how much longer they will listen, but many will listen this year. So let’s take every opportunity to show them – not least by our own sense of fresh wonder – that the Christian gospel is deeply wonderful and true.

Repeat The Sounding Joy is Christopher Ash’s Advent journey through Luke 1 – 2, where he brings these familiar passages to life with fresh insight, color and depth.

As you soak up the Scriptures you’ll experience the joy of Christmas through the eyes of those who witnessed it first hand, from Mary and Elizabeth to the Shepherds and Simeon.

Download a $10 coupon to spend in The Good Book Company’s store today

Get your $10 coupon by submitting your email address in the form below. Valid when you spend $20 or more on www.thegoodbook.com.

It’s mostly odds and ends on the Kindle deals list this morning.

(Yesterday on the blog: Why It Matters that We Call the Final Book of the Bible Revelation, not Revelations)

Not My Fault

“Do you notice the difference? The language of brokenness and shame is passive language. It is describing something that has happened to you. The language of ‘sin’ is active language. It is something you do. If the language of our singing, counselling and preaching primarily uses passive language, or uses the passive language to explain active language – well we are no longer being biblical, and have started to inhabit a world view where, ‘it is not my fault’.”

Why Do I Doubt My Salvation? (Video)

Donald Whitney answers.

There Once Was A Farmer

Here’s some good writing! “There once was a young farmer who found great pleasure in working the soil. And though his pleasure was great as he tilled the soil, his pleasure was rooted in the harvest he saw in his mind.”

6 Members Who Build Up the Church

“Every local church is comprised of a diverse group of people who have been radically transformed by the power of God through the person and work of Jesus Christ. These diverse people have no reason to live and work together, let alone care for each other—and yet, they choose to live in love and unity together, to the praise and glory of the Lord’s name.”

3 Ways to Turn Against Your Pastor

I suppose those 6 members who build up the church are unlikely I to be the 3 who turn against the pastor!

How Did Jesus Suffer Eternal Punishment in Only 3 Hours?

It’s a legitimate question, isn’t it? “How did Jesus receive the full punishment for sin (eternal damnation) if he didn’t suffer eternally? To answer it, we must ask four additional questions that get at the logic of the atonement.”

Will There Be Rodents and Insects in Heaven?

The question may not be the most important ever asked, but there are pretty important implications as Randy Alcorn dives deeper and deeper.

Flashback: Rejoice in the Wife of Your Youth (and Not-So-Youth)

Whether you are a young man, or a not-so-young man, you have the same calling from God: Rejoice in the wife God has given you. Rejoice in his precious gift.

What one generation tolerates, the next generation will embrace. —John Wesley

I fixed yesterday’s Kindle deals for those who were wondering, and added some new ones as well.

When Loneliness is Your Closest Companion

This one may just bring a tear to your eye. “‘I don’t cook much anymore, my husband past away a year ago, and my life is so different now. So very different . . .’ Her voice trailed off to a past era of joy and companionship. My voice went soft, ‘I’m so very sorry.’ And those four small words invited her to share more.”

This is Not a Person, But She is a Threat

I’m pretty sure the world (and the church, for that) isn’t ready for the threat posed by what are being called “deep fakes.” “Unsurprisingly, Artificial Intelligence systems that can create convincing fake humans are causing quite a stir, and far beyond the world of Deep Learning. In the media, GANs are a major threat to credibility. They naturally tie into Deep Fakes — where a neural network impersonates a real person, creating videos or pictures where they appear to be doing or saying something they never actually did or said.”

Why Are People so Resistant to Reformed Theology? (Video)

Burk Parson explains why some people may be so resistant to Reformed theology.

We Dare Not Ignore the Devil

“Western evangelicals in general are not in danger of an overapplication of demonization. We are far more in danger of under-application — of a functional, unbiblical naturalism. This is partly due to cultural blind-spot assumptions. But increasingly, it is also a result of the growing cultural cost of supernaturalism.”

Should I Buy a House Near My Church?

While I don’t think the “commuter culture” of churches is going to change anytime soon, I do think there’s something to be said for living closer to the church rather than farther away.

The Size of Space

Here’s a fun, interactive way of appreciating the sheer size of space.

Died: Phillip E. Johnson, Lawyer who Put Darwin on Trial

CT reports: “Phillip E. Johnson, a law professor who helped launch the modern intelligent design movement, has died at home in Berkeley, California. He was age 79.”

Flashback: 3 Things To Consider Before That Next Big Sin

Sin promises so much but delivers so little. Sin always amplifies its benefits and minimizes its cost. Sin always aims at the uttermost, always nudging toward utter death and destruction. And yet we love our sin, and secretly harbor it, and grieve to turn aside from it.

There is no lasting healing in human empathy. It might relieve the symptoms for a while but genuine healing comes from God by means of his word. —Harold Senkbeil

Today I am announcing an exciting new project that I think will prove a blessing to you and a blessing to Christ’s church. But in order to make it possible, I am going to need your help.

Over the coming months, I hope to write a book and shoot a video series that will give a unique and vivid view of what God is accomplishing in the world today. I am calling this project Worship Round the World, and here’s what it’s all about:

On one day—the first day of each week—Christians across the globe gather to worship Jesus, their risen Lord. Together, as a worldwide community of worshippers, they obey God’s command that, “From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised” (Psalm 113:3).

I love to ponder that as the sun breaks over the islands of the South Pacific to begin a new day, Christians rise, then gather together to praise God in song, to call out to him in prayer, and to hear from him through his Word. As their services draw near to a close, Australians in Sydney, then Adelaide, then Perth begin to sing their own calls to worship, as do Christians in Japan and Korea. Next, millions of Chinese believers add their voices, as do Filipinos and Indonesians. By now nearly a quarter of the earth is resounding with the sound of Christian worship. And so it goes as the sun follows its course across Africa and Europe, then South America and North America. By the time it sets again far out over the Pacific, the whole earth has given praise to God. The diversity and unity of the Church in this worship is a stunning demonstration that the Gospel of the one and only Savior crosses every kind of barrier.

Worship Round the World will take viewers on this globe-circling journey! Viewers will join believers as they rise to worship in house churches, open-air buildings, and ancient edifices that stretch from the South Pacific to the mountains of Nepal, from the Middle East to the American heartland. It will be a taste of Revelation 5:9 as we, along with our brothers and sisters worldwide, worship the One who by His blood has “ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.”

In countries spanning the globe, they will join with churches whose worship is consistent with Scripture but whose practice of that worship is faithful to the local language, customs, and culture. I plan to worship in the remote jungles of Papua New Guinea, the mountains of Nepal, the bustling metropolises of Russia, the warm plains of Zambia, the cold reaches of Iceland, and many other places. I plan to introduce you to many of the brothers and sisters I meet along the way and to tell you how these people are worshiping and serving God in the place he has ordained for them.

I’ve asked my friend Tim Keesee, the executive director of Frontline Missions, and a skilled writer whom you may know from the Dispatches from the Front film series, to travel with me on this journey, so we can experience and describe it together.

The Products

At the end of it all, we plan to create:

• A 13-episode video series released on DVD and digital download.
• A co-authored paperback book that combines a travelogue of places and people with topical, theological reflections.

If time and budget permit, we may also create:

• A coffee table book displaying some of the best photographs from the world-wide journey.
• A study curriculum suitable for use by individuals, families, small groups, or churches.

The Need

It is our hope that the expenses for this project will be covered through donations. The total anticipated budget is $275,000 which will cover expenses related to travel, equipment, and video production.

This will be a two-year project that involves multiple trips spanning the globe. It’s the biggest, most audacious film project either of us has ever undertaken. But that’s as it should be because this is the big, audacious story of Jesus’ saving work in the world as he brings worshippers together from “every tribe and language and people and nation” (Rev. 5:9)!

(Visit our FAQs at Frontline to learn more)

Will You Help?

Will you help us tell this story? If you want to have a part in this project, please consider giving a gift of any size for the Worship Round the World project. You can do so through Frontline Missions International, a non-profit missions organization that supports biblical ministries in restricted-access countries. Donations can be made by credit card, check, or money order, and are tax-deductible within America.

Today’s Kindle deals include just one, but it’s a brand new one from Os Guinness that looks worth considering. Besides that, there’s a long list of general market deals that may be good to sort through.

(Yesterday on the blog: Will You Help Me Worship Round the World?)

An Eternal Perspective on Persecution and Loss

Randy Alcorn provides an update on a tragic but inspiring story.

Give Them Something to Eat

This is so important for pastors to remember. “Jesus says ‘Give them something to eat.’ But we can’t. Not on our own. No amount of eloquence, no clever video, no carefully crafted exposition will reach the hearts of the needy people in our churches without the work of Jesus. That’s what Jesus is teaching his disciples and what he is teaching us in this story.”

Death of a Critic

Samuel James echoes a lot of my thoughts about movies. “By the time I was parking the car in the Yorktown AMC for the movie, I had been sensing a transformation. Cinema had lost its charm. I was bored by the same critically lauded, morally ambiguous films I had devoured in a previous life.”

Why You Should Go to Church [28 Biblical Reasons]

Here’s a long and Bible-based list of reasons you should go to church.

What Did You Do Today?

“Glen comes home to find me, face-down on the sofa. The house looks like we’ve been burgled. The kids are hollering and trying to find a comfortable sitting position on my spine. ‘How was your day?‘ I mumble into a cushion. ‘Yeah, fine.  Couple of meetings.  Finishing scripts for new Christmas videos.  Skyped someone in the States.  Wrote my talks for the conference and sent off a manuscript. Sent off the funding applications and did a session on Trinity with the interns. How about you? What did you get up to?’”

Ask Ligonier with John MacArthur (Video)

Ligonier Ministries recently hosted an Ask Ligonier session with John MacArthur. Conversation went far and wide!

How to Pray for Unbelieving Family Members

I expect we could all use some encouragement and guidance in this. “One of the greatest concerns—and heartaches—for many Christians is with the members of their families who have not come to faith in Christ, or who perhaps have abandoned the faith they grew up with. Many, many of us are burdened in our prayers for such loved-ones, and sometimes it is hard to know how and what to pray.”

Flashback: Why We Can Rejoice that Marriage Will End

When marriage someday ends, we will agree that God has not subtracted anything, but only added. He has not divided, but united us in an even deeper way.

God’s first promise was for the man of heaven to descend and save us. Humanity’s plan is to ascend to heaven and “make a name for ourselves.” —Glen Scrivener

Today’s Kindle deals include some Bible study material, some books by Jen Pollock Michel, and a couple of volumes from the New Studies in Biblical Theology series.

Also, Amazon has some board games on sale today if you want to stock up.

Then there are some pretty good Logos deals to be had this month, mostly on commentaries. Don’t forget to get your free commentary.

Manage Your Household Well

David Mathis explains this biblical qualification. “One of the greatest needs wives and children have — and all the more in our relentlessly distracting age — is dad’s countercultural attentiveness. Perhaps human attention never has been more valuable. Today the largest corporations in the world no longer compete for oil, but for human attention. And when attention is short and scarce, one of the greatest emerging tragedies of this new era is distracted dads.”

How to Pray for Unbelieving Family Members

I expect we all have reason to put these guidelines into practice.

Francis Chan Announces He Is Moving to Myanmar To Be a Missionary

May God bless him in this new ministry!

The US Government Program That Pays For Your Flights

It all sounds pretty odd until he gets to the mathematics of it at the end. Then it begins to make some sense.

I Was An Astrologer

I was interested to read this article from a former astrologer. “What broke the spell for me was, oddly, people swearing by my gift. Some repeat customers claimed I’d made very specific predictions, of a kind I never made. It dawned on me that my readings were a co-creation – I would weave a story and, later, the customer’s memory would add new elements.”

Pastor, Don’t Imply that Church is Optional

Trevin sounds the warning. “I wonder if, in the decades that followed, the truth that going to church doesn’t make you a Christian morphed into a different idea—that being a Christian doesn’t necessarily include going to church. I wonder if people started thinking that personal, individual faith in Jesus is the only important thing, and if the church can help with that, fine, but if not, that’s fine, too.”

What Kind of Older Man Will I Be?

I’d say this challenge can apply equally to older women.

Flashback: Taking Up a Collection in a Cashless World

How does your church handle the collection in an increasingly cashless world? And how do you make giving a significant act of worship if your giving is done electronically? What are your thoughts about the future of the collection?

The work God needs to do in you matters far more than the work you think He needs to do through you. —Sam Allberry

You do meet some interesting people in the Christian world, whether such meetings happen through real-life interactions or whether they happen through books and blogs. When it comes to Mez McConnell, I’ve met him in all of those ways—I have read his books, I have read many of the articles he has written, I have stayed in his home and worshiped in his church, and he has stayed in my home and worshiped in my church. I count him a friend and have found him to be a unique voice within the Christian world and a unique voice to the Christian world.

The Creaking on the Stairs is an account of Mez’s life, and one that has been written in a specific context and for a specific purpose. He has written it at a time when the worldwide church is reckoning with abuse both within its own walls and without. He has written it to tell of both the horrifying abuse he endured as a child and the wondrous grace he found as an adult. That makes it an autobiography that is at once grievous and glorious. It is almost unbearable in its descriptions of what he experienced, but it is stirring in its descriptions of the grace he discovered through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

When Mez was young, his father remarried and both Mez and his sister gained a new stepmother. For 13 years she terrorized them with her near-constant abuse—abuse that was of the most serious and sickening kinds. His childhood was marred by her violent temper and depraved mind. I think many people will echo Rosaria Butterfield when she says this is the most disturbing book she has ever read. This abuse scarred him, contributing to the beginnings of his own life of violence and addiction. As he grew from a child to an adult, he was well on his way toward utter destruction.

Today Mez pastors Niddrie Community Church in Edinburgh, Scotland and is the director of 20schemes, a ministry dedicated to revitalizing and planting gospel churches in Scotland’s poorest communities. Clearly something dramatic happened in his life. What was it? He heard the good news of the gospel, put his faith in Christ, and received forgiveness. But the grace extended to him called him to consider the reality of what he had endured as a child, and not only the reality of it, but also its purpose and meaning. And that is where The Creaking on the Stairs comes in. This book is his way of reckoning with the horrors of his childhood and attempting to get to the difficult questions of why and how God could allow something so terrible to happen to him. There are many ways he could answer these questions that would be simple, but they would also be simplistic and unsatisfying. So he has had to dig deep into Scripture and to uncover the vast riches of Christian doctrines like divine sovereignty and substitutionary atonement. And it’s there that he has found answers that satisfy.

Through The Creaking on the Stairs Mez blends biography and theology to teach with clarity the evils of child abuse and the goodness and trustworthiness of God. The big takeaway is not how much he suffered, but how much grace he received. The big theme is not the evil of his stepmother, but the goodness of his heavenly Father. Aileen was asked to provide an endorsement and I will allow her words to speak for me. “I finished it with the sober but thankful realisation that in its pages Mez has given us something incredibly valuable: truth and hope. He has given us truth that can be applied to even the most broken situations, and hope for that day when there will be no more weeping and no more tears. For that reason and many more, I can’t recommend this book enough.”

This week’s Free Stuff Friday is sponsored by The Good Book Company who also sponsored the blog this week. They have 5 packages of their latest releases to give away, which means 5 winners will each receive the following titles:

Pray Big by Alistair Begg

So many of us struggle with prayer. Many books have been written on the subject and there’s a reason for that. Prayer comes hard to most of us, in most seasons. And when we do pray, we often don’t know what to say. What is it that my Father loves to hear about? What are the best things I could pray for my family, my church, and myself?

In Pray Big, renowned Bible teacher Alistair Begg combines warmth, clarity, humor, and practicality as he examines Paul’s prayers for his friends in the church in Ephesus. Paul clearly enjoyed prayer and was excited about it. He expected his Father in heaven to hear what he said, and to act in other people’s lives accordingly. The truths that underpin and shape his prayers will motivate us to pray and set us an example.

Jesus and The Lions’ Den by Alison Mitchell

The story of Daniel and the Lions’ Den teaches children many things… It teaches them about praying; it teaches them about Daniel’s faithfulness to God, and God’s faithfulness to Daniel; and it teaches them that God is the real king of everyone everywhere.

But if you peel back another layer, you’ll see that like the rest of the Old Testament, it also points to Jesus.

Jesus and The Lions’ Den is a stunningly-illustrated retelling of Daniel and the lions’ den helps children to see Jesus in the story of Daniel. It challenges children to spot the ‘Jesus moments’ by looking out for the hidden lion symbols. It goes on to explain the parallels between Jesus and Daniel, so that children can see the gospel heart of the whole Bible.

Repeat The Sounding Joy by Christopher Ash

In this Advent journey through Luke 1 – 2, Christopher Ash brings these familiar passages to life with fresh insight, color, and depth.

As you soak up the Scriptures, you’ll experience the joy of Christmas through the eyes of those who witnessed it first hand, from Mary and Elizabeth to the Shepherds and Simeon. Repeat The Sounding Joy will help you to celebrate afresh the arrival of the long-awaited Messiah in history, and learn what it means to wait for him with joyful expectation today.

His Testimonies, My Heritage by Kristie Anywibwilie

Hear the voices of women of color on the most important subject in any age—the word of God. This inspiring collection of devotions is by a diverse group of women of color—African-American, Hispanic, Caribbean, and Asian women. Contributors include Kristie Anyabwile, Jackie Hill-Perry, Trillia Newbell, Elicia Horton, Christina Edmondson, Blair Linne, Bev Chao Berrus and more.

His Testimonies, My Heritage is a faithful exposition of Psalm 119 and incorporates each contributor’s cultural expression both within the teaching and as they bring the word of God to bear on their lives.

Enjoying God by Tim Chester

We believe in God, we serve God, we trust God, but would we say that we enjoy God on a day to day basis? What exactly does a personal relationship with God look like, and how is it even possible?

Enjoying God – a seminal work by Tim Chester – shows us how we can enjoy God in every moment of every day, whether we are experiencing good times or hard times; whether we are changing nappies, or stuck on a train. He explores how the Father, the Son, and the Spirit relate to us in our day-to-day lives, and how to respond.

The Christmas Promise Board Book by Alison Mitchell

A captivating retelling of the Christmas story for children aged 2-4, showing how God kept His promise to send a new King. Superb illustrations by Catalina Echeverri and faithful, Bible-centred story-telling by Alison Mitchell combine to make this a book that both parents and children will love.

Using simple sentences and stunning illustrations, this 16-page board book introduces young children to the events of the very first Christmas.

Follow The Good Book Company on Facebook and Twitter for a chance to keep up with their blog, latest news, new releases, monthly giveaways and more.

Enter Here

Again, there are five packages to win. And all you need to do to enter the draw is to drop your name and email address in the form below.

Giveaway Rules: You may enter one time. As soon as the winners have been chosen, all names and addresses will be immediately and permanently erased. Winners will be notified by email. The giveaway closes Saturday at noon. If you are viewing this through email, click to visit my site and enter there.

Today’s Kindle deals include a handful of classics.

Not surprisingly, Westminster Books is featuring deals on Christmas-related books (both for personal reading and for giving away to others).

(Yesterday on the blog: The Creaking on the Stairs)

3 Ways to Stay Christian During Election Season

It’s not difficult to foresee that the next year in America has the potential to be extremely polarizing. Jared Wilson: “Barring an abstention from or ambivalence about politics altogether, how can we avoid getting caught up in the fray? How can Christians participate in our electoral privileges, and even discuss and debate relevant issues, without compromising our witness? Here are three ways I’d suggest we can wisely engage in the upcoming election cycle without losing perspective on what matters more than who wins or loses.”

Visualize the Entire World’s Wealth

This infographic shows the different levels of average wealth per adult around the world.

New and Old Garments

“There are parts of the Bible I’ve read so many times that I’m prone to mistake familiarity with them for understanding of them. But once in a while, when I set my familiarity aside, I can actually take a look at what’s actually there.” Speaking personally, this is a part of the Bible I have to look up every single time I read it as I invariably forget the point Jesus is making in it.

A New Calling

WORLD profiles Dr. Anthony Levatino who, from 1977 to 1985, “performed nearly 1,200 first- and second-trimester abortions as a routine part of his residency and later obstetrics and gynecology practice at Albany Medical Center in New York.” But then a tragedy forever changed his life and convictions.

Professional vs Beginner Opera Singer (Video)

This is sheer silliness, but incredibly entertaining.

Good Firefighters Don’t Rush

Being good friends with a paramedic, I’ve observed the same is true of them. “You think you want a rushed firefighter, he said. But only rookie firefighters do that. The experienced firefighters know that hurry puts lives at risk. Hurry gets in the way of saving lives. A frantic firefighter is not a good firefighter.”

Your Unfulfilled Desires are a Treasury, Not a Tragedy

This is comforting. “Whether it pertains to romance and sexuality, career, sickness and disease, parenting, or ministry, many assume that to live with unmet expectations is an insufferable misery that must be resolved as quickly as possible. However, the Bible offers a different perspective. It reveals that while we are fixated on what we don’t have, God’s focus is on what we are becoming for the sake of His purpose.”

Flashback: Joyfully Lifting Malformed Hands in Worship

Please pray that our little son will someday joyfully lift his hands, formed and malformed, in heartfelt worship to the King who in love and mysterious providence saw fit to have him walk this path—even when he can’t know exactly why it had to be so.

Press forward. Do not stop, do not linger in your journey, but strive for the mark set before you. —George Whitefield

From time to time I like to share one of our worship services from Grace Fellowship Church. In that vein, here is how we worshiped on one November Sunday morning. This week’s cast of characters included Steve as service leader, Paul as preacher, and Allie as music leader. The band was composed of guitar, electric guitar, and bass guitar with one male and two female vocalists.

Welcome and Call to Worship (Steve)

“Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?  And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob” (Psalm 24:3-6).

Singing (Band)

• “How Great How Glorious”

Complementary Text Reading (Alex)

Alex said something like, “Listen to God’s word as it tell us the kind of people who can approach God with confidence.” Alex then read Micah 6: 6-8.

Singing (Band)

• “All My Ways”

Time of Confession  (Steve)

Steve said something like this: “Have you faithfully acknowledged God in all your ways? Have you lived this past week in total faithfulness, total fairness and total humility? Take a moment silently now, to consider your last week of life… and to consider what God requires.”

Singing (Band)

• Psalm 7. “Oh Lord my God, in You I Refuge Take”  (Tune Abide With Me)

Confession Part Two (Steve) 

“We have not acknowledged God in all our ways. We have not acknowledged God in all our ways. We have not done justice, loved mercy and been faithful every day. But another One has… our Lord Jesus. ‘Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law’ (Isaiah 42:1–4). Brother and Sister, since you are one with Christ, you are clean.”

Word of Assurance (Steve)

“Read out loud with me, the words of Psalm Read out loud with me, the words of Psalm Psalm 145. ‘The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The LORD is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made. The LORD upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.’”

Singing (Band)

• “Man of Sorrows”

Pastoral Prayer (Steve) 

Steve prayed for a number of matters related to the church, including some ministries and churches we support, and for our countries leaders.

Scripture Reading (Steve)

Steve read the text upon which the sermon was based. He began by saying something like, “Please take your Bible and turn to Isaiah 59. If you have one of our church Bibles, you will find that on page 579. If you do not have a Bible, please raise your hand and our ushers will bring one to you.” He began the reading with “This is what Holy Scripture says…” After reading the text he said, “This is the word of the Lord” to which the congregation replied, “Thanks be to God.”

Singing (Band)

• “Trust and Obey”

Sermon (Paul)

Paul preached a sermon titled “The Justice of God: Do Justice” based on Isaiah 59: 1-21. His outline was:

1. God is just.
2. Since God is just, we are to be just.
3. Since God is just, we are to do justice.

Singing (Band)

• “The Sands of Time are Sinking”

Commission (Steve)

Steve commissioned the church to live on the basis of the truths we heard in the sermon. He also provided information about some upcoming events in the life of the church.

Benediction (Steve)

“Receive this blessing of the Lord from His Word: ‘The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.’ Amen.”

Today’s Kindle deals include some classics and a whole lot of newer works.

(Parenthetically, I happened to notice that Amazon has Timbuk2 backpacks and bags on sale today; that makes them really good bags at a very good price.)

Will We Remember Our Life in Heaven? Even the Trauma?

Wyatt Graham goes swimming in some deep waters here. “Imagine entering into heaven. Joy fills your soul. But you see some object that triggers a traumatic memory from your life. What happens to that joy now? Or say you had lived a life without trauma, yet your loved one did not share your faith. Can you rightly enjoy heaven when your spouse, child, or loved perdures in eternal perdition?”

Christian Sexual Ethic Is Going To Be the Dividing Line — and Not Just Because of Christians

Andrew T. Walker: “Sexual ethics have indeed become what many of us refer to as a status confessionis issue. A status confessionis issue is one that is essential to the church’s message. It means that issues arise of such importance in the life of the church that the church must make declarative proclamation that not to believe something that the church deems essential is to declare one’s self outside the bounds of faith.”

Impasse Ahead!

“Here is my thanksgiving column this year: gratitude to God for allowing me to stay alive long enough to stop assuming that the same road going nowhere will turn out OK this time around.” That is worth being thankful for!

Make Today Count for the Kingdom (SPONSORED LINK)

You only live once—if then. How do we make the most of life and the time we have? In the midst of our harried modern world, speaker and social critic Os Guinness calls us to consequential living in his new book Carpe Diem Redeemed. We can seek to serve God’s purpose for our generation, read the times, and discern our call for this moment in history.

The Spectacular Rise and Fall of WeWork (Video)

This video aptly explains why so many people are talking about WeWork.

9 Things You Should Know About the Armenian Genocide

It is a horrific chapter in history—one of the worst atrocities of modern times.

My Face Became a Meme

This article reminds me that some of what we share online just for fun actually comes at the expense of innocent people.

What Would You Do For An Idol

The details vary from person to person, but each of us bows to some kind of an idol. “Nothing was going to stop me from achieving this dream, though. If excessive working out, an overly restricted diet, an intense daily stretching routine, braces, an expensive skin-care regimen, and no social life was the way to a successful career, then so be it.”

Flashback: Keep a Close Watch on Yourself!

Crumbling behavior and crumbling beliefs, a shipwrecked life or a shipwrecked faith, both result from a lack of vigilance. This is why it is your responsibility to “keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching”.

Fight for us, O God, that we not drift numb and blind and foolish into vain and empty excitements…Heaven is too great, hell is too horrible, eternity is too long that we should putter around on the porch of eternity. —John Piper

It was with sorrow but not surprise that I read a recent article at Risen Motherhood. In The Gospel Frees Us From Shame: Embracing Sexual Intimacy with a Postpartum Body, Lauren Washer writes about an experience that’s common among women who have given birth to one or more children. “I never thought my feelings toward sexual intimacy would change so drastically after having babies. Yet, with each pregnancy and every extra pound on my body, I have struggled to believe my husband desires me.”

She goes on to explain why she struggles to believe this.

Our culture tells us women should have flat stomachs and flawless skin. We feel the pressure to only gain so many pounds during pregnancy, and then shed them immediately after giving birth. When we see perfectly styled images of celebrities holding their day-old babies, it’s tempting to believe this is normal. So, when we come home from the hospital in our yoga pants and postpartum underwear, we start to feel like there must be something wrong. As the days and weeks go by, and the stretch-marks, squishy tummies, and baggy eyes remain, we can find ourselves feeling unworthy of physical affection and shying away from sexual intimacy with our husbands.

If this experience isn’t universal, I’m sure it’s at least very common. For that reason, I’m glad Washer addresses it, and that she addresses it in light of the gospel, which so aptly deals with shame. But I’d like to take a slightly different tack by speaking on behalf of husbands. Of course I cannot speak on behalf of every husband, but I hope to speak on behalf of some, and to offer a husband’s perspective on a wife’s postpartum body. (And, to that point, I sent this article to several male friends who generally agreed with what I said.)

I Understand Why

I understand why a wife can believe that her husband does not find her desirable, or at least as desirable as he once did, after she has carried children. It actually makes a good deal of sense. Whatever else a young bride learns about her husband in the early days of marriage, she certainly learns that he is extremely visual, and that he gains great joy and satisfaction from feasting his eyes upon her. A young husband naturally delights in his wife’s body and, like Solomon in his famous Song, enjoys telling her what he finds particularly delightful. When this couple is young and free and naked, he may comment on the flatness of her stomach or the shape of her breasts or the sweep of her curves or the perfection of any and every part of her. He may not use exactly the language of the fourth chapter of the Song of Solomon (and, in fact, I don’t really recommend it), but certainly he has allowed his eyes to linger on every part of her, from head to toe, and to sing the praises of what he has seen.

But a few years and a few babies later, that body is not what it once was. The stomach is no longer as flat and toned as it used to be and it may now bear deep stretch marks or fierce scars from the surgeon’s knife. The breasts are no longer the shape they once were, the curves not quite so curvy. And the wife, being no fool, is prone to put two and two together: The very things that once attracted him are no longer as attractive. Therefore, he must no longer find me appealing. He must be disappointed. He might even be repelled. She feels shame and this shame can have consequences:

On the days when he compliments my appearance or hints at his desire for sexual intimacy, I inwardly roll my eyes, question the truth behind his words, and sometimes pull away. Yet, on the other hand, if he doesn’t pay special attention to me when I wear a new dress or he falls asleep before me at the end of the day, I interpret his behavior as disinterest and failure to pursue me. In both cases, I’m a captive to feelings of shame telling me the appearance of my body makes me no longer worthy of love, desire, or attention.

What Is a Wife To Believe?

So what is a wife to believe about the relationship of her husband to her postpartum body? She is to believe that his delight in her body and his desire for it is not diminished by what it has endured, but actually enhanced. He does not resent the imperfections but, rather, treasures them. Stick with me as I try to explain myself.

When a husband and wife marry, when the two become one, they begin a story together. That story is told through shared experiences, shared successes and failures, shared worship, shared moments, shared secrets. As it pertains to the postpartum body, that story is told through shared flesh and shared children. The wife’s body tells a significant part of that story, their story. A loving husband gazes at his wife’s body and sees reminders of their shared life—reminders that only her body has recorded.

That stretch mark across the belly tells a story of a pregnancy and calls them to remember the sweet moments of lying on the couch together, his head on her bare stomach, singing gently to the little life within. Will it be a boy? Will it be a girl? What name will we give this little one? That caesarean scar tells the story of sudden fear and urgent surgery and safe birth and great rejoicing. Those breasts, which may not be what they once were, tell the story of life, for what man hasn’t marveled as he has watched a baby suckle, drawing sustenance from his mother. Those stories are so very good, and they cannot be told apart from the postpartum body.

In this way there is a tenderness in the way a mature husband regards his wife’s body, in the way he gazes upon her nakedness. When he was young, he passionately made love to a near stranger, and though in that day he was enamored with her body, he barely knew it because he barely knew her. But now he tenderly makes love to an intimate companion and a dearest friend with a body that is so familiar. Its lines are their lines, its scars are their scars, his as much as hers. Somewhere in the march of time, the beauty of a young body gave way to the much greater beauty of a shared life, a shared soul. The things that once attracted him may have faded or stretched or become marred, but they’ve given way to something better, something deeper. He knows that stomach, he knows those breasts, he knows her every part.

That postpartum body is the hidden, intimate story of their shared life. Its secrets are for them alone. Its skin is the pages and its scars the words of the stories that only they know. Yes, the body has been blemished as the stories have unfolded, but no, he wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. As he gently runs his finger along the lines and scars, he knows that she willingly sacrificed her youthful body for this one, so they could enjoy the blessings of children together. He honors her for that sacrifice. He treasures her body for that sacrifice.

So how does a husband regard his wife’s postpartum body? With awe, that he has been given willing access to that body so many times—to look, to touch, to enjoy. With tenderness, knowing that it tells the story of so much of the journey they’ve made together. With gratitude, acknowledging that she has sacrificed her body so they could enjoy the thrill of pregnancy, the joy of children, and the blessings of family. And with desire, still longing to experience and increase the intimacy that has bound them together for all these years. He treasures each mark and each line as if they are his own. For in the sacred oneness of marriage, they are his own.

There’s the usual list of Kindle deals to at least glance at today.

Amazon has quite a lot of board games and other toys on sale today.

(Yesterday on the blog: A Husband’s Perspective on a Postpartum Body)

Honoring “Grandma Taylor” – Living Veteran of World War II

I thoroughly enjoyed learning about Grandma Taylor, a living veteran of World War II. “97-year-old Marilyn Taylor is a veteran through and through. She is Mom to us and Grandma to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Neighbors, church members, and friends call her ‘Grandma Taylor.'”

Weeds

“Weeds never quit. They sprout on the edges and in the thick of things. I pull them out. Easily. Their small roots dangling with dirt. Then I cast them aside in the trash. The next day, coming back from my walk, I check the state of the yard. Weeds. More of them. They are relentless. Through drought and flood. In season and out of season. Crowding out the chosen plants.”

Common Misconceptions About Islam

Afshin Ziafat covers some common misconceptions about Islam. “Unfortunately, many Christians are apprehensive about engaging a relationship or even a conversation with Muslims. Some have a misperception that Muslims will not be friendly. Others are gripped with the fear of potentially offending Muslims by committing a cultural faux pas. Essentially, many are overcome by the fear of the unknown. I want to shed light on some common misconceptions that hinder Christians from reaching out to Muslims with the saving truth of Christ.”

How Google And Gmail Dominated Consumer Email (Video)

It’s amazing how quickly and how thoroughly Google came to dominate consumer email. This video explains how and why it happened.

How to Pray for Your Pastor

Here’s some guidance on praying for your pastor.

Should I Give or Get Out of Debt?

I’ve been asked this question a number of times. I think Chuck Bentley does a good job of answering it in this article.

Redeeming Productivity

I was recently a guest on the Redeeming Productivity podcast. You may enjoy listening in as we discuss what we hope is a uniquely Christian perspective on the subject.

Flashback: Theological Quizzes in PDF Format

A few weeks ago I began to share theological quizzes…Each quiz contains a question sheet followed by an answer key. You are free to copy, share, and print them as you see fit.

Loveliness, or holiness, or the fruit of the Spirit, or whatever we are going to call it, will not grow in us when we seek it directly. It is not fruit we should be seeking; it is Jesus. —Scott Sauls

Today’s Kindle deals include the complete NIV Application Commentary series which has many strong volumes. There are a few other books as well.

Hope for the Girl with a Sexual Past

I know this is an area of significant struggle for some. “Like my coworker, I previously believed I could never live a life of purity. It’s a bizarre thought to the mind which has yet to be renewed by Christ. Back then, I could have been named among Gomer and the adulterous woman. (Hosea 1:2-3; John 8:3-11) I was a slave to sin who lacked the desire for freedom. My body and heart were not places of purity, but rather, tools to get what I wanted; to feel loved—even for just a moment.”

The Last Victim of Smallpox

Here’s the story of the final victim of smallpox—hopefully the final one in all of human history!

Make Today Count for the Kingdom (SPONSORED LINK)

You only live once—if then. How do we make the most of life and the time we have? In the midst of our harried modern world, speaker and social critic Os Guinness calls us to consequential living in his new book Carpe Diem Redeemed. We can seek to serve God’s purpose for our generation, read the times, and discern our call for this moment in history.

What Does It Mean to Be Ready to Meet the Lord?

Randy Alcorn explains what it means to be ready to meet the Lord.

How Toys ‘R’ Us Went Bankrupt (Video)

It occurred to me while I watched this, that I don’t think I once went into a Toys ‘R’ Us as a child.

The Problem With “Spiritual but Not Religious”

“What does someone mean when they use this oft-familiar phrase? Usually, what they mean is that they have a personal one-on-one relationship with God, but they don’t want anything to do with organized religion. They hold to a form of spirituality, but their spirituality is subjective, based on their feelings and needs, and requires no external commitment to others.”

The Race to Create Smart Glasses

The tech companies are in a race to see which of them will dominate the coming market to put their technologies on our faces.

Flashback: This is the Church in China

While in China last week, we met a local church pastor and took the opportunity to visit him. We did it on the train where we could speak with him discreetly. This is the church in China.

If we measure our worth by public opinion, we’ll always be tempted to give people what they want instead of what they need. —Harold Senkbeil

I thought I might break into the regularly-scheduled programming at this site to provide a few updates on what’s going on in my life, vocation, and family. I’ve got a few updates on health, projects, travel, and so on.

Health

Quite a number of people have asked about my health, and especially about the strange and lingering issues with my hands. That situation is largely unchanged. I continue to try various treatments under the guidance of skilled specialists. Each treatment must go on for a while before we learn whether or not it is proving effective, so this becomes a long process of trial and error. To this point we have ruled out quite a lot of possibilities, including most of the really obvious ones and most of the really bad ones, but have still not been able to reach a diagnosis. We press on!

Though I sometimes experience waves of discouragement, on the whole I am doing well spiritually and emotionally. I have cut back the amount of typing I do as much as possible, but at the end of the day, typing is what I do and so I just have to type through the pain. That’s hardly ideal, but I am able to carry on for the time being. I continue to trust that somehow and somewhere the Lord is at work in all this.

Family

This is an interesting year for us as a family. We have one child who is at both Boyce College and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he is in his second year of the five-year seminary track. (This is a program that allows students to earn both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in that time). We have one child who is finishing up high school and preparing to also head down to Boyce College next year. And we have one child who is finishing up primary school and preparing to begin high school next year. So we are right in the thick of it and thoroughly enjoying this stage of life and parenting. I’m tremendously proud of all three of my children!

EPIC

As you know, during 2018 and 2019 I traveled the world to search for historical objects through which I could tell the story of the Christian faith. I called this project EPIC. That travel has long since finished and we are putting the final touches on the book and DVD series that will describe and display it all. We expect that both products will be available in March, 2020—a full-color book with lots of photos and images, plus a 10-episode video series. The book is almost fully complete and almost ready to send to the printer. Next week we are filming some final in-studio and voiceover bits, which means the films are nearing completion as well. I will let you know when pre-orders begin.

Worship Round the World

I recently launched another project that I hope will prove to be an encouragement to the church as it comes together. For Worship Round the World, I hope to travel to at least 12 different countries to worship with churches in each of them—churches that are faithful to Scripture but also faithful to their local language, customs, and culture. If the project comes together as I’ve envisioned it, it should provide a powerful glimpse of how God is at work in the world today, drawing to himself people of every tribe and language and people and nation. It will show that the gospel brings unity, but not uniformity. It will show how God’s people are faithfully worshiping and serving him from one end of the earth to the other. We are currently fundraising to help offset the costs, and would love you to prayerfully consider joining in.

Speaking & Travel in 2020

I’ve mostly nailed down my speaking schedule for at least the first half of 2020. I always welcome the opportunity to meet anyone who reads this blog, so please feel free to check if I’ll be in your area. You can find a regularly-updated schedule on my Speaking Itinerary page.

Today’s Kindle deals include rather an eclectic list of books.

(Yesterday on the blog: Updates on Life, Health, Travels, and Family)

Preaching Holiness Without Bashing Heads

“In preaching a biblical virtue like holiness, preachers can easily give the idea that we must all strive for it through sheer grit. People who are already burdened with moralistic tendencies invariably tie those virtues to an angry, transcendentally holy and demanding God, and unwittingly, we will jump through one hoop after another to try to please God.”

Hospitality is Not Homebound

“That’s a good thing. I agree–we should welcome others into our homes when we can. But, I also want to send a clear message to women like me, women who are rarely home, whose kids are in fifteen different activities after school, whose family generally eats at different times in different cars in different cities because that’s just the phase of life that we’re in: hospitality can happen literally anywhere.”

What Happened to the Hummer? (Video)

The Hummer was a strange and short-lived phenomenon, wasn’t it?

Were the Gospels Meant to Be Taken as Historical Testimony?

“How do we know if the testimonies preserved about Jesus in the New Testament Gospels were intended to be taken as descriptions of real events in the first place?” That’s an important question for any apologist.

What Is Sex?

I enjoyed reading Wyatt Graham as he thinks out loud and in public about issues like this. “I want to define something that at one level is quite simple yet at another level can be hard to grasp.”

How Do I Read Through the New Testament? (Video)

Dr. Thomas Keene of RTS answers the question and along the way offers some helpful counsel for reading the Bible.

Desire for Approval

Ed Welch has a short one on the desire for approval and how it can harm relationships.

Flashback: Don’t Waste Your Ambition

God loves your ambition—ambition taken captive by his Word to carry out his will. Your ambition is a gift. Use it. Use it under the protection of character and self-discipline. Use it for God’s glory.

God is the Watchman. God is the Guardian. He will never let anyone snatch you from him. The evil of others might touch you but not own you. —Ed Welch